A safe one, at least for little Isaac Puah – his multiple food allergies have landed him in the A&E department thrice. EVELINE GAN finds out more about his extraordinary story.
A safe one, at least for little Isaac Puah – his multiple food allergies have landed him in the A&E department thrice. EVELINE GAN finds out more about his extraordinary story.
Like most three-year-olds, Isaac Puah loves birthday celebrations. But unlike most kids his age, he has never tasted cake after blowing out the candles. Just one tiny bite of it could be deadly.
Isaac is so severely allergic to some types of foods that contact with them – even a touch – could spark off a dangerous reaction. “If it’s a milk-based food, he gets hives (rashes) on his face and legs simply by touching it. For food containing eggs, his nose, cheeks and eyes, hands and feet will swell,” explains his mum, Joanne Seow, a 32-year-old senior regulatory aff airs executive.
These symptoms are considered minor, compared to the near-death episodes that Isaac experienced before he was diagnosed with multiple food allergies. By eight months old, he had suff ered two terrifying anaphylactic episodes that sent his parents scrambling to the hospital. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can cause death in extreme situations.
The first harrowing incident occurred when he ate mashed egg yolk at the age of seven months, as recommended by an Asian dietary book for weaning babies.“He took a quarter of the egg yolk and, half an hour later, projectile-vomited a few times and blacked out,” Joanne recounts.
She grabbed her limp baby and ran all the way to the nearest hospital, which is a few streets away from their apartment. By the time they arrived at the emergency department, Isaac had – thankfully – regained consciousness.
The doctors thought that he passed out because some vomited food particles had blocked his windpipe. Isaac was brought home after he was given the all-clear. “But two hours later, his whole body turned red and hot. He kept rubbing his feet and face because of the itch,” his mum adds.
This time, they rushed to another hospital with a children’s emergency department, where the doctors were more equipped with dealing with babies. They concluded that Isaac had suff ered an anaphylactic episode.
Not again
A month later, Isaac suffered a similar severe allergic reaction after he ate chicken. Joanne recalls living in trepidation, not knowing what foods would trigger the next attack. “I kept getting flashbacks on how he lost consciousness, and went limp and cold like a rag doll,” she says.
Subsequently, skin prick and blood tests revealed that Isaac was allergic to a host of everyday foods ranging from eggs, dairy, peanuts, cashew nuts to chicken and even soya. He also suffers from the skin allergy, eczema.
Food allergies are more common in babies and children who have other allergic conditions like asthma, eczema or allergic rhinitis (nasal allergy). Isaac’s father, Puah Ser Hon, 35, is a doctor, while Joanne is a pharmacist by training. “We should have known better, being health-care professionals ourselves.
But we never saw it coming,” she admits. “Only after the diagnosis and explanation from our son’s allergist did we learn how to manage his food allergy and that gave us peace of mind.”
Progress, at last
Monitoring what their little one ate was particularly challenging in the first year. Even Joanne had to watch her own diet for the first two years of Isaac’s life. because she was breastfeeding him.
She stopped taking dairy products and sweet treats such as chocolates and Milo – he’d have rashes and swelling after nursing. But now that they know exactly what are off -limits, the anxiety has eased a little. He currently gets his calcium boost from chewable supplements that are free of dairy, soya and egg ingredients.
“We pack food like allergy-free pasta, rice or sushi rolls for his break time in school. So far there have been no accidents there because the teachers are very vigilant,” she adds. To be extra cautious, they taught the teachers how to administer an adrenaline pen – to be injected into the thigh – and how much antihistamine to give in an emergency. Despite his young age, Isaac knows he has to stay away from certain types of food, such as biscuits and cakes, off ered at parties.
To make up for the fact that he’s has never enjoyed a birthday cake, his dad handcrafted an allergy-free “cake” for his third birthday recently. Made entirely out of different fresh fruit cut into shapes like teddy bears and dinosaurs, the multi-tiered “cake” was topped with candles, strawberries and ribbons of sliced cucumber.
“It was such a pity that Isaac could not have any cake on his previous birthdays. This time, he got to blow out the candle, as well as cut and eat it,” Ser Hon says.
“It was a good moment for our little family, and we were happy that our son finally got to enjoy his ‘cake’.” Now seven months into her second pregnancy, Joanne is keeping her fingers crossed that her next child will escape the awful clutches of childhood allergies. But, they’re not overly worried since they know what symptoms to look out for.
They are also optimistic about Isaac’s condition. Because his symptoms manifested so early in life, his allergist mentioned that he may outgrow it at an earlier age, too.
Already, he has outgrown his chicken, soya and peanut allergies with age, allowing him to have a more varied diet. “For now, we can only watch and see,” says Joanne. “But hey, at least he has made improvements. Hurrah for that!”
Spot the symptoms
A food allergy occurs when your child develops an over-reaction to food that is usually harmless to the body, says Dr Dawn Lim, consultant paediatrician at Kinder Clinic at Paragon.
These can range from a subtle rash to dramatic breathing difficulties, which can occur within seconds to even days after, adds Dr Lim, who is also the author of Childhood Allergies: All You Need to Know About Your Child’s Allergy. Common symptoms include:
• Rashes He may get rashes, known as hives, around the mouth. These are raised, red and itchy bumps that look like large mosquito bites. Food-related allergies can also cause eczema.
• Itchy mouth, eyes or nose Look out for sneezing and if he keeps rubbing his eyes and nose. He may also complain of an itchy or tingling mouth and tongue.
• Swollen eyes and lips While the sudden swelling may seem frightening, it’s not dangerous if your child is otherwise well, talking and breathing comfortably.
• Breathing difficulties and wheezing This can be life-threatening and will require prompt treatment. If you do not know how to handle such situations, seek medical attention immediately.
• Vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea These symptoms are similar to those of food poisoning. But the difference is that in a food-allergy reaction, your child will not have fever and the vomiting and diarrhoea usually resolves quickly. Sometimes, fresh blood or mucus can be found in the stools. Take note to see if the same reaction occurs the next time your child eats the same food.
Protect your baby
Dr Dawn Lim from Kinder Clinic at Paragon shares four ways to reduce Junior’s chance of developing allergies.
1 Breastfeed fully for at least four months
This is one of the most established methods to prevent allergies like cow’s milk allergy, eczema and early wheezing.
2 Wean your baby at the right time
Introduce solids between four and six months, and not earlier or later as that could increase your child’s chances of developing allergies.
3 Introduce a variety of food, as long as he is not allergic to it
For years, parents have been advised to not offer food that may cause allergies, such as cow’s milk, eggs, seafood and peanuts to babies under the age of one. There is not enough evidence to prove that this can prevent allergies.
4 Keep his skin moisturised
There is some new research to show that applying moisturiser to Baby’s skin daily during the first 32 weeks of life may lower his risk of eczema. This simple measure may help to prevent the development of eczema in children with a strong family history of allergies.
