Adventures of an Allergist Mommy

My younger son and I both have asthma. Although we are well controlled, we still carry rescue medication with us everywhere. Even well-controlled asthma can flare severely under the right (or wrong) circumstances. I was especially cautious during a recent family vacation to Colorado. Living in the Midwest, we were unaccustomed to the thin mountain air, and I worried that my 3 year old might have his enjoyment of the trip ruined by asthma symptoms. So when our agenda was modified to include a steep 1.2 mile hike to view a pristine lake nestled close to the mountaintop, I wondered aloud if we should leave him behind at the hotel with his grandparents. My husband (who does not have asthma) glibly replied, "Relax, he can handle it!". "Easy for you to say," I retorted. "What are we going to do if he has an asthma attack halfway up the mountain?" Dear hubby didn't need to reply. My fearless son overheard the conversation and chimed in: "I want ...

My boys spent 2 hours with me in the office this morning. Here's what went down: 1. Coloring on scrap paper with highlighters. 2. Raiding the "treasure bucket" for toys. 3. Putting stickers on each other. 4. Eating fruit snacks in the kitchen. 5. Washing hands in every sink. Singing "handwashing song" at top of lungs. 6. Reading Harry Potter. 7. Sitting on Mommy's lap in waiting room full of patients, reading picture books about fire trucks and trains. 8. Sword-fighting with wooden tongue depressors. 9. Checking oxygen saturation. 10. Using Mommy's stethoscope to listen to everything in the office. 11. Locating Mommy's stash of Mike and Ike candies. 12. Filling cups with water from the water dispenser. Actually drinking most of the water. Dumping leftover water on brother's head. 13. Helping Mommy sweep the floors between patients. 14. Making friends with pediatric patients, and playing "Cut the Rope" and "Angry Bir...

On May 20, 2012, I was pleased to offer a free asthma screening for our local community as a volunteer for the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology's Annual Nationwide Asthma Screening Program. This is the 16th year of the Nationwide Asthma Screening Program, the ACAAI's public service campaign to find adults and children who are at risk for undiagnosed and uncontrolled asthma. Our screening was a wonderful experience, and we were able to identify a number of individuals whose respiratory symptoms are likely to improve with comprehensive allergy and asthma care. We've been asked to return for additional screenings, and I plan to do so this summer and fall. Many thanks to Medical Device Depot for donating the spirometry turbines, without which this screening would not have been possible. If you are looking for a free asthma screening in your area, please click here to learn more!

UPDATE: The post you see below was deleted/censored from the comments section by "The Doctors" website. Attempts to repost have also been met with deletion, and there has not been any response from the producer of the program, Jay McGraw.  Recently the Program "The Doctors" aired a segment advising their viewers to tell a "little white lie" and fake a butter allergy when eating out to avoid the ~120 calories from butter added to vegetables and other prepared items. Read it here:  http://thedoctorstv.com/main/show_synopsis/1012?section=synopsis As a food-allergic individual, and physician for hundreds of allergic patients, my jaw dropped at the irresponsibility of this suggestion. Read my response to them below, and tell me... what are your thoughts about their recommendation to fake a food allergy? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As a practicing board-certified allergist, m...

Mother's Day is nearly upon us, so I feel inclined to spread a little mama-love via the internet. Fellow mothers of children with allergies, let us acknowledge that: 1. We love our children more than they will ever know, and would lay our lives down for them in a heartbeat. 2. There is not one among us who, if given the opportunity, would not "magically absorb" her child's allergy. 2. We spend the majority of our birthday wishes, shooting star wishes, 11:11 wishes, and 4-leaf clover wishes not on dreams of tropical vacations and lottery winnings, but on hopes for cures and the safety of our little ones. 3. We spend countless hours and dollars selecting and creating meals and treats so that our children can participate in social activities as fully as possible, and not feel isolated. 4. In addition to roles of mother and partner, we have taken up the essential roles of educator and advocate. 5. We eagerly share in the joys of allergies outgrown or treated, an...

The skin is the body's largest organ. The condition of the skin is, in many ways, a window into our internal health. Therefore, it is only natural that people become immediately concerned by rashes. We often neglect our own elevated blood pressure, achey joints, or other ailments. The onset of a new rash, on the other hand, can quickly lead to a call to the doctor. Interestingly, there is one rash I see in my practice which rarely causes alarm among patients and parents. In fact, it is common for a parent to state, "Oh, that? His sister has that too. In fact, so do I!" Keratosis Pilaris is a common, heritable disorder which results in small bumps consisting of accumulated skin cells and keratin at the sites of hair follicles. It is especially common in people who have a history of allergies. Although it can be mildly itchy, the rash generally does not cause discomfort. Commonly described as "gooseflesh", keratosis pilaris can be a concern cosmetically, lea...

The other night, we piled the kids in the car to go out for dinner. Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger" was playing on the radio, and our 7 year old was singing along to the chorus. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger..." At the end of the song, my husband surprised me by asking our son to relate the lesson in that phrase. (Apparently, they had discussed it during a previous car ride. At #1 for quite a few weeks, the song has gotten a lot of radio play.) I was so pleased to hear the kiddo reply, "It means that you shouldn't be too upset if something bad happens or if you don't get something right or if you don't win, because you will learn for the next time." (run on sentence is his own) Well played, boys. Well played.