When my oldest son was a young boy he had his first battle with a yellow jacket and didn’t tell anyone. Later that afternoon we were grocery shopping and I glanced down at his arm and it was almost double in size! In panic, I called his pediatrician. They told me to go to the medicine isle and get him a liquid allergy reliever and give him a doseage immediately. I was in such panic that I gave him his first dose right there on the isle and continued to talk to the pediatrician while we walked to the front of the store to pay.
After an hour, there was no change. I called the pediatrician back again and they said to give him a half dosage and to call them again in thirty minutes. Thirty minutes later the swelling started to go away and I was left with a confused feeling that stayed with me since. “How did I not know to give him liquid allergy medicine? Why is this not in a parenting book somewhere? How did I miss that?”
I had no idea that eight years later I would be remembering the lessons I learned that day in a bigger way…
Last weekend our extended family held a birthday party at my in-laws’ home. Their backyard is known for having creatures of all kinds making an appearance. Previous visitors included alligators or snakes not even known to exist in our great state. This past weekend’s visitors were of the flying and pesky kind – yellow flies and all of their buzzy friends.
We prepared for our afternoon by making natural pest control remedies, plugging in several outdoor fans, and applying repellant to… everyone. Everyone, including the youngest guest, my twenty month-old daughter.
After a quick swim in the pool she joined me inside of the house as a very cranky little girl. We had assumed it was her nap time and the pool had made her tired, but as we changed her clothing we realized there was much more going on.
She was covered in red blotches. Under her arms, on her back, her legs, behind the knees, on her feet, her scalp, and behind the neck. Her ears were tomato red and one of her eyes was beginning to swell…
I tried to stay calm, as I had experienced something similar, (okay, maybe not as severe), with her older brother. My husband was in panic…
The day before I had received, what I now call, my angel package. It was a package of allergy products for families from Hyland’s. We didn’t have a need for any of the products at the time but I read the information and put the packages away in our medicine cabinet for when the time arrived. Unknowingly preparing myself for the following day.
As my husband went into a panic, I grabbed the Hyland’s 4 Kids Allergy Relief and quickly gave her a dosage. I tossed the package in my diaper bag and put my daughter in the car for our thirty minute drive to the nearest hospital.
A thirty minute drive with your screaming toddler in the back seat, who is so upset that she is crying herself to sleep, as another family member does everything they can to keep her awake, seems like the longest car ride ever!.
With my flashers on, running eighty miles an hour on the interstate, I passed two, TWO, State Patrol Officers who didn’t give me a second glance… “Why is it when you want them to notice you, the don’t? Ugh”
As soon as we reached midway my sister-in-law called the emergency room and explained the situation. At this point, we had been watching baby girl take deep breaths for the entire ride. Not knowing if she was struggling to breathe or too upset to control her breathing. Even as she struggled to stay awake, her chest bounced heavily…. this mommy was nearing panic with every breath she took.
Fifteen minutes later, we arrive, take our naked baby out of the car, and she is wide awake. We arrive at the front desk still a little panicked as my daughter starts to talk and ask the nurse questions…
“What just happened? I promise this child was not happy ten minutes ago”
We inspect her body and much of the rash that had been covering her was gone. She still had remnants of her rash on the back of her neck and legs. Her ears were no longer red, her eye was slightly less swollen, and she was no longer screaming.
Two hours and a dosage of Prednisone later, her symptoms were 99% gone!
I have no idea how severe her reaction would have been without having given her a dosage of Hyland’s, I honestly hope I never find out. If it weren’t for my oldest son’s yellow jacket sting when he was young, I wouldn’t have known where to begin. Every family needs to keep a liquid allergy reliever in their medicine cabinet and first-aid kit. Your child, who has never had an allergic reaction in their life, may encounter something they have never encountered before. Stopping the reaction as quickly as possible can mean the difference between a little reaction and a serious one.
Do You Know What Caused Her Reaction?
We are not certain, but are suspicious of fire ants and yellow flies. The hospital located one yellow fly bite that did not contain any swelling; only a small, red, bite/sting mark. Since returning home we noticed ten, or more, fire ant bites on her feet. Fire ants are listed as a top five insect to cause an anaphylaxis reaction.
Why Didn’t You Use an Epi Kit?
Epi Kiits (epinephrine injection kits) require a prescription and are provided to those who have a history of allergic reactions. Because this was her first experience with a severe allergic reaction to an insect sting/bite, we didn’t have one available to us. We have since consulted with an allergist and was provided with an EpiPen Jr…. now I just have to figure out how to use it.
What is Anaphylaxis?
Most people relate Anaphylaxis with a closed airway and swollen tongue. While this can occur, this is not a requirement for a situation to be considered anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is when the allergic reaction effects the whole body. The symptoms can include the following:
- Swelling of the face, eyes, or tongue
- Skin redness
- Hives, itchiness
- Nasal congestion
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds
- Wheezing
- Slurred speech
- Anxiety
- Chest discomfort or tightness
- Palpitations
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Nausea or vomiting
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Unconsciousness
Our baby girl had the symptoms we could see (they appear in bold above). I have no idea if she had any additional symptoms – if she did, they were gone by the time we arrived for medical treatment.
It is my understanding that you are NOT to administer oral treatment, of any kind, if the person is experiencing difficulty swallowing.
If you are concerned that your child could have an anaphylaxis experience, please consult with your pediatrician regarding your concerns.