Grass Allergy

[kjbrown92]

So we went to swim class today, and DS already had his shirt off ready to go into the pool, and decided to roll down the grassy hill with DD2. He then ran into the pool, where his back was to me. I noticed what looked like lash marks ALL over his back - even in places he couldn't reach, so it couldn't have been from him scratching. He went in the pool. The instructor called me over 5 minutes later and asked if he was okay, and I told him that DS had been rolling down the hill, and I thought it was just from the grass. It's a chlorinated pool and it went away in about 15-20 minutes. I just remembered to look at his allergy results from a few years ago, which I thought was only ragweed. Turns out he's allergic to grass and mold too. So is that an actual contact reaction? Could those be a form of hive? The kid plays outside ALL the time and that's the first time it's happened. I'm wondering if I should have done anything differently (I'm obviously not going to let him roll in the grass half-naked again). He said it itched a lot.

[lnitti]

not sure, about an allergic reaction, but it isn't uncommon for blades of grass to be sharp enough to scratch skin depending on the grass and how sensitive the skin is. When I walk in sandals in grass, I can feel it "poke" me.

[kjbrown92]

He's never had sensitive skin before. DD2 was the one with rashes and eczema. And she rolled down the hill in her bathing suit too, and had no marks on her back.

[Therese's Mommy]

Perhaps the grass had been treated and he received some kind of chemical burn

[kjbrown92]

But if that were true, then DD2 would have gotten it too. She did it more times than he did. And no other kids had any kind of reaction (lots of kids were doing it). I just want to know if it was contact or if those were really hives... it's worrying me.

[chellebee]

When I was a kid I got bumps on contact with grass. Certain times of the year it was worse than others. I wonder if grass or weed pollen is high where you live?

[dandilion44]

This has happened with DS as well - it seemed to be a contact reaction. He did test positive to grass on his SPT. It doesn't always happen though so I assume he only reacts to specific grass.

[MyLittleWonders]

Ds#1 is very sensitive to rye grasses and others that go to seed (we have St. Augustine and he tends to be fine with it). Once the seeds appear and he runs through it, his lower legs rash up.