Trip to the allergist

Yesterday Josiah had his big trip to the allergist to be tested. We got no big surprises for the environmental allergens. He is slightly allergic to some trees, some grasses, mildew, dust mites, cats, and dogs. He was also tested for food allergens because we suspected there might be some along with his food sensitivities and also wondered if foods were an asthma trigger. We found out that he is slightly allergic to English walnuts, peanuts, and baker's yeast! The peanuts and baker's yeast were a huge surprise. He eats a peanut butter and honey or jelly sandwich everyday for lunch (since he can't eat the school lunches). The doctor explained that these are slight allergies. They aren't life threatening. Josiah doesn't need an epi-pen. But the doctor wants us to take Josiah off of peanuts and baker's yeast for the next 2 weeks and then introduce them separately. We are to watch for any signs of a reaction, whether this is behavioral, nasal, or asthmatic.

So, I went to Whole Foods today to find something for his lunches to replace the PB sandwich. I found cashew, almond, and soy butter. Josiah said he wanted to try the cashew butter. Finding a yeast-free bread was another matter. Even gluten-free breads use yeast. So, I ended up with some tortillas/wraps.

After I got home, I did some research online on baker's yeast allergies. I found out that there are lots of different kinds of yeast. Josiah was only tested for baker's yeast which is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This is the most commonly used yeast in breads. I found out that the yeast that is naturally made in the starter for sourdough bread is not the same. Thankfully, Josiah likes sourdough. I also found online a recipe for a wheat bread that uses baking soda to make it rise.

The doctor wants to start Josiah on allergy shots once a week. He also suggested we try cutting an adult Singulair in half since Josiah reacts to the "inactive" ingredients in the children's chewable.

Overall, Josiah did great at the allergist. He got 60 things tested on his back. Thankfully, they did not use needles!