Is this anaphylaxis?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

My 6 almost 7yo had a reaction this week. Probably something she ate. I was talking about it on an allergy support board after I had myself convinced that she is going to be OK. We are scheduled for testing next month and for a ped. appt. next week for treatment until we know what caused it. I was making myself feel better, by telling myself that “just hives” is only one target area. That’s not severe. She won’t have an anaphylactic reaction. I got myself to let her go to school. On the allergy board, someone put that it sounded like the beginnings of an anaphylactic reaction. (We did get benedryl into her about 10 minutes after the reaction started, because I’m so familiar with what the beginning of a hive breakout looks like and we rushed her home before the hives actually popped up on her outer skin.) So, her symptoms started by a lumpy feeling in her throat for which she was rubbing her neck and leaving bright red marks. Then her face flushed and when I asked if she was alright she said her palms itched. That’s when I grabbed her and her sister and called to her dad while running out the door to the car. After getting the benedryl hives erupted for about 30-40 minutes, then finally went away. The only other symptoms were a migraine and achey joints which continued the next day.

So, am I right and it’s not severe because it was only one target area or was this the beginning of anaphylaxis? Or will we never know what that reaction would have ended up like because I’m such a super mom and caught the symptoms immediately?

This waiting for drs. feels like an eternity.

2

The lumpy throat feeling could very well have been her airway closing up, so I’d say you did the right thing in administering an antihistamine.

On the other hand, I’ve heard that the only treatment for anaphylactic shock is adreneline, so if she made it through without that, it probably wasn’t anaphylactic shock.

Over all, this sounds like a GQ post to me.

3

SoMo, my 13 yr old son had almost the identical happen to him about 2 weeks ago. I came home from work to a phone call from his father telling me my son had hives on his chest and back. I immediatley hung up and picked him up, gave him 2 benadryls, just as you did.
His chest, back and arms, and sparingly on his upper leg and groin area, was covered with large various sized lumpy red hives, his entire neck area was flushed, bright red and looked like he had been in the sun with a wide necked t shirt.
I was a nervous wreck of course, I wanted to take him to the emergency room, but I knew they would only do what I was doing, give him benadryl and watch his breathing, etc. Needless to say, he was fine, the hives and redness completely went away after about 40 minutes.
He had been very sick the 2 days prior to this, vomiting and with a low-grade fever, this was not shocking, though as my younger son had the same bug a couple days before and it was going around town. His father gave him Tylenol Flu, Non-Drowsy, all I could do was guess that that was what caused his allergic reaction. Hearing you describe your daughters reaction makes me wonder though.
Did she ingest anything new that day? Or had you been using any new laundry items, etc? BTW, I wouldn’t worry so much, you sound like you are right on top of things. LOL, It’s so easy to write those words, if you could have seen me that day, you would laugh your ass off, I’m sure I picked up a few grey hairs that day. Moms worry, that’s our job.

Alcohol and calculus don’t mix. Never drink and derive.

4

Hey, that’s a damn good question. What the hell ARE hives, anyway?

I got them once, when I was a kid. My dad made me eat an entire bunch of bananas, cause he was grouchy. Well, I started to barf, and broke out in what Iassume were hives. Kinda little welts all over, you know?

I’ve been curious about that for about 18 years.

5

Hives are red, raised, itchy welts that appear on the skin when the body has an allergic reaction to something and releases histamine. Benadryl is an antihistamine, and is therefore given when an allergic reaction is suspected. It is recommended that Benadryl be a part of your family’s medical emergency kit, for just such instances. (PS Benadryl is Nytol, sleeping pills, etc… Diphenhydramine- 25 mgs usually.)

Alcohol and calculus don’t mix. Never drink and derive.

6

You do need to find out for sure, though (sounds like you’re doing that). Food and insect reactions especially can be nasty things, and she may need to have access to an allergy kit. I had one around when I was on IV antibiotics, and it included high-dose Benadryl, a preloaded Benadryl injection and an adrenaline injector, along with one of those plastic mouth-to-mouth thingies.

I carry an adrenaline “pen” all the time – I’ll likely never need it, but it makes me feel better. A kid probably shouldn’t carry one, for safety’s sake – and these days I’m sure it would be classified as a weapon :rolleyes:

Good luck to you and your daughter!

Catrandom

7

No, your daughter was not in anaphylaxis. If she was, she might not be alive right now.

And I’m not going to tell you what the signs/symptoms of anaphylaxis are. Why? Because I’m not certified to teach this stuff. I am certified to diagnose and treat anaphylaxis with injectable epinepherine (synthetic adrenaline) though, so I will tell you the following:

It does sound like she had a systemic allergic reaction–which edges uncomfortably close to anaphylaxis. A trip to the emergency room was probably called for. If someone is in severe anaphylaxis, it only takes a few minutes for them to die.

Anaphylaxis is easy to treat if someone is available who can diagnose it and has a syringe full of epinepherine handy–in other words, the emergency room.

If she has a “lumpy throat” again, take her immediately to the emergency room. Sometimes, as a person gets exposed to an allergen multiple times, the reactions get more and more severe. So, next time, it could be anaphylaxis.

You did the right thing by giving her Benadryl, though.

If your child is so severely allergic to things, it might be worth your while to look into some training in the diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis. People with severe allergies often carry an Epipen, which is a device that automatically injects a dose of epinepherine.

Good luck.

8

Actually, I have an anaphylactic reaction to pork. My allergist won’t give me an epi-pen Rx until after I have to go to the emergency because Benedryl hasn’t worked. (Does this make sense to anyone else?) But he doesn’t necessarily believe the dr. that diagnosed me all those years ago before we had epi-pens. He says that we can’t be sure that my blood pressure actually dropped because I didn’t go to the hospital while it was happening. He says that I could have just hyperventilated. Ok, whatever. I haven’t had a pork reaction in almost 8 years. :cross fingers: Maybe my reaction would not be nearly as severe today. I went to this allergist about another reaction (turned out to be an allergy to Sprite) last summer. It was full blown hives, diarrhea, magenta-colored and itchy palms, runny nose, tight chest. He said that was not anaphylaxis. I agree that it was not nearly as bad as my reaction to pork, with the dizziness, ringing ears, coughing and probably stuff I can’t remember now on top of the digestive complaints and hives.

GreenBean, so my daughter only had hives, is hers so dangerous because she had hives in her throat? She had no trouble breathing at all. Neither dr. office seemed all that concerned about the reaction. I thought one target area is not supposed to be severe.

Cantrandom, kids her age can be trained to use an epi-pen. At her school all meds have to be left with the school nurse though.

psycat, no, she hadn’t had anything new. BUT as I told her, I drank Sprite for about all my adult life before I reacted to it. It probably was not a skin contact reaction because of the lumpy throat but no I haven’t used any new soaps. I’m sure your son’s dr. already told you this, but his reaction could have been a reaction to the virus he was fighting or it could have been a reaction to the meds he was on or it could have been something else. (That’s what my ped. used to tell my mom and what my daughter’s ped. used to tell me. When it’s only hives they just can’t tell without running tests.)

phouka, an epi-pen or adrenaline shot is needed in a lot of cases of anaphylaxis. If a persons can’t breath, swallow, or they pass out. In those cases they can’t wait for an antihistamine to work or can’t get it in the case of not being able to swallow. (Or that’s the way it was explained to me by my dr. Since I have not fit any of those categories, I do not qualify.) I think epi-pens are one of the greatest medical devices going these days, BTW. I didn’t think it was GQ because since no one can know for sure (without the tests that we’re waiting for), this is really just opinions.

Ok, so the opinions from everyone is that the “lumpy throat” is serious? Actually that’s the way I feel too but since the nurses at the drs. offices don’t act like it is, I was trying to rationalize that “it’s just hives, it’s just hives”. I’ve never had that symptom myself. Now I don’t want to let her out of the house again. :frowning:

9

I agree - it was not anaphylaxis, this time.

I have severe allergies to a number of foods and stinging creatures. Last time I ingested a “trace” of one of the allergens (left over on a stirring spoon that hadn’t been completely washed), it took 6 injections of Epinephrine to bring me back.

Usually, shock reactions are quick, and severe. The difficulty breathing is evident - it almost seems to trigger asthmatic-like symptoms, too. Often the lips / area around the mouth turns blue. Eyes water A LOT, hives are present, there’s constriction of the throat, and almost ALWAYS restricted breathing (cases where this is nor present are extremely rare).

Your daughter’s doctor should, indeed, be concerned. She likely did have an allergic reaction to something, and the next time around, it could be worse/fatal. Get her to an allergist, and get her tested.

As for “drugs in the school have to stay with the nurse”, we used to have such rules here too, but it does NOT apply to children who carry Epipens. In some cases, it’s a matter of a few minutes before death. If a child recognizes the symptoms and can “stab” themselves on the spot, it beats running into the school during recess, finding the nurse in the lunch room, running to her office, getting the epipen, running back outside… the school officials should understand this very well.

If not, kick their asses. <g>

Best wishes,

E. :smiley:

*Why is there a picture of my brain on this milk carton? *

“Black holes were created when God divided by 0”
~100% Genuine Wally Sig. (made in Canada. No beavers were harmed in the making of this sig.)

10

IMHO, any sudden onset of hives with throat invovelment or sortness of breath is a 911 call. Most allergic reactions are mild and self-limiting, benadryl is a great drug, but anaphylaxis can be a very rapidly evolving emergency.

11

What about your nearest paramedic?

When a paramedic is dispatched to attend a patient, life-saving measures are administered there and then. This is a hell of a lot quicker than a frantic drive to the nearest hospital, where you could possibly wait for some time before being seen by medical staff.

Knock softly but firmly, 'cause I like soft firm knockers…

12

The condition describe WAS anaphlytactic shock albeit a mild case still anaphytactic. The proper treatment for it was benyadril, and observation, as it can develope quickly (or slowly) in to a sever case. Epi is not the first drug of choice for a mild case, because it can have some nasty side effects and is short term. The most important thing here is to find out what triggerd the event, they tend to get worse with each exposure.(for this I have both professional and personal knowldge of.) Sounds to me that you did handle everything well, however, I do recommend that if it starts again CALL 911 that’s what we are there for. Good luck

Remember the first rule of medicine
“ALL BLEEDING STOPS EVENTUALLY!”

13

DVousMeans–

Yep. You’re absolutely right. A 911 call would be the appropriate course of action for the reasons you say. Thanks.

14

Apparently her ped. thinks it was or could be next time. She gave her a script for 2 epi-pens. Now I get to find out what they do at school. Only the pharmacy only had one so I kept it until another one comes in. We still have 3 weeks to go before we find out what caused all of this. Thanks for the opinions.

15

I thought I would let you know what we do know. It’s probably a food allergy. If it is a food allergy it is probably something in the Sprite that was in the punch she was drinking. The only way to test for certain is complicated and expensive and involves checking in the hospital according to her allergist.

Anybody know something in Sprite and other sodas that is not in other foods? I react to Sprite, my daughter reacts to Sprite, but do not know what so cannot avoid whatever it is in other foods. Yet, neither of us has had a reaction to any other foods. Just curious.