Allergies :(

My poor little guy has some allergies that are very significant.  One is to peanuts.  That one we found out about when he was 1 and Nathan gave him peanut butter.  Now I know what to look for, but since neither of the other two have a food allergy, I didn't realize what I was looking at when he was all puffy and itching.  After a skin allergy test we found it was just peanuts and not all nuts, aka tree nuts (I didn't even realize what tree nuts meant, but it's nuts that grow on trees ie. walnuts, pecans, actual nuts.  Duh now that I know.  Peanuts are a legume and not a nut).  Also if something "may contain traces of peanut"  we have learned he has a reaction to.  But if it says "made in a factory that also processes peanuts"  he's been fine.  Well, a few weeks ago Jonathan had his worst reaction yet...

...but this wasn't to peanuts...

His whole body became one giant hive.  He itched everywhere.  When I thought we had given him Benadryl it was actually generic Zyrtec, which helped 0%.  After the Benadryl he was getting better, but I have never been so close to giving him an epi pen (yes we have those for the peanut allergy, it is that bad).   He was having a little wheezing, but giving an epi pen means a trip to the hospital and I wanted to be sure he really, really needed it.

5 hours after the reaction.  

He still has the red spots but they aren't raised hives anymore.

Well, I had some ideas of what it could be.  I thought a new spice I had tried on the fish that he had eaten (he's eaten lots of fish so I didn't think it was that). At Christmas time he also had a reaction to peppermint so had to add that to the list.  And a reaction to coloring Easter eggs (still don't know what that one was about). It was about time for our annual appointment, so I got to bring in my grocery sack of things test.

Positive test results coming up, and running out of room on his back to test other things!

Poor kid, allergy tests are hard!  

This test came back very positive for ALL WHITE FISH!  Yep, fish!  

That I think is worse in our house than peanuts. 

However, at least his allergies aren't so bad that he can't even be on an airplane with peanuts and such.  He just can't eat it or touch it. 

So on life goes and now we know...

...also, candycane, mint oreos, and mint leaves were all tested and came back negative.  At home that day he had a mint oreo, and no reaction!  That was good!  That also means that whatever he had at Christmas time somehow had a cross-contamination with some sort of peanut something...

...picnics at parks with friends are very hard right now, constantly looking out for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that a little part has been left out and he'll pick up...  I don't wish for him to grow up, but I can't wait until he can recognize the dangers for himself and he knows not to touch or eat it, and to read food labels!

...at least he's not allergic to animals(yeah!!) and outdoor plants and pollen and stuff...yet...