Delayed reactions vs immediate ones:
Some people have symptoms immediately when they have an allergic reaction. This was mostly how I was. I knew within seconds of entering a building or eating a food, if I was allergic to it. This can be very annoying as it limits you from doing things. However, it's also a blessing because you can quickly identify the source of the reaction.
Other people however, can have delayed reactions. They may not show any symptoms for hours or days after they've been exposed to an allergen. While these people can often continue functioning, it's much harder for them to figure out what exactly they are allergic to. Again, the best way is to pay attention and watch for patterns.
Stop, avoid and be proactive:
The nature of allergic reactions is that they tend to get worse by the minute. So, as soon as you realize you're having an allergic reaction, stop what you're doing and if possible get away from the source of the allergy (such as leaving a moldy building, stop eating a food if you're reacting to it, etc.). Then immediately take action to control the reaction.
I recommend taking tri-salts right away. It's a simple powder that you put in a little water and drink. I carry it in my purse so I always have it. Tri-salts help neutralize the reaction before it can get worse. (You can read more about tri-salts here.) If you need something stronger, then maybe consider benedryl. It's not a natural product, but it is effective when you need strong help for a reaction. Before I learned about the CBT allergy treatment, I carried benedryl with me everywhere because I couldn't risk a serious reaction without something to stop it. Some people also carry an epi-pen, for those life-threatening kinds of allergic reactions.
Whatever you do, when you're having a reaction, don't tell yourself to "tough it out." That's the worst thing you can do. Also, if necessary have someone in your life who can tell you to take your tri-salts or benedryl! Sometimes in the midst of an allergic reaction, people cannot think clearly and need someone else to help them get away from the allergen and take proactive measures. (My mom had to do this for me for many years.)
Increasing severity:
Certain allergic reactions can get worse with each exposure. For example, the first time a person eats a mushroom they might get a headache, and not even realize what was the cause. The next time they eat mushrooms they could break out in hives. By the third time they might have a swollen tongue or trouble breathing, etc. Because of this, it's important to recognize allergies quickly and then either avoid or treat the allergy with CBT or some effective method.
Allergy shots:
In general, I don't recommend allergy shots. I know many doctors use them, and some people are helped by them. From my observations and my own experience of using allergy shots for years, I believe that in many cases they do more harm than good.
If you are currently taking allergy shots, be sure to talk with your doctor about how long you should use them. I know some doctors say to keep taking them all your life. However, I think that's not the best way to use the shots. They should be able to wean you off the shots at some point.
Of course, as I've already shared, I believe that the CBT allergy treatment is more effective and completely natural and safe, not stressing the body. It's also true that as you do things to improve your health and build up your immune system, your allergies should lessen.
Well, that's a lot of information about allergies. =) Do you have any other questions I haven't addressed?
Silas' reactions are almost all delayed. Like you said, it makes them hard to figure out, but it also makes it very hard to get other people to understand. When he was very small, and other people (sometimes family or people in the church nursery, etc.) would give him something to eat that he wasn't supposed to have, they wouldn't see the reaction while he was still with them. I would end up with the reactions hours or days later. It's very difficult to get others to understand this. They don't see the immediate reaction, so they either don't understand it or think you're crazy! :-)
ReplyDeleteOn another note, having gone through everything I have with my own kids, I am greatly concerned about the future for our children. As a teacher, I can see how children's learning and behaviors have declined over the years. Learning problems, ADHD, etc. are only becoming more prevalent. Most kids do not get to the point of not being able to function like mine were, so the parents are not motivated enough to really look into these issues and make the changes that need to be made (to eating habits, the environment, etc.). Most of my friends kids have some type of health problem - whether it's allergies, ADD/ADHD, digestive issues, asthma, behavior issues, and the list goes on. It should not be this way! I can't even imagine what is going to become of our children over the next few decades.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. It's very sad to see how the increasing amounts of toxins and chemicals are poisoning today's kids. And many parents have no idea. But I do know a few people who are taking it seriously, so we just press on doing the best we can to share information and praying God will help people to see that the world is a different place today and kids have different needs than 20 years ago.
DeleteWow, that's tough. But he's so blessed to have you for a mom!
ReplyDelete