I Eat the Colors of the Rainbow

We interrupt our scheduled blog for a real time post...

I am continuing the story of our trip in a bit but I wanted to put in a real time post today. As you'll find out soon enough, the last day of our stay in AZ ended with us taking Kiddo to the ER. He had accidentally been given some candy that had peanuts in it, and he had a pretty troublesome reaction even after benadryll was administered. As a result, we now have to carry epi pens with us wherever we go and he also has an appointment with an allergist next week.

*sigh*

I feel so responsible. Why is it that no one tells you anything until after something has already happened?? I seriously did not know that because both Hubby and I have allergies that any offspring would be more prone to them. (well, I thought they would probably have the same allergies we do, but apparently if mom and dad have environmental allergies, kids are more prone to food allergies - go figure) No one ever suggested to me to delay solids for Kiddo, and even after he had a reaction to rice cereal no one suggested we delay certain things or put off solid food all together. I am not trying to place blame on anyone, but it seems to me that if I were a pediatrician and my patient at 4-6 months had a reaction to rice cereal of all things, I might suggest to the mom to hold off on solid food or at the very least give her a chart of what foods to avoid and for how long.

Now because of all this peanut allergy stuff I am doing research and learning about all the things I did wrong. Poor little Port doesn't stand a chance. I was apparently supposed to not eat any fish, shellfish, eggs, milk and peanut products while pregnant (and yet still maintain a high protein diet to ward off preeclampsia), nor am I supposed to eat those things while breast feeding if I want to give my kid a chance of overcoming food allergies. I am supposed to delay solids until at the very least 6 months, though if I want to be really safe I should exclusively breastfeed for a year.

Tell that to my 18 pound 4 month old who has a death grip on my fork.

And, if a child develops eczema at an early age, they are more likely to have food allergies and asthma. Joy. Why didn't my ped tell me this on Wednesday when we were there and I showed him Port's eczema patches? Why did he say it was ok to start solids 3 times a day, knowing full well Kiddo is riddled with allergies and that I was concerned about Port having allergies as well? Why did he not give me a prescription for an epi pen a year ago when I told him I thought Kiddo had a peanut allergy, yet on Wednesday when we told him of the ER visit he had the script printed before we even finished the story?

gah!


While we were on vacation we gave Port cereal for the first time. I made it pretty thick and he gobbled it up like he had been eating it since birth. The only reason I started it so soon is because when we eat he goes nuts - he watches every bite from plate to mouth and grabs at anything he can get his hands on. I thought he was "ready". Well I guess he is, but now I am finding out I can't go on instinct and readiness here.

I gave him some mashed up bananas today and he had a reaction. Come to find out, banana allergies are pretty common and we should delay introducing bananas until 9-12 months. Banana allergies are also closely related to latex allergies - guess who has a latex allergy??


*raises hand*

So, as of today I am back to giving Port breast milk only in the hopes that I haven't completely screwed him up. He shall have no egg or egg product till he is 2 and no peanuts ever if I can help it. This ought to make his first birthday cake fun.

*sigh*

In other news, Port had his 4 month check up the other day. He is a healthy 17.4 pounds (90%), 26 inches (75%) and has a head in the 100th percentile. Biggun! He does not like the doctor. My smiley, happy, loves everybody boy does not like the doctor! lol!

At 4 months he is rolling from tummy to back and about half way the other way. He grabs for things and has pretty good aim. He can pick up things and put them in his mouth. He is chewing and drooling on everything and has recently developed some very interesting noises to alert us when something is amiss. He thinks sneezes are hilarious. He is completely enamoured with his big brother. He is wearing size 6-12 months snugly - I am going to have to move him up a size soon.

I guess that it all for now. I will continue with the trip log today as well.
Until,
D :)