Newer Blood Tests for Food Allergies

This heart-lifting story from the Boston Globe tells about an 11-year-old getting the news that her blood test showed that she's not allergic to nuts, peanuts, other legumes and some fruits like she thought she was. Nope, she's really allergic to birch pollen and that rarely causes an anaphylactic reaction. So, on the way home from the doctor's office, she had her mom stop at the store to buy peanut butter, which she describes as "amazing".

While I'm having trouble finding anything about this "new experimental blood test" cited in the article (anyone know anything about it?), I've long been aware of pollen allergies causing food allergy-type symptoms. Personally, I find I get an itchy mouth when I eat certain foods such as raisins and apples during September- or ragweed season as I refer to this month. We've seen similar things with my food allergic child.

One of my go-to allergy books, Allergy Cooking With Ease, by Nicolette M. Dumke lists food family tables. It was in her book that I discovered that almond is really in the plum family. My nut allergic child eats almonds without any problems. Here's an in-depth article, "Molecular Properties of Plant Food Allergens: A Current Classification into Protein Families" that further outlines the classification of plant-derived food allergens. If blood tests are able to distinguish what is a true food allergy from allergies to pollens or plants, we may be able to cross some foods-to-avoid off the list.

Has anyone had experience with these new blood tests? Are you able to eat certain foods in a family but not others- like avoiding peanuts, but can eat peas (both in leguminosae family) or avoiding tree nuts, but can eat almonds?

I just think this is another piece of the food allergy puzzle...

Another Year of Trick or Treat

Another trick or treat night and all was fine. A few of the neighbors had special, safe treats set aside. I sent thank you e-mails the following day to them because it warms my heart that they get that this is a tough holiday for kids with food allergies.

My son separated his candy into safe and unsafe piles. The safe pile was considerably smaller. I swapped the unsafe pile with some chocolates I made in a Halloween Jell-O mold. I added crushed almonds to the chocolate because my nut allergic child can have almonds. They are a great protein source so I try to add them to baked goods when I can.

We head into the succession of food holidays- Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day. Along the way we'll deal with cooking in the school Family and consumer Science class, a family trip and an overnight school activity. Each event requires planning and a dose of anxiety, but as a family, we've got the hang of this food allergy thing pretty well now. I am excited to read your comments about successful milk desensitization programs for your kids and I'm thrilled that our allergist office will soon start a peanut desensitization program. Strict avoidance may be an out-dated recommendation in the coming years.

Now that would be a treat!