Allergy peeps: thoughts?

[Spryte]

DD is anaphylactic to dairy. She reacts fast, hives first.

Around 3:30 today we had chili (I made it, she eats it all the time), BFree rolls (labeled dairy free, she’s eaten once or twice), and she had a bite of a roll from a local allergen free bakery (sourdough rosemary and olive). Earth Balance butter. We sat outside on a sectional afterwards, and she cuddled the dog. Her feet were bare, FWIW.

Within minutes of coming in, she had hives all over her feet and hands. We gave Benadryl, ventolin (she has asthma), and watched like a hawk. Hives have gone away, she’s whacked on Benadryl.

We don’t know what she reacted to! My best guess is somehow DH and I cross contaminated her food. We had cheese and sour cream on our chili. We were careful, but it must have happened. She’s not allergic to dogs, but that’s an option, I guess? He was groomed recently, I don’t know what shampoo the groomer used.

I’ll keep the Benadryl going every four hours, any other advice? (I’m better at thinking through allergy stuff when it’s not my kid, ugh!)

[prairiewindmomma]

Allergies are always a crapshoot.

FWIW, we have environmental allergies as well as food ones, and I'd be inclined to think she's reacting to something outside. She had hives at contact points, not over her entire trunk and back and wherever else one typically has a systemic reaction. Here, leaf mold has been crazy. I'm currently having an eczema outbreak. I'd go have her shower and change clothes, personally.

I don't know that that's super helpful, but that's where my mind went as an allergy mom.

 

[1234]

My mind also went to something other than food allergies since my dc have both (and oldest also has asthma). I also second the shower and changing clothes just to cover your bases. When the hives are bad mine take both Benadryl and Zyrtec as suggested by the doctors. They usually will take Zyrtec in the morning and the Benadryl at night. They pretty much stay on the Zyrtec daily to try to ward off the hives and add Benadryl when needed. Probably doesn’t help you much now but that’s what we do. 

[Dmmetler]

50 minutes ago, Joker2 said:

My mind also went to something other than food allergies since my dc have both (and oldest also has asthma). I also second the shower and changing clothes just to cover your bases. When the hives are bad mine take both Benadryl and Zyrtec as suggested by the doctors. They usually will take Zyrtec in the morning and the Benadryl at night. They pretty much stay on the Zyrtec daily to try to ward off the hives and add Benadryl when needed. Probably doesn’t help you much now but that’s what we do. 

Also famotidine (Pepcid) is something my allergists suggests for hives. It can be used along with Zyrtec and Benadryl (or Hydroxizine, which is what I take for outbreaks because it takes a lower dose and is therefore not as sedating, although I definitely am very relaxed on it!) 

[Spryte]

Thanks. I really needed to bounce this off of other allergy moms. Because the hives were on her feet, I’m leaning to an outside thing, too.

I hate mystery reactions!

[Spryte]

And the hives are back! Gaaah!

We gave Benadryl over night and hoped to avoid today, but boom, there they are again. She’s Benadryled again, boo.

What do my fellow allergy moms think? Same reaction, continued?

She ate “safe” foods this am, nothing unfamiliar, none of the stuff she ate yesterday. Hasn’t been outside.

 

And … Merry Christmas, all!

[almondbutterandjelly]

Wash the dog thoroughly?  Maybe his shampoo had something in it that really doesn't agree with dd?

Plus wash any fabric thing he's been on.  Make her wear socks on the carpet if dog was on it?

I also hate mysterious reactions, but if the hives are still hands and feet, that still suggests contact.

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

Hmm…for my kids, in my house, that would have me doubling down at looking at contact allergies. It may be an overflow reaction from yesterday….but in my kids if they have cleared hives they tend not to reoccur from the same initial reaction but are instead a new reaction.

Is the reaction on the soles of her feet? Any chance this is hand foot and mouth or another viral reaction or is looking super hive-y?

[prairiewindmomma]

I’d be adding in Zyrtec and Pepcid AC at this point because I don’t want to do an ER on Christmas. The more you can knock this reaction down, the better. 

[Spryte]

9 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I’d be adding in Zyrtec and Pepcid AC at this point because I don’t want to do an ER on Christmas. The more you can knock this reaction down, the better. 

She’s 10. I have never given her Pepcid, though we do for our older kid, and me. She’s 94 lbs, so it’s probably ok. Do you give it to your younger kids, too?

[Spryte]

12 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Hmm…for my kids, in my house, that would have me doubling down at looking at contact allergies. It may be an overflow reaction from yesterday….but in my kids if they have cleared hives they tend not to reoccur from the same initial reaction but are instead a new reaction.

Is the reaction on the soles of her feet? Any chance this is hand foot and mouth or another viral reaction or is looking super hive-y?

Ok. Her arms now have a bumpy rash, and her cheeks near her ear.

Yesterday she tried a bite of a roll from our local (supposedly) GF and dairy free bakery, switched to a dairy free BFree roll, and had homemade chili. And sat with the dog.

Today no close contact with dog. Had a small hive and took a Benadryl. Cleared up, ate dinner with us but nothing suspicious. Then had a half slice of Yule Log cake from the same local bakery. 15 mins later, the hives were back despite the Benadryl plus some new ones.

I think the local bakery might be the issue.

Off to find Zyrtec, she’s never taken that either but I think we need to try it. Yikes.

[ktgrok]

Hives in my family tend to last around 48 hours, so for my kid it would be just the same problem popping up. We have to do benedryl for a minimum of 24 hours, usually tapering down over that 48 hour period. 

[Harriet Vane]

Fwiw allergic reactions can continue for 4-6 weeks. 
 

(My dd had one that kept showing hives for a full five weeks. Oy…)

[1234]

I’ll throw out one more thing because it stumped us until we were able to see the allergist, but could it possibly a reaction to heat or cold?

Oldest developed heat urticaria around age nine in addition to his other food and environmental allergies and we had no idea what was going on at first. He will also get hives if super stressed or anxious because it often makes him a little sweaty.

I would definitely add in a Zyrtec if you can.

[prairiewindmomma]

13 minutes ago, Spryte said:

She’s 10. I have never given her Pepcid, though we do for our older kid, and me. She’s 94 lbs, so it’s probably ok. Do you give it to your younger kids, too?

Oh, for sure. Youngest takes it as a Rx for reflux, and has since she was a toddler. You can cut tabs for weight or do it as a liquid (which I think may be Rx only.) The dose calc is .5mg/kg 2x a day, max 40 mg a day. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Fwiw, I buy the 20 mg tabs and cut in half and don’t give the full dose unless we are in super concerning territory…. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Yeah, I would think it’s the bakery too and give them a call also since they advertise as allergy friendly.

Zyrtec is way easier on my kids than Benadryl, fwiw.

Best wishes!!

[Spryte]

Just now, prairiewindmomma said:

Oh, for sure. Youngest takes it as a Rx for reflux, and has since she was a toddler. You can cut tabs for weight or do it as a liquid (which I think may be Rx only.) The dose calc is .5mg/kg 2x a day, max 40 mg a day. 

Got it! Thanks!

I had just looked it up and found the dosing. She took one, she’s over the weight for a regular tab so it was easy.

Trying to track down Zyrtec now, hopefully instacart is working. Our usual kid with reactions can’t take it, and we just don’t usually have it on hand.

The main hives on her feet have calmed down some. I’ll just do round the clock Benadryl for a bit. Yikes.

Allergies like this are bad enough, but with our hospitals swamped as they are now - added stress. 
 

I will call the bakery tomorrow.
 

 

[Spryte]

1 minute ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Yeah, I would think it’s the bakery too and give them a call also since they advertise as allergy friendly.

Zyrtec is way easier on my kids than Benadryl, fwiw.

Best wishes!!

Do you do Benadryl plus Zyrtec? 

[prairiewindmomma]

10 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Do you do Benadryl plus Zyrtec? 

I don’t want to muddy the waters, but it depends on the reaction. If I orally ingested something, I will do liquid Benadryl because I want that to be contacting my mouth and throat based on how my body does anaphylactic. I find Benadryl super sedating, so I do Zyrtec generally for hives and reactions. I also have longer and better coverage so I worry less about middle of the night rebound anaphylaxis.

My allergists over the years have differing opinions on what I should do. Some don’t like the idea of Zyrtec since it can mask immediate reactions. Once I do react they are ok with it though. They have all been clear that I should H1 and H2 though….so famotidine has always been part of my treatment plan. 
 

Fwiw, you can Zyrtec 2x a day if you need to. The back of the label directions are just the guidelines they put on when it came off Rx. It’s not a great idea long-term, but short term it’s fine.

[prairiewindmomma]

Walgreens will door dash Zyrtec. It’s open today.

[Spryte]

Thanks!

Zyrtec is on the way, yay Instacart!

This particular kid has crazy big reactions when she ingests dairy. Hives, but like cartoon level hives when she has a big dose of it. It’s a clear epipen moment. This episode is different in that the hives are smaller, it’s not full body. I’m having to think through how to handle it differently, so thanks for talking me through it.

I’m definitely thinking this is something she ate at this point. 

[prairiewindmomma]

How is your dd today? 

[Spryte]

46 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

How is your dd today? 

Thanks for checking!

No fresh hives, and the bumps on her face seem to be gone, mostly. Arms are still bumpy, but better.

We woke up through the night to keep the Benadryl going. Gave Pepcid. I think it helped. We are staying cautious.

We didn’t end up giving Zyrtec, our driver replaced it with a box of to-go packs, and they contain a milk derivative, ugh! It might have been fine, but I didn’t want to risk adding another risk factor.

Fingers crossed she just keeps improving!

Thanks for the help yesterday!