Itching for an Answer
Itching, scratching, bleeding, crying, unsure of what was safe to eat, wear, or be near. This was the life of Winter and Grant before they found hope and answers at Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center.
For 12 years prior to landing on Duke Children’s doorstep, Florida youngsters Winter and Grant dealt as best they could with a variety of food and environmental limitations. They bounced back and forth between allergists and dermatologists. Mom, Suzanne, was often sent home with a shrug and sympathetic, “Sorry, this is a tough one.”
“Allergists and dermatologists had different ideas, different practices and different views--what to allow in the children, what to allow around them; what to put on them, what to put in them,” says Suzanne. It was a frustrating and difficult lifestyle, and still allergic reactions to things both known and newly discovered persisted. . .and were sometimes life-threatening.
There were ambulance rides where Suzanne heard, “We can’t take her to the children’s hospital . . .there may not be time.” The extra time to get to the children’s hospital was a mere five minutes.
Specialist after specialist repeated the words that broke Suzanne’s heart every time, “This is beyond my scope.” One doctor, however, ended with a phrase that still sings in Suzanne’s heart—“but I know someone at Duke who might be able to help.”
So with that, this Florida family boarded a train bound for Durham, North Carolina.
Through careful study, Grant’s list of troublesome foods has now been reduced to five. Winter is working through her conditions as well and is finally getting some answers, if not cures. For example, they learned she has a condition where instead of sweating, she develops an intensely itchy rash that often leads to staph and other infections. Knowing this, she can make lifestyle changes to prevent discomfort and infections. On doctor’s recommendation and through partnership with the Ronald McDonald House, Winter, Grant and Suzanne escaped the Florida summer heat to spend time in Colorado Springs. For the first time in their lives, they enjoy being outside in the summer. . .enjoying the rites of childhood so many of us take for granted.
Suzanne’s children aren’t cured—their conditions, especially Winter’s, are quite complex. But doctors at Duke Children’s in conjunction with their local dermatologist came up with a cohesive plan for helping them live more normal lives and helping them avoid crisis situations.
Advancements in therapies and cures are possible because the community supports Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center. When friends and community leaders commit to helping children, the barriers to diagnosis ultimately come down, leading to healthier, happier lifestyles.
