We made a short trip to Tangkak, Johor to see an allergy specialist. He comes highly recommended by reader/friend from Malacca, Linda. I am so glad through blogging, I have many concerned friends and friends like Linda who knew exactly how it's like to see your own kid suffer from allergies because she had a daughter went through the same allergic episodes like Amber.
The allergy specialist is a very qualified doctor who also practises at Mahkota Medical Center and Pantai Ayer Keroh. He uses an unconventional method of testing allergy. Hard to believe and seeing is believing.As we entered his room, I saw many test tubes of allergens to test on. I was down with bad cough and sore throat and I thought might as well see him for some medics. He did the most amazing test on me.
He ran though my medical history and then I told him I was on a course of antibiotics - Amoxyclav which didn't work. Then he took a swab from my throat. I had to to hold the container with cotton bud swab and sample amoxyclav with my left hand and held my right hand straight. His index finger will be placed on my arms and I had to resist his push.. oopppsss.. my hand fell no matter how hard i resist his push.. Then, it's proven Amoxyclav didn't work for me and he tried another test with another prescribed antibiotics. This time, my hands resisted his push and he prescribed THAT antibiotic for me. .. ... and my throat does feel a lot better now.
To conduct the test on children, the child would sit on the parents lap and hold the test tubed and he would test the energy of the allergen against the parents right arm, held straight.
I was very excited when he tested on Amber. After many many rounds of testing, the culprits are :
- Cow's milk
- Eggs
- Candida
- House dust mites
4 items but a long list of food to avoid. Any milk or egg related products (yogurt, vitagen, ice cream, cakes, cookies and many many more or in fact, all of kiddie food) is to be avoided. No bread, mushrooms and food which contains yeast and to cut down sugar intake.
*phew*
Knowing what she's allergic to is mind boggling but we were given a treatment to follow strictly in order to cure her.
I was given an article to read on 'candida' , the bad yeast infecting her guts. The article also says candida causes extreme itchiness, especially itchy eyes, itchy backside and itchy nose and Amber has it all.
The doctor prescribed an antidote of saline solution from energy transferred from the 4 allergens. She's to take the saline drops twice a day and to see doctor in a months time.
I find it hard to believe but he tested again after placing a drop of the saline on Amber's mouth.
We did the same test, hubs holding her and the test tube with allergens and doctor pushed his arms down and this time hubs resisted. That means the antidote given is the correct antidote to her allergens.
Hard to believe but seeing is believing.
On a brighter note, Amber can take Isomil. Earlier on, we told her she can't have it coz it causes her itchiness, hence she calls it itchy milk. She's so happy to have her bottle of 'itchy milk' back. YAY !!! I can have my itchy milk !!! gosh.. i can remember clearly her expression. Getting her off milk was the hardest thing to do.
Now, I am on a hunt for dairy free and sugar free products, reading up on candida and house dust mites. I have to get her childminder to co-operate and think of a host of other things..
-- such as.. how am I to bake a cake for her birthday? I've promised her Barbie chocolate cupcakes (eggs, sugar and milk and main ingredients). Is it alright for her to have just a bite ?
-- how to reduce dust mites at home and childminders ? Change all her bedsheets and covers to hypoallergenic ?
-- is 100% elimination totally necessary or can I cheat a little until after her birthday ? Can you imagine... getting a 4 yr old to blow her own cake and not eat it ?
As I reflect back, I do feel sorry for blowing my top at her many times. She's always complaining of itchiness during bedtime. We assume she wants attention and doesn't want to sleep. Hubs and I shout at her. .. 'itchy here, itchy there, you EVERYWHERE also itchy, especially when you have to oi-oi , you'll be itchy'.
When we go shopping, she'll complain of itchy backside and I have to take her to toilet, clean the toilet (u know how dirty our shopping complex toilets are) and wash her backside, scratching her anus while spraying water until the my little queen feels relief , then dress her up, continue shopping and only to have her screaming "ITCHEEEEE' again minutes later.
Oh my ! I certainly hope those days will go away soon.
With the doctors treatment, we'll have to go back to Tangkak periodically to check on her allergy level. We'll have to bring it down to zero, then avoid the allergic food for 1 year for the body to build up immunity and then only can she consume those allergic foods.
The hassle of travelling to see a doctor at Johor and to be on a special diet is just a SMALL PRICE to pay for her relief.
I am thankful for finally getting some answers to end her misery and I am HOPEFUL she will be cured this time around.
To conduct the test on children, the child would sit on the parents lap and hold the test tubed and he would test the energy of the allergen against the parents right arm, held straight.
I was very excited when he tested on Amber. After many many rounds of testing, the culprits are :
- Cow's milk
- Eggs
- Candida
- House dust mites
4 items but a long list of food to avoid. Any milk or egg related products (yogurt, vitagen, ice cream, cakes, cookies and many many more or in fact, all of kiddie food) is to be avoided. No bread, mushrooms and food which contains yeast and to cut down sugar intake.
*phew*
Knowing what she's allergic to is mind boggling but we were given a treatment to follow strictly in order to cure her.
I was given an article to read on 'candida' , the bad yeast infecting her guts. The article also says candida causes extreme itchiness, especially itchy eyes, itchy backside and itchy nose and Amber has it all.
The doctor prescribed an antidote of saline solution from energy transferred from the 4 allergens. She's to take the saline drops twice a day and to see doctor in a months time.
I find it hard to believe but he tested again after placing a drop of the saline on Amber's mouth.
We did the same test, hubs holding her and the test tube with allergens and doctor pushed his arms down and this time hubs resisted. That means the antidote given is the correct antidote to her allergens.
Hard to believe but seeing is believing.
On a brighter note, Amber can take Isomil. Earlier on, we told her she can't have it coz it causes her itchiness, hence she calls it itchy milk. She's so happy to have her bottle of 'itchy milk' back. YAY !!! I can have my itchy milk !!! gosh.. i can remember clearly her expression. Getting her off milk was the hardest thing to do.
Now, I am on a hunt for dairy free and sugar free products, reading up on candida and house dust mites. I have to get her childminder to co-operate and think of a host of other things..
-- such as.. how am I to bake a cake for her birthday? I've promised her Barbie chocolate cupcakes (eggs, sugar and milk and main ingredients). Is it alright for her to have just a bite ?
-- how to reduce dust mites at home and childminders ? Change all her bedsheets and covers to hypoallergenic ?
-- is 100% elimination totally necessary or can I cheat a little until after her birthday ? Can you imagine... getting a 4 yr old to blow her own cake and not eat it ?
As I reflect back, I do feel sorry for blowing my top at her many times. She's always complaining of itchiness during bedtime. We assume she wants attention and doesn't want to sleep. Hubs and I shout at her. .. 'itchy here, itchy there, you EVERYWHERE also itchy, especially when you have to oi-oi , you'll be itchy'.
When we go shopping, she'll complain of itchy backside and I have to take her to toilet, clean the toilet (u know how dirty our shopping complex toilets are) and wash her backside, scratching her anus while spraying water until the my little queen feels relief , then dress her up, continue shopping and only to have her screaming "ITCHEEEEE' again minutes later.
Oh my ! I certainly hope those days will go away soon.
With the doctors treatment, we'll have to go back to Tangkak periodically to check on her allergy level. We'll have to bring it down to zero, then avoid the allergic food for 1 year for the body to build up immunity and then only can she consume those allergic foods.
The hassle of travelling to see a doctor at Johor and to be on a special diet is just a SMALL PRICE to pay for her relief.
I am thankful for finally getting some answers to end her misery and I am HOPEFUL she will be cured this time around.
