Finding local help for a child with severe allergies

ADRIEN BONG :: Medicaid member, Fresno, California

DR. WILLIAM EBBELING :: Immunology specialist, Fresno, California

On Easter Sunday 2005, Adrien Bong had a severe anaphylactic reaction. It was the first sign of allergies the 8-year-old boy had ever shown. The reaction left him covered from head to toe with red patches that looked like hives. From that day on, Adrien, a Medicaid (known as Medi-Cal in California) member, was hypersensitive to more than 80 different allergens.

After his first attack, Adrien suffered these reactions so frequently that he was in and out of the emergency room almost every week. He couldn’t play with his own toys, let alone play outside. Because he could not be around other children, he was home-schooled. His parents, Rachelle Castillo and Eric Bong, were told by two specialists that they had only three choices: keep Adrien isolated and hope that he might grow out of the condition, begin a risky new treatment, or continue using a medication that wasn’t working.

“Those choices weren’t good enough for me,” said Pat Browne, R.N., a WellPoint state-sponsored business pediatric specialty manager. She got Rachelle a referral to Dr. William Ebbeling, a renowned allergy/immunology specialist. (See story at right.)

Adrien was also helped by Anthem Blue Cross of California’s Community Resource Center (CRC), a walk-in facility that works with other community-based organizations to secure individualized care for Medicaid members. The CRC coordinated Adrien’s care, making sure that both he and Dr. Ebbeling had access to all the local resources that might aid in Adrien’s treatment.

For example, Karen Kitchen, a WellPoint senior health promotion consultant, helped Rachelle work with her landlord, her utility company, and other organizations to conduct an environmental assessment. Together, they “allergy-proofed” her apartment.

“When I first paid the family a visit, Adrien was so sick that he had to wear a mask. He couldn’t even come close to me,” said Karen. “Since seeing Dr. Ebbeling, Adrien is back to doing what 10-year-olds should do — going to school with his friends, playing sports, and being a kid.”

“I couldn’t have gotten through this without Karen and Pat,” Rachelle said. “They were in touch almost every day. We were at a breaking point — without Karen and Pat, Adrien wouldn’t be here today.”

 

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