Author Topic: Can anyone tell me what other allergy tests I can request. In Canada  (Read 2326 times)

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Offline my3girlsjde

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Hi there,

In a nutshell E is incredibly sensitive to dairy. She had a IGE blood test (RAST) that tested negative for both dairy and egg. I KNOW she's allergic to dairy due to the hives, wheezing, stomach cramps and blood in her stool. It's a delayed reaction by 1/2 hour to an hour. Her test came back negative and after speaking with a dietician who questions the credibility of the test, and some help here, I've concluded that where E has only had dairy directly 5 times before her test and I was on an ED, that she hasn't been exposed enough to build up enough IGE antibodies to show positive on the test.

What are my options for testing. I think the way my Dr is, I need to ask for specific tests as she's not going to suggest what's available even with me prodding her. She didn't know right off if E could have the RAST or what for so I'm thinking her knowledge in the area may be somewhat limited. Nothing against her, I just need to advocate for my child.

I've been told that here in Canada they don't do skin tests for children under 2. Anyone have a lo who has had a scratch test under 2? Anyone with any other testing ideas?

TIA,

Vicki
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





Remembering my sleeping angels: 17 Jan 06, 30 Jul 09

Offline Mashi

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Vicki she can be intolerant to dairy and it will not show on an Ige test.  So instead of an immune system reaction (allergy) it is a digestive system reaction (intestinal).  If there are stomach cramps and blood in the stool it sounds to me like it is more of an intolerance than an allergy.  My DS did also have skin reactions, which although is more commonly allergic response, is also an intolerance response.

When people talk of 'milk allergy' or 'dairy allergy' it is often just used as a catch all term, and does not always mean "allergy."  My DS was intolerant, there was no immune system reaction, but his paed also used the term "allergy" rather than intolerance. He felt that people misunderstood the term intolerance and many parents felt that then what they needed to do was to "build up a tolerance" (and so fed them more milk to do so......) or that when they were in daycare or school, people did not take it seriously that the LO needed to abstain from dairy. But when you say "allergy" people get it, they understand it means "can not have under any circumstances" and so he personally just uses the word allergy instead.  But in reality, it is often NOT an allergy.   

What is your reason for needing to have a test done? Is there any way that you are she will benefit from having something recorded that she reacted (ie an insurance payment for HA formula or something?)  If not then I would not even bother having any kind of test done - just keep her off of the dairy and every 10-12 months offer a milk challenge and see how she reacts.   In England they won't test - there is no reason to. OK yes in some cases there is a need to, such as when the allergen or offending food is not known, but when you know the child reacts to dairy, keep them off....no test needed for what you already know to be true iyswim.

Offline my3girlsjde

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Thanks Mashi - I feel my Dr is reluctant to refer us to a paed due to the test result, and the paed is the only one who can send the necessary letter to the coordinator of the milk program here for us to get HAF.

They do sell HAF, but it would cost us $200/mo which we can ill afford and our insurance company won't cover it at all because the milk program is in place in this province.

So my logic is for another test to confirm the allergy/intolerance (thanks for clarifying that). Either that or hounding my Dr until she gives in and refers us to a paed. I even called our paed, but he can't see her without a referral. I think hounding my dr for the referral may be a lot faster as it took 4 weeks to get E set up for the bloodwork and another 5 weeks to get the result. I need something more immediate, but I would like to know what's available if it's necessary to get the HAF in the long run kwim?
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





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Offline Mashi

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I understand - but as she is older than 1, will they even give her HAF? Generally they do take LOs off of it and wean to different milks at 12 months, and if she is not used to it at this age then there is little chance she will even accept it (it is vile vile tasting stuff, the older LOs are the less willingly they take it....at 13 months I suspect she will flat out reject it....). That aside, what if you approach your GP and explain that you need that paed referral and that an intolerance will not show on bloodwork, etc.  Sometimes if the GP understands it is for insurance purposes they will do it, kwim?

Offline Buntybear

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FWIW - Olly had a rection to dairy in a RAST blood test and he had NEVER been exposed directly to dairy and really hardly through my BM as it was at 3 weeks old we found he was reacting to dairy through my BM and I stopped it (not completely at first but enough).

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Anyone have a lo who has had a scratch test under 2?

Spencer did, for milk & eggs, and it was negative as well as the RAST...but it really didn't matter because the reactions trumped those results (and for dairy, I do believe it is an intolerance not an allergy)  I was supposed to take her in for a food challenge in office at the allergist, but I am waiting until she can express herself verbally a bit more to tell us how she feels while she is eating these things.  Plus we are on a GFCF diet anyways, so no point trying dairy now.

took 4 weeks to get E set up for the bloodwork and another 5 weeks to get the result.

 :o  We walked into the hospital the same afternoon as our scratch test, they took the blood and we had a phone call from the Dr. in a week or so!  I would go for hounding the Dr. too.
Heidi




Offline my3girlsjde

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Thanks everyone for your replies :-*

I understand - but as she is older than 1, will they even give her HAF?
Here in my province, they provide it and recommend it until the child is two years old. I really do believe E needs to be on HAF because of my conversation with the nutritionist I had yesterday. She told me that many lo's react to goat's milk who also react to milk and soy. I would also have to supplement with vitamins for any other milk than cow's milk. Because she's not eating a balanced diet, we need to be concerned with fat, calcuim and all of the other goodies that are in cow's milk. She believes that any child who can't have cow's milk should be on HAF until they can or until they're 2 years old - whatever comes first. So even if E was tolerating soy milk, she feels that's not good enough and she's incapable of making up the rest of the nutrients of her diet without supplementing. I'm inclined to agree after doing some research.

I know the stuff is pretty nasty tasting. They do make flavouring packets for it that I can get, and after speaking to some mothers who have used it, they've all had great results.

That aside, what if you approach your GP and explain that you need that paed referral and that an intolerance will not show on bloodwork, etc.  Sometimes if the GP understands it is for insurance purposes they will do it, kwim?
This I think is going to be my next approach. She's not one that likes to be questioned on her knowledge or decisions, but she's generally been great to write prescriptions for my twins in one of their name's only so my deductible is paid on my insurance faster. She's pretty familiar with my insurance company as many people here have the same insurance so she may just go for that.
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





Remembering my sleeping angels: 17 Jan 06, 30 Jul 09

Offline my3girlsjde

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Just wanted to add that she can't physically write the letter for me to get the stuff. She refers me to the paed who is the only one who can write the letter >:(  Stupid process, but perhaps with the insurance approach (which she has been supportive to in the past) I can move this along.
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





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Offline Mashi

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Here in my province, they provide it and recommend it until the child is two years old. I really do believe E needs to be on HAF because of my conversation with the nutritionist I had yesterday. She told me that many lo's react to goat's milk who also react to milk and soy. I would also have to supplement with vitamins for any other milk than cow's milk. Because she's not eating a balanced diet, we need to be concerned with fat, calcuim and all of the other goodies that are in cow's milk. She believes that any child who can't have cow's milk should be on HAF until they can or until they're 2 years old - whatever comes first. So even if E was tolerating soy milk, she feels that's not good enough and she's incapable of making up the rest of the nutrients of her diet without supplementing. I'm inclined to agree after doing some researc

Don't worry, I totally get that. I am not trying to challenge you!  We were to keep DS on it until he was 24m also, with a challenger "allowed" at 18m, but I took him off of it at 14m when I did a challenge anyway because label reading here was too difficult.  I was only thinking that because everywhere else, formula is generally the norm only until 1, that there wouldn't be much point in battling the GP if you were going to hit a road block further on, that's all...but if that road block is not there then there is no worry!

Offline my3girlsjde

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Don't worry Mashi, didn't think you were trying to challenge me :-* Dh has even asked why she just can't have water? :o. We just did a milk challenge two months ago, more so my dr could see it as I knew exactly what would happen.

And wow, I can only imagine how hard label reading is there - it's a PITA here!
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





Remembering my sleeping angels: 17 Jan 06, 30 Jul 09

Offline my3girlsjde

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Re: Can anyone tell me what other allergy tests I can request. In Canada
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2011, 15:52:46 pm »
Oh and I've gone back to bf'ing and topping up with soy milk when needed.

We bf'd all night and this morning, hives were clear and within an hour after her first bottle of soy milk she started breaking out under her chin again. Not nearly as bad but I suspect because she's not taking as much soy. That really should be all the proof I need when speaking to a Dr or paed.
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





Remembering my sleeping angels: 17 Jan 06, 30 Jul 09

Offline my3girlsjde

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Re: Can anyone tell me what other allergy tests I can request. In Canada
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2011, 13:30:57 pm »
So here's the latest update:

My fam Dr went above and beyond and called the coordinator of the milk program and got me two sample cans of nutramigen and gave me the paed referral. I think the email I sent the office really hit home when I said I was back to breastfeeding and her reactions diminished. Breastmilk is now gone too btw. Ended on a good feed also :)

So it'll take a while to get in to a paed, but at least I have the HAF (we got Nutramigen this time) and I'm trying to get her to take it. Anyone with any tips can you please check my other thread? http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=210474.0;wap2

She took 4oz mixed with soy at 1/4 haf 3/4 soy mix. So she's still getting the hives and rash under her throat after drinking but it's not as bad. I won't know how well she's tolerating the haf until she's on it completely but if she's not worse and even a little better than the straight soy, then at least she's getting the extra calories. She's only really doubled her birth weight at age one but still better than ftt.

Thanks again for all of your kind words and advice. Hopefully by the time we get to the paed we will have her weaned completely on the haf and can go from there for more testing or discuss another challenge at 18 months. I don't think I'm emotionally equipped at this point to do it earlier.
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





Remembering my sleeping angels: 17 Jan 06, 30 Jul 09