Asthma

Clare's asthma has been getting worse these days. Her allergist when she was 2 warned me that this would happen. Children with food allergies tend to also have asthma and will also develop seasonal allergies, which worsen over time. As the weather is warming, the seasonal allergies are starting. Clare has never had a problem with this yet. She never used to have asthma attacks, just wheezing when she had a cold, requiring her to have a nebulizer. She has now had 2 asthma attacks. I have gone to the doctor to get the emergency inhaler, and she is also taking claritin and singular and a long acting medication in the nebulizer (not just albuterol). DAILY. I can't stand this. No one should be on that many meds, least of all a 4 year old.
I started feeling like I needed to take her off gluten/wheat a few months ago. With all of these new developments in her health, I am going to listen to my instincts and go for it.
I am being met with a lot a skepticism on this issue. Daniel thinks I am nuts! I am not saying that she has celiacs, she does not. I am not even saying she is allergic to it. This is what I am saying:
I believe that with her other food allergies, it would make sense that she may have a SENSITIVITY to wheat. In the nearly 5 years that I have been dealing with and learning about food allergies and all the diagnostic tests they do for them, I KNOW that food allergy testing can be very inconclusive. You can get both false positives and false negatives. I am not going to have her tested for this allergy, because as I already said, I believe it is a sensitivity, NOT an allergy. I believe that it is making her asthma symptoms and triggers worse as she gets older.
I have really been feeling prompted to do this. I am feeling like a mother bear protecting her cub on this issue, because a lot of people think I am crazy and wrong. They disagree that this will possibly help her. So, I am just going to get this off my chest: Do not tell me that I am wrong, I AM NOT!! All of you mothers out there know what this feels like. We have instincts and promptings. We know our children better than anyone else does. So, I am doing this for my child. I don't care that it will be inconvenient. I don't want her on all these meds that will only treat the symptom, not fix the problem.
HOWS THAT FOR A RANT!!!!!    :)

Also, if you are interested, I am not just pulling this out of my rear. Here is a short tidbit I found online to back me up. I like this because it is short and to the point and addresses most of the reasons I have been trying to explain to people.




"Asthma is strongly linked to environmental irritants and allergens. It is often triggered by physical exertion.



Typical asthma triggers include smoke (tobacco, wood fires etc.), chemicals, pollen, dust and dust mites, mold, pet dander and cockroaches.



Here are hidden asthma factors that no one is talking about: wheat and gluten.



These foods are probably not direct asthma triggers for most people.



A surprising number of people may be experiencing asthma from wheat and gluten, but indirectly.



Some studies have show a link between gluten sensitivity and asthma. For example, children with asthma have a higher incidence of celiac, according to one study.



Other studies have shown that when some people eliminate wheat from their diet, their exercise-induced anaphylaxis symptoms stop.



Numerous reports and anecdotal stories are showing a strong link between wheat or gluten, and asthma.



A reaction to wheat and a reaction to gluten may be two different things. What they have in common, besides the high levels of gluten in wheat, is that they are common foods, nearly impossible to avoid.



Because they are likely to be in your diet on a multiple-times-per-day basis, and because their effects are delayed, as are the benefits when these foods are removed from your diet, it is unlikely that you would notice the connection between wheat or gluten, and asthma.



However, if you eliminate all gluten-containing foods for three to four weeks, you may notice a big improvement in your asthma symptoms. I sure hope you do. Please add a comment with your story after you have tried this.



Note that traditional allergy tests may come up negative for wheat and gluten.



There are several reasons why you should ignore the results of such tests and try eliminating gluten from your diet instead. This is of course the ultimate test.



For one thing, if you have celiac, you don’t have an allergy, you have a specific reaction to gluten in your gut. This is a very serious condition that can do tremendous damage over time. There are tests for celiac disease.



Another reason tests are not that accurate. They give false positives, false negatives, and may miss other immune reactions such as delayed food reactions, food sensitivities etc.



So forget the tests, if you have asthma, try a gluten-free diet, and see what happens"