Allergy Testing Your Kids – My Story

I am no stranger to having allergies, food allergies, seasonally allergies, pet allergies… I know it because well I live with it. I never knew the much about allergies when I was younger other than it made me feel funny or made something swell or gave me excema other than that I just stuck to what I knew I am supposed to eat.

Sadly my son has the same allergy jean as I do. I noticed it when he was a baby, he had excema. Since our family gets it all the time when we are allergic to something, I knew that had to be something I was giving to him through nursing or through products I use. I did everything, I tried taking things out of my regular food menu to changing soaps and creams. Nothing was working, the excema kept coming. That is when I said, “That is it, I am going all natural!”

I did my research on natural baby products and foods. The Honest Company was just starting out and I was so glad that they had products I was looking for. I brought my son to the pediatrician and he noticed the excema and told me that “All babies get excema… especially in the winter and summer season“… *insert my confused face here* What do you mean all babies get excema? I explained to him that my family has a history of excema for allergies and I would like to get him tested so I can find out what he is allergic to. He kind of laughed and told me that “Its too soon for an allergy test… when he is two he should. Let me prescribe you some ointment for it.”

Fast forward to when he is two and two weeks ago at the pediatrician office. I brought up the whole allergy thing again and simply asked for him to book an allergy test for my son. Now he says, “Ask you, family doctor, to book an allergy test for you.” Arggg…. why couldn’t I know this information a long time ago! Thankfully it wasn’t like pulling teeth to get him an allergy test, my doctor was very understanding and we got an appointment that week.

I don’t know if you had an allergy test before but first you talk to the allergy doctor about any allergies you or your family has as well as things you want to test for. The allergy doctor asked me “Does your son get excema?” and when I said yes, he told me “excema is a form of an allergic reaction“. Then he will check out your child`s nose and mouth before you go and sit down with the nurse.

Next, requires dots on your arms and a gentle scratch then you wait for the dots of – let`s call it allergy juice to get inside your skin and cause a bump or not. Honestly, I was worried about how my son would handle things. A two-year-old sitting still with arm out for a while wasn’t something I could picture but it happened. He observed every drop the nurse but on his arm and while he waited he occupied himself with sliding sunglasses across the table back and forth until it was time to see the results.

My advice is to get your kids tested. Allergic reactions don’t only mean that your lip or eye swells or that worst-case scenario, your throat closes but regardless of what your doctor says excema is a sign of an allergic reaction. Something your child is eating or using is not agreeing with their body.

It’s not natural to have excema, it’s your body telling you that something is wrong. Look at me, I been feeding my son oranges and even bathing him in it without knowing that he was allergic to it this whole entire time. It’s not prescribed gels that will remove the problem, its actually taking the allergy away that will get rid of the problem.

You have no idea how happy I am to find out what my son is allergic to. It has been a huge weight off my shoulders and now I can buy things that will not affect him. A happy son = a happy mama!