Penicillin Allergy

So as if Chase having Hand Foot Mouth Disease wasn't bad enough alllll of last week, we discovered that Ethan is allergic to Penicillin!

 

Chase with Hand Foot Mouth

 

I took Ethan to the doctor on February 13th as he had a cold but was showing signs of difficulty hearing.  So we got Amoxicillin for a double ear infection (his 2nd or 3rd maybe ever?)  He took it for all 10 days (2x/day) but after the first dose of day 10 which was Sunday Feb 22 (15 MINUTES BEFORE ERIC LEFT FOR THE AIRPORT TO CATCH A FLIGHT FOR A WORK TRIP ALL WEEK!) right before bath, I saw Ethan's body looking like this!  Unfortunately the next morning I gave him his final dose before we went to the doctor!

 

Sun 8p

Sun 8p

 

I freaked!  1) Because it's scary as crap, and 2) Eric was literally out the door and I was scared to deal with this alone.  Luckily, I texted my friend because her husband is a dermatology PA.  I sent her a picture and he called a few minutes later to confirm hives which brought my freakout from a 9 to a 3.  I have no idea why I was thinking Measles...Eric thought Chicken Pox.  He is fully immunized but you never know I guess! 

 

So off Eric went and I gave Ethan a dose of Benadryl D around 8pm.  I woke him up at 1am for another dose.  The next morning (Monday) he literally couldn't walk, or move.  His feet had HUGE welts all over them and he was so swollen.  So I carried him downstairs (my bad back was/is hating me) and put on a show.  I got Chase ready for school and dropped him off, meanwhile carting Ethan around in the stroller.  I called the doctor and after several conference calls got him in for an afternoon appointment. 

 

We went to brunch on Sunday and Ethan ate French toast.  I had a bite and it was disgusting.  I figured maybe he was reacting to raw egg as that French toast was soggy and not cooked through.  My friend's husband thought it was from the virus (cold) that he had just gotten over.  On Sunday before brunch he did tee ball and was rolling around in the grass, so I even though a grass or bee sting allergy.

 

But, the doctor confirmed that this is most likely a penicillin allergy.  They apparently appear around days 7-9.  She would have just let it ride, but the no walking thing made her treat it more aggressively.  So he is on Prednisone (steroid/anti inflammatory).  We got some regular Benadryl and bath stuff at the grocery store.

 

Mon 10a

 

Tuesday morning he woke up almost perfect!  The hives were 80% gone and he could walk and even run!  He (and I) was so excited, so off to school he went.  And I headed downtown to work.  Around lunchtime I saw the school calling and they said his wrists and feet were swelling again and he couldn't walk and the hives were back as well.  So I booked it from downtown to pick him up.  He was in SO much pain from the swelling.  I got him home and took off his pants so he could go pee and I could put on a pull up (he can't stand to pee) and he was crying in pain and the hives were all over his butt and backs of legs.  On Sunday/Monday they were only really on his hips and midsection/back.  Now they are all in his lower body/face and arms.

 

Our arsenal...not shown, Aveeno oatmeal bath, Lavender Epsom salt and DoTerra Family Physician kit (essential oils). 

 

 

So more laying on the couch and watching videos and toy reviews on You Tube (lol). 

 

This afternoon he needed his (once a day) Prednisone which was a disaster.  It took probably 30 minutes to get him to take it (7.5ml).  He gagged and threw up a little and cried and screamed.  Yesterday he got a new Matchbox car which is the only reason he took the meds.  This time even 10 Skittles wouldn't do the trick.  I had to basically make him take it, but 'lost' some of the medicine in the process, so I have to pickup a 2nd refill to replace the doses we lost. 

 

His hands are really bad right now.  He cries getting strapped in/out of the carseat.  The swollen parts of his body are miserable for him and it is so hard to see my sweet baby not himself!  :(  He now has hives on his face!  I actually called the on call doctor as he has/had a huge welt on the back of his head which made me nervous (just due to the location of his brain).  She said they come and go, and move all over his body.  If he was having breathing difficulty then we'd need to go to the ER, but (knock on wood) that's not an issue!!!

 

Tue 7p

Tue 5p

Tue 7p

Tue 7p

Tue 7p

I just checked on him (Tue 11pm) and the hives in that above picture are almost gone.  We'll see what Wednesday holds.

 

I give major props to single moms.  Hard job!!!!

 

 

I thought this quote from an article was interesting.  I'm positive Ethan had Amoxicillin the last time he had an ear infection (18 months ago maybe??)

"The allergy develops when your immune system has become sensitive to penicillin. This means that the first time you take the drug your immune system detects it as a harmful substance and develops an antibody to the type of penicillin you took.

The next time you take the drug, these specific antibodies flag it and direct immune system attacks on the substance. Chemicals released by this activity cause the signs and symptoms associated with an allergic reaction." Source