Is it the environment or our human body?

Sometime ago, Kyrene developed some rashes over her body. We brought her to the doctor, as usual, was unable to deduce if its a case of food or dust or skin allergy. Or it could be just a case of what we used to call when we were younger, "feng mo" in Chinese. We suspected that it could be dust or dirt. These days, we make sure the surroundings are clean for the kids, very particular about their personal hygiene, etc. I somehow felt that they are too "pampered" that when come into contact with little contamination, they fall sick. For Kyrene, the rashes went away after 2 days. It strike again during National Day eve when she had a mini sport day in school. That really confirm that it was dust/dirt that she was allergic to cos she developed rashes on her legs after sitting on the floor. When we were at Port Dickson, the swimming pool water must have been dirty cos her rashes came back again. The only cure was to give her anti-itch medicine and apply calamine lotion.

Just last weekend, it was my turn. I woke up on Fri morning to find some red spots. It went away after I applied some anti bacteria powder. But that very night, the rashes got really bad and I couldn't sleep the whole day cos of the itch. I suffered real bad cos I could not take any medicine just like that. To be on the safe side, I went to KKH 24Hr Clinic to have it checked. I was sent to the Delivery Suite for observation for half an hour, then the duty doctor asked me for my medical history, then he said the rashes don't look serious, and sent me home with some anti itch medication. The rashes went away the next day. In the end, just like Kyrene's case, no conclusion if I was suffering from food or dust allergy.

Years back, I had similar attack. I recalled I went to SGH A&E at midnight. After 3 hrs of waiting, took blood test, and the doctor just said, they can't find what is the cause of the rash. They said if I am really need to know what I am allergic to, then to take the allergy test which cost a few hundred dollars. I didn't of course. My only deduction is that I may be sensitive to protein. That time, I ate too much egg whites and seafood and that could have triggered the rashes.

The rashes episode really set me thinking... why are we getting it so easily these days? Is it our environment more polluted? Or is it our body immune systems are weaker?