HELP! inconsolable crying, hives, thrashing about, screaming

[veganmamma]

DD has hives all over her back and is inconsolable! She's violently thrashing about and SCREAMING. She's 71/2 mos and may be allergic to the oil from peanut butter that i had on my hands earlier. Anybody know what I can do to make her more comfortable? I have never seen her like this. She has never screamed like this before. I am worried. Can't type, screaming baby that won't nurse.
L

[dlb]

Since your baby is so little, I would advise that you have someone medical take a look at her. My ds gets hives form time to time, and they make him ornery as heck, but he is four, and can be given childrens benedryl, as I have been advised. I don't know what the dosage would be for such a little one as yours.

Perhaps one of the homeopathicly orriented mamas here would have some advice for you?

Hope you both can get some relief soon!

dlb

[veganmamma]

Thank you, her last bout of crying and thrashing has endedso I'm feeling a little beter, but the hives are still there. They were shrinking, but she's NEVER unhappy like this. I had an epiphany about the PB though. I could still smell it in my skin and it was making me hungry. She doesn't eat solids, so I dunno what esle it could be!

[dentente]

I would have her checked out. An allergy to peanuts can really damage a kid. If she is allergic to peanuts you need to get yourself an epi-pen. A childhood friend of mine died from eating a burger at a BBQ that had been made with peanut oil. You just never can tell what that stuff is in and the epi-pen is a lifesaver.

Let us know what the ped says.

Denny

[veganmamma]

Thanks for responding so fast everyone. Just as eerily as it began, it ended. the hives are fading fast and she is a different baby. I am an EMT dentente, so even though in CA we're not licensed to use epinephrine, I actually have a shot of epi in my jump bag. I was pregnant thru EMT school and so I never registered with the state and therefore am not held to the "scope of care" laws. This way if my baby gets poisoned I can administer liquid charcoal and not go to jail. : Same for the epi. I actually did it since I knew I wasn't going to be working in the field and I still wanted to be able to stop and render aid without fear of a lawsuit. Anyway, I made an appt with the ped.

T I did render aid in a severe car crash when I was 9 mos preggo and held together a guys face for almost an hour in the pouring rain. My instructer said stopping to render aid loses it's charm fast but I was still enamored with it. lol
Lauren

[dentente]

YOU are a good egg to stop. Especially while preggo! I have no medical training and I always stop to help. Wish I knew more though. Don't want to get sued but could never not help.

I am glad your cherub is okay now. Allergies scare me so bad. Especially after watching a 10 year old child die from one. I think epi-pen is now made for regular consumer use. I could be wrong. I should check. I have a friend who works trauma at Mount Diablo/John Muir. Your neck of the woods. She lives right next door. She'll know.

I think everyone should have one around. Something so simple could save a person's life.

Denny

[veganmamma]

ITA about epi-pen. I think they are only OTC in some states. You can't get sued. Good Samaritan lawsmake it safe for you. the most important thing is for those who may have head or neck injuries to keep still. Completely still. Not get up, not move neck or head. This guy that I was with had taken a windshield wiper to the head in a 70 MPH crash- unrestrained, so there was more than just a "star" on the windshield!! If he hadn't hit the windshield wiper I think his head would've gone straight thru. We weren't going to stop b/c we didn't want to make more traffic then I saw a guy walking around in a daze with a super bloody rag on his face. There were also 3 teenage girls in the other car, one of whom also had head injuries, but she was too hysterical for me to even begin to help her so I actually had DP who is much more calming than I go to calm her down. The paramedics ended up taking her in first because i "had it handled" with the other guy!! LOL like I was a professional!! They just saw my jump bag and assumed I was an EMT, lol they didn't ask me about myself until they'd been there for a long time. They laughed when i said I wasn't licensed and said I did an awesome job for being a rookie! I never found put what happened to him, but I'm sure he recovered. He was a hardcore gangster type guy and this wasn't his first big scar on his face. He was telling me about how he just got out the hospital from being shot. I was like, "Oh, well this must just be a piece of pie for you!!" He was really nice. Since he had to stay still and I was holding a bandage over most of his face he didn't even know I was pregnant! I was explaining everything that was happening so he wouldn't be confused or scared and then finally he asked who "they" were all asking "Are you sure you're okay?" I was like, "OMG, I'm sorry, I'm due next week to give birth, that's why everyone is talking to me!" He seemed touched I had stopped, but it's not like I extricated him or anything. I think anyone would have done the same. I just happen to know what to do, kwim? Anyway, i'm getting OT. DD is cutting a tooth right this second and so that may be why she was having an even harder time. She was in need of some camila and RR and now she is doing a bit better. I am still concerned about the hives though.
L

[blazfglori]

Could you little one have been stung by a bee?
Both my boys were stung by wasps when they were under a year old (Gunnar was 9 months and Trapper was 11 months) and screamed bloody murder.
Both got hives that subsided.

[veganmamma]

I don't think so, though that is a good idea. My mom is allergic to bees. She was only outside to go out to the car and to come in from the car. This started after we'd been in for awhile. Thanks, i'll check her out for a sting just in case.
Lauren

[Quirky]

Lauren, your life is way too exciting - you need some boring, mama!

I hope your dd is not peanut allergic, and I'm glad you're getting it checked out. Definitely not something to mess around with.

T DH worked as an EMT for 2 years after school. He even delivered a couple of babies! The good thing about having him around is that he's calm and collected and knows what to do if one of us is hurt. The bad thing is, he's pretty unsympathetic to any of my minor injuries, aches, or pains! His view is, if I'm not bleeding out, I shouldn't complain. :LOL

[Missgrl]

Moving this to Life With A Babe!
Hope your babe is doing better.

[veganmamma]

Thanks Missgrl- I knew you'd move it, i just needed to get some quick responses- I was kind of panicking earlier.

jane- you said it! Drama! emphasis on the Ma! Should my senior name be Drama Mamma? I am sympathetic to pain b/c since you can't recall it, it is always bad. You can't really discern. Of course I don't think my stubbed toe was as ahrd as transition...

Lauren

[StarMama]

I'm glad Sephie is doing better! Not like I could offer any advice to help, I'm clueless still about all the baby stuff (I gotta learn pretty quick huh?) but I was at least going to say I was hoping she was feeling better soon and that it isn't serious. Still hoping it isn't serious of course

[veganmamma]

Thanks Lisa-- long time no see or talk.
L

[StarMama]

I know! I'll try to find some time to call you in the midst of all the stuff we're doing... feel free to call me too

[veganmamma]

LOL I will try to dig up your phone # I really need to just get a phone book!! :LOL

[SaraC]

Just wanted to say that they have Epi-Pens for children called Epi-Pen Jr. It is half the dose of a regular Epi-Pen. I carry four with me at all times since Maddie is very allergic to eggs. We got them from our allergist by prescription.

[veganmamma]

That is good info, thank you!

L

[veganmamma]

OKay so it was definitely peanuts. I made myself a PB&J sandwich and didn't wash my hands and then held dd and she got hives again. Not as bad since I didn't have the oil completely covering my hands. When I washed her off right away they started to get better. Now I have everyone washing their hands and lips before playing with her if they have even thought about peanuts. It sucks b/c my favorite food is Thai and I LOVE peanuts and now I don't know if I'll be able to share that love with her. I was so good during my pg and the only peanuts I ate were in this one Thai dish that I craved and it's all of a teaspoon of crushed nuts. I can order it without though. Sometimes I had a small bit of peanut sauce. Anyway, peanut allergies suck. We don't even really have food allergies in our families. I EBF she has never had a shot and we eat pretty healthy foods. (I say pretty b/c I admit to eating junk on occasion) It's NOT FAIR!! Where do these damn allergies come from!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????
Lauren

[Quirky]

Oh man oh man, that totally blows. I would start doing some research and talk to her ped about getting the Epi Pen Jr. prescription. I also wonder whether you should cut peanuts out of your diet now so she doesn't have the exposure through your milk.

Peanut allergies scare the crap out of me. I have just heard too many stories of kids dying from them. I've decided to hold off on letting ds have any nuts until age 3, although I eat them myself (but we don't have a history of food allergies either).

I am so sorry, Lauren! I hope this is something she grows out of.