Anaphylactic Shock - Words we are getting used to
Last week I got home from grocery shopping. When I walked in the door Maddix and Trev were watching a movie. Trev said "look what Madd likes" (Cashews) this is something we have never given him. Within a few minutes he threw up a little. We didn't think much of it other than he might have gotten a piece stuck in his throat. He then started to get this awful looking rash around his mouth with little hives around it.
I called the Doctor to be sure that we were giving him the right dose of Benadryl and to see if we were doing the right things. They wanted us to go in just to be safe.
By the time we got to the doc he seemed to be improving . Luckily I had taken a few pictures and showed the doc what he looked like before the meds. He looked at the picture of his face and wrote me up a prescription for an EpiPen before he even looked at the rest.
We left the doc and within a half hour the rash, hives and yuck spread through his entire body (torso, back, sides, behind his ears, everywhere) The doctor was really worried and wanted me to touch base every few hours in case we needed to spend the night in the E.R.
Trev and his dad gave Madd a blessing, we gave him more medicine and were lucky enough to avoid the E.R. for the night.
(Actually really really blessed)
- We found out later that it was a really good thing he threw up. Because of that he got rid of a good portion of the nut. If that hadn't happened we would have definitely been visiting the E.R.
The next step....
We were referred to his allergy specialist (he has been once and has a small allergy to eggs)
Once again he got the dots down the back with small doses of each allergen in question
( Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans)
I noticed a huge difference from his first test. his back had large welts and large red rashes. The nurse came in to measure how big they had gotten... she just said "oh this isn't good"
The doc met with us to go over the test results.
He began by saying. On a scale, a 7 is a very SEVERE reaction. His reaction was an 8.6!
My heart sank, I just wanted to hold my baby and cry for him.
He began by explaining the severity of his results and how not only our family but friends, care givers any one in our lives need to be aware of how severe his allergy is.
If he has even the smallest amount of a tree nut he will go into anaphylactic shock. Within minutes his airway could close off.
He stressed that this is a severe life threatening reaction not to be taken lightly.
He cannot have food with ANY amount of nut in it.
We now need to educate ourselves and others.
Reading labels and NEVER leaving his EpiPen will be our new normal.
I am so heart sick for my baby boy and so scared to ever leave him again.
So so scared to accidentally give him food with a nut in it.
Keep my little guy in your prayers.
I now need to completely educate myself and be SO aware of what is in the food we have.
If any of you would like to read more go to epipen.com
The rash starting to spread through his body. You can't quite tell how bad it really was. Really... the pictures don't do it justice. The flash blew out the red on his skin.
Pho
Pho
13 comments :
Poor kid. He is in our prayers. We don'twant anything to happen to that precious boy! Love the stethoscope picure. Whenever i have mine out Eisley always wants to listen to her tummy. They are so cute!
My husband has had allergies to peanuts and all tree nuts since he was a kid, too. It is scarier when they are little but not as scary when they grow up. You are so blessed to have a husband who is skilled in a way that could be of help. He is darling, Abbie.
Awful!!! Sorry Abbs. I didn't know the whole story & now that I do i feel your pain.
I'm so glad that at least now you know but you, Trevor and little Maddix will be in our prayers!
Ohhh, that was a scary day. Glad we were able to be there, even though we couldn't play as much. And so glad he didn't get worse in the night. Love my little guy! We will be on the constant look out.
Just for you I posted something NEW but probably not what you were looking for. Sorry. Miss you.
Oh no! Avery had an allergic reaction to cashews too. The same thing happened to her, but it sounds like Maddix is a lot worse than Avery. We gave her cashews when she was around the same age as Maddix is and she got hives and threw up, so we gave her Benadryl and she got better. I haven't had her tested for allergies yet, but I really need to. We just don't give her any tree nuts, but I think she is mostly just allergic to cashews. I thought she might be getting over it, but her grandparents accidentally gave her a treat that had cashews in it and she had another reaction. So, yeah, I would definitely recommend educating everyone that is around Maddix about it, and making sure that they read the labels, because there are so many things that have tree nuts in them.
I'm glad he's okay.
Sorry that I couldn't make it to your shower. I missed seeing you! Hope you're doing well.
What a scary ordeal. Hopefully they can come up with a cure in the future.
Even in pain Maddix looks like a baby model. Those blue eyes melt my heart.
I'm so excited for our girls day! I'll talk to you soon.
Yeah, Avery did have the same reaction, but I don't think it was quite as bad as Maddix's reaction. We were at a ball game. She ate the cashews and then started getting hives on her faces, so we headed for home. On the way home she threw up all over the place. Then when we got her home we noticed that the hives were all over her body, so I called the dr. They told me to give her Benadryl and after a few minutes that cleared it up. So I spread the news to all of my family that she could not have any tree nuts, I didn't know if she was allergic to all tree nuts, but I knew she was allergic to cashews, so I just said she needed to stay away from all tree nuts, just to be safe. I got an epipen from the pediatrician, but I haven't got her tested, because he said I'd have to take her to Ogden to do it, and with the babies it seems like an impossible task. Where did you take Maddix to get him tested? There is a lady not too far from me that they said does allergy tests, but she is more of a homeopathic type, so I'm not sure if I should take her there or not.
Anyway, the second reaction that Avery had was not as bad, but I don't think she actually ate a cashew. She was at my in-laws house and they gave her a piece of popcorn out of poppycock, which I guess has cashews in it. AS soon as she ate it she started acting sick, so they brought her home, and as soon as she walked in the door she threw up. So that one didn't seem as bad as the first, but she didn't actually eat a cashew.
It is scary! You have to be very careful. Make sure you tell his nursery leaders and everyone.
I really wanted everyone to be able to meet my boys at the shower. I guess we'll have to get together again. I can't wait to meet your little girl. I'm sure she will be a doll.
Sorry about the novel :)
I am so glad you got him tested and now know how bad it really is!! I pray he won't have any scary moment from here on out!! Best of luck!
Time to post something NEW.
How SCARY! Gees poor kid...and MOM! Ace (Jess & Ambrose's 4 Yr old) is allergic to nuts too and is very quick to let you know if you try to feed him any! So, pretty soon you can educate little Madd and he can help you do the talking!
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