Help me figure this out. Dd broke out with hives on hands, feet, and one side of face...

[iamme]

She's been sick since March 6 w/wicked sore throat, off/on fever, fatigue, inability to sleep, achey. Felt better yesterday(15th), went to sleep about 10:45 and slept today till 1:00PM!!

Upon waking, she voiced that her throat hurt a little. I gave her water, a banana and homemade trail mix. She said it was feeling better. She got on the computer for ahwile, and about half an hour later started screaming and crying, absolutely freaking out. Her hands and feet were bright red with white hives on them up to the wrist. Then she got a patch on the right side of her cheek. She expressed shortness of breath, so I rushed her to the ER. She was given Benedryl, and the hives went away, tbough her hands remain red.

She had just been to the doc last Thursday-they ran strep test-both-came back negative.

So, ER doc thinks it was either something in the trailmix or viral. I got home and called back her doctor with the report. Doc says no to viral as it would present on the trunk, and probably not respond to the Benedryl. She thinks it is something in the trailmix-but the foods on the trailmix are all foods dd has eaten TONS of times. She is 13 YO!!

Anyway, I have a script to have her allergy tested(including foods) via blood. Was going to do that today, but she slept so late, then all this happened. I'm not keen on doing labs past Tuesday, so I'd like to wait till early next week. Or not? What do you think-about all of it?

Trailmix had-
Organic almonds
Organic walnuts
Raw pumpkin seeds
Roasted sunflower seeds
Rice Chex
Mini choc chips
Craisins

Umm...she's freaking. Her anxiety is through the roof and she won't let me leave the area of the house she is in. I feel horrible for her.

All ideas and advice welcome. (Thanks!!)

Em

[4myfinn]

I'm no allergy expert, but I've been doing an elimination diet the past few weeks to pinpoint my DS's allergies. (He's 6 mo and EBF). When I tried to reintroduce walnuts, I had an allergic reaction. My gums started to itch and then my lips went numb and swelled up. After about 5 minutes my tongue was totally numb. I had never had such a reaction to walnuts before. Ever.

I know some allergies just build up over time. Maybe that is the case with your DD?

Good luck and I hope your DD feels better soon!

[elmh23]

Allergies can present after years of eating the offending food. Also bananas are fairly allergenic. I think they're related to latex allergies.

[Mosaic]

Did the rash itch? Sounds like hand, foot, and mouth to me. I agree that it wouldn't respond to benedryl, but hives aren't typically white either, and generally I think kids would freak out if things hurt, not if they itch. I dunno, it fits with the fever, aches, sore throat, etc.

[iamme]

Originally Posted by 4myfinn

I'm no allergy expert, but I've been doing an elimination diet the past few weeks to pinpoint my DS's allergies. (He's 6 mo and EBF). When I tried to reintroduce walnuts, I had an allergic reaction. My gums started to itch and then my lips went numb and swelled up. After about 5 minutes my tongue was totally numb. I had never had such a reaction to walnuts before. Ever.

I know some allergies just build up over time. Maybe that is the case with your DD?

Good luck and I hope your DD feels better soon!

Wow! That is VERY interesting! I'm so sorry you experienced this. I am aware that allergies can come and go. She has enough history that we need to be on top of things.

Thanks for sharing your story.

Originally Posted by elmh23

Allergies can present after years of eating the offending food. Also bananas are fairly allergenic. I think they're related to latex allergies.

Whoa. I found out three years ago that I am allergic to bananas! Dh was actually the one to throw the idea out there. I was like are you kidding, who the he!! is allergic to bananas?? Lol. ME. Ouch. Maybe my precious dd, too.
Thanks for the heads up about latex. I had *no* clue. I think I have been having reactions to latex, but keep dismissing it. Hmm. (?)

Originally Posted by Mosaic

Did the rash itch? Sounds like hand, foot, and mouth to me. I agree that it wouldn't respond to benedryl, but hives aren't typically white either, and generally I think kids would freak out if things hurt, not if they itch. I dunno, it fits with the fever, aches, sore throat, etc.

I just read your post to her, and she describes it more of it *burning* than itching. The hives(looked more like little welts!) were definitely white and raised.
Dd did have hand,foot and mouth when she was about 3 yo(I think?).

Thanks for your replies!! She's doing fine now, though is asking a billion questions for reassurance.

[Mosaic]

I caught HFM from my DD, at the ripe ol' age of 30, and I admit I freaked out a bit when I saw my hands. And they definitely hurt/burned... it sucked. Generally, you don't get HFM more than once (but generally, people don't get chicken pox or mono more than once either, but we all know it happens). I find it hard to believe I'd never been exposed, but I definitely had HFM this time around. I just think it may not be a coincidence that all of this

wicked sore throat, off/on fever, fatigue, inability to sleep, achey.
...
hands and feet were bright red with white hives on them up to the wrist.

sounds like classic HFM. The anxiety itself could have caused the hives.

[iamme]

Originally Posted by Mosaic

I caught HFM from my DD, at the ripe ol' age of 30, and I admit I freaked out a bit when I saw my hands. And they definitely hurt/burned... it sucked. Generally, you don't get HFM more than once (but generally, people don't get chicken pox or mono more than once either, but we all know it happens). I find it hard to believe I'd never been exposed, but I definitely had HFM this time around. I just think it may not be a coincidence that all of this

sounds like classic HFM. The anxiety itself could have caused the hives.

Eeew-that definitely sucks. I agree one can get x,y,z more than once-or that the first dx was off the mark,too. She's still asleep, which tells me that her body is fighting whatever she had that caused this.

Curious-did you have sores *inside* your mouth also? I know viruses appear differently on different people, so one can show varying symptoms from person to person. When I googled HFM, it read that people generally get sores inside their mouths...

I don't think it was the anxiety. She was calm as can be, only when the hives hit did her anxiety start.

Thanks for helping me brainstorm!

[Mosaic]

Originally Posted by iamme

Curious-did you have sores *inside* your mouth also? I know viruses appear differently on different people, so one can show varying symptoms from person to person. When I googled HFM, it read that people generally get sores inside their mouths...
!

You know what? I didn't! I had a tiny bit of a sore throat, but my mouth was fine. I looked for sores and didn't see any, but my hands and feet were awful. DD had a super minor case, with maybe a couple of sores on her feet (that I only noticed because little kids have the most perfect, beautiful feet) and a little fever and being "off" for a few days; but I was actively out of work for a week because I felt so lousy and couldn't walk because my feet hurt so much.

Oh, and the hoof and mouth jokes I endured from coworkers were the pits!

I'm glad your daughter is feeling better, and I hope she can just sleep off the rest of whatever this is!

[iamme]

Originally Posted by Mosaic

You know what? I didn't! I had a tiny bit of a sore throat, but my mouth was fine. I looked for sores and didn't see any, but my hands and feet were awful. DD had a super minor case, with maybe a couple of sores on her feet (that I only noticed because little kids have the most perfect, beautiful feet) and a little fever and being "off" for a few days; but I was actively out of work for a week because I felt so lousy and couldn't walk because my feet hurt so much.

Oh, and the hoof and mouth jokes I endured from coworkers were the pits!

I'm glad your daughter is feeling better, and I hope she can just sleep off the rest of whatever this is!

That is interesting! See, things affect each of us so differently, it can be so confusing.

Okay-dd woke up about an hour after I last posted, and w/i 5 minutes her hands flared up with hives that went two inches up her wrist-and itched and burned. This time the welts were round and occured both in patches and randomly. Her feet were only itchy, and only one teeny spot came up next to her mouth.

And-three hours later they completely disappeared!! Just in time for me to take her to her doctor. Doc doesn't think it is HFM as she said the rash stays and occurs on palms, soles of feet and appear like blisters. She thinks it is either related to whatever virus dd has had-or-is an allergic reaction of some kind. She drew blood to check her CBC for evidence of an allergic reaction and also mono. She also suggested we put her on Claritin round the clock-which I'm NOT going to do. If there are symptoms, I WANT to see them, kwim? I only want to know what we are dealing with so I know if dd is contagious-not for treatment, and especially a slap on a band-aid type treatment.

Oh so confusing. My dc aren't "rash" dc, so I feel clueless about this.

So, she has a come and go outbreak of hives on the tops of her hands. The hives burn and itch. Itching on her feet. One spot next to her mouth. And then-it all disappears. Currently no sore throat.