Allergist visit

The allergist Gwendoline's pediatrician referred us to had a cancellation so we were able to get in to see him yesterday instead of two weeks from now! We really like Dr. Van Wagoner at the Southwest Allergy & Asthma Center in Plano (http://www.swallergy.com). He is very knowledgeable and experienced so Jeph and I learned a lot. Some of what we learned was comforting, but some was a little unnerving, to say the least. Here are the highlights, good and bad:

• Gwendoline definitely has a serious egg allergy, based on blood test results and history of reactions. 
• The second, more severe reaction she suffered was most likely from skin contact with egg (i.e., Jeph and/or I didn't wash our hands thoroughly enough after eating eggs for breakfast before touching Gwen that morning).
• Egg is not an airborne allergy, thank goodness! But it is a contact allergy, to which Gwendoline is hypersensitive (see above).
• Egg allergy in children is linked to an increased likelihood of developing asthma, so we have to watch for that. Bummer. 
• The nasal allergies that Gwendoline was having, for which the pediatrician prescribed Zyrtec, was most likely a mild allergic reaction to eggs that I ate while breastfeeding. 
• The allergy did not develop because I fed her eggs at 9 months rather than waiting till 12 months. She would have had this allergy no matter when eggs were introduced. 
• While it's not guaranteed that any future exposure to eggs will strengthen the severity of a reaction, it is a strong possibility, so we have to always be vigilant and prepared. 
• She will most likely outgrow the allergy before starting school!

And here is a brief outline of what our new egg-free lifestyle should look like:

• No eggs in the house.
• Very limited amount of egg products in the house (cake, cookies, muffins, pasta, anything else tasty).
• No eggs or food with eggs in it for Gwendoline, obviously. This includes food whose packaging states it is produced in a facility where eggs are present. 
• No more breakfast restaurants where egg could be on surfaces that Gwendoline might touch.
• ALWAYS carry Benedryl!
• ALWAYS carry EpiPens!

We will follow up with Dr. Van Wagoner and re-test Gwendoline in 9 months, when she is 18 months old. In the meantime, sometime after she turns one, we will do a food trial, where I will bake something yummy with egg in it and take it and Gwendoline to the allergist's office. They will feed it to her there in a controlled environment to see if she has a reaction. If she doesn't react, that means she can probably eat foods with egg as an ingredient. If she does react, then she can't. This test is done under the supervision of medical staff in the event she has an anaphylactic reaction. 

It's good to know that Gwendoline's doctors are taking her egg allergy very seriously. At the same time, it's nerve-wracking to know that her allergy is severe enough that it requires serious attention. So if Jeph or I ask you if you washed your hands well and/or cooked or ate eggs recently before we let you touch Gwendoline, please don't be offended. We're just protecting our baby girl from evil eggs! 

Playing with Daddy (and a new toy) at
the doctor's office.