So about a month ago my little J woke up with a very strange rash on his torso. I found it strange so I took him to the pediatrician. The doctor & nurse practitioner on call that day told me it was a skin rash in reaction to a virus J was fighting. I gave him benedryl that night and he was fine the next day. We had gone to a public pool at a friend’s apartment complex the day before so we figured he caught something there. About two weeks later he woke up again with the same rash. Although this time it looked worse. As I sat in the doctor’s office I could see it spreading all throughout his body and I began to worry. The doctor on call told me he was probably still fighting the same virus. He prescribed me a steroidand benedryl because it was obviously worse this time. The steroid helped a tiny bit but not enough. The next day my poor J was about 70% covered in that red, hot, raised “rash”. His eyes were so swollen, he was unrecognizable. So I rushed to the doctor’s office first thing without and appointment. Everyone in the office that saw him cringed and would grab their children to stay away from him. The worst thing was that he was acting pretty normal and wanted to talk and play with the other children. My poor little man was being treated like a leaper. Believe me I don’t blame the other parents for reacting the way they did. If the rolls would have been reversed I would have done the same. This doctor’s visit we got to see J’s regular doctor, Dr. E. I was so relieved. By the time we got into the room about 85% of his boys was covered. It was so scary. Dr. E informed me that it was not a rash but hives. HIVES! Hives. I was speechless. He doubled the steroid, benedryl, and added and a second antihistamine to help the itch. He also told me to bath him in oatmeal. J was acting fine but the nights were miserable. He was itching like crazy. And with all the medication he was taking the hives would only ameliorate for about and hour a day. Dr.E sent us to see an allergist immediately. An allergist. Allergies. I strictly brestfed J for 5 months. I was shocked and scared.

Obviously, my parents and Dr. Baby Maker’s (so annoyed with the nickname) parent’s were all unbelievably concerned. It was a non-stop barrage of questions from EVERYONE that knew about the hives or saw him. What did you feed him? What plant did he touch? Do you think he is allergic to milk, eggs, wheat, soy? Does he wear tight pajamas to sleep? Has he been in the pool much? Absolutely everything you can imagine. Not only my husband and I were going crazy thinking all the same things and worse. Everytime we would go to feed him we would read all the ingredients and think twice about giving him anything. We switched him to soy milk and cute out all dairy. We did not go outside. We did not let him go near the pool (which he loves). It was awful. And worst of all, J loves food. All food, he will eat anything. He really enjoys eating. Everytime he tastes anything it is all “Ummmm”, “Yummyyummyyummy”. The poor thing lost weight during this whole dilemma.

The allergist was a very kind and gentle doctor. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything either. Since he had been on steroids all the allergy tests would come out invalid. We have to wait four more weeks. Talk about frustrating. Luckily both doctors told me not to worry and put him back on his old diet. They mentioned to be modest with his milk but otherwise to continue. They have still not ruled out if it was a virus or an allergy, we have yet to see.

This past week I have received a boatload of fantastic advice from moms with children with allergies, food and skin. Of all the advice one of my friends, LC, had some great concrete advice for kids with eczema that I felt I has to pay forward. Below please see all her tips, I hope they help someone. Also stay tuned for my next blog on allergies, rashes, and hives. I have a feeling I am about to learn a great deal on the subject.

LC’s eczema reducing tips:

I recently read that dust mites also have an effect on eczema. Here are the few steps that I took

1. Rugs: Took out all rugs in his room and main play areas

2. Stuffed animals : either took them out of his room, the few that I left, I washed in very hot water and wash them once a wk.

3. Bedding : covered his bed and pillow with a dust mite cover - can go to achooallergy.com (there’s an online coupon – google achooallergy online coupon – I think its 10% off. Either wash in very hot water or leave out in the sun for an afternoon.

4. Blanket and bed/ pillow sheets:Very hot water or direct sunlight kills dust mites.

Few other regiments that I keep to:

1. Clothing: keep him cool, all cotton clothing

2. Oatmeal in his bath :(I bought organic oatmeal (nonprocessed or unbleached) put in a tea diffuser and let it sit in the bath for a few mins before I put Sebastian in the bath. Feel that this softens up the water. I also do not bathe him every night, just rinse of his private areas, hand face and neck every night - and bath every other night.

3. Soap for bath : I either use nothing – just water, or Califonia baby wash – super sensitive wash. They just came out with a Calendula wash – which is on its way. Will let you know how it works out.

4. Lots of lotion : a friend told me about “vanicream” I just bought it, its on the way for delivery. I’ll let you know if it helps any. I currently use a Calendula based cream for the bad areas – it helps a bit, but you have to test it out on a small area – could sting a bit when you 1^st apply it. Rest of the body I use Eucerin lotion. I do keep a tube of 1/2% hydrocortison. But I use it very, very sparingly, only when there is a huge breakout to get it under control and then switch to non-steroid base lotions.