how bad is face swelling up? help me make sense of this reaction please!!

[globalmouse]

Just asking for advice about this reaction... Ds (4yo) been allergic to egg since about a year old, when he had some egg and got hives around his mouth almost instantly. He has grown out of many other allergies since, but the egg was 'borderline' on his skin prick tests. So I asked the doctor if he think he could tolerate well cooked egg, and he said we could try a food trial, offered to do it in hospital (I declined), and gave me info about how to do it.
So, we start off very very slowly, a tiny bit of fairy cake, an eye kept on him, gradually larger quantities given. All is great!!! Over the space of about 4 weeks he was eating jaffa cakes, yorkshire puddings, croissants, lots of things containing well-cooked egg!!! Once, he had a puffy eye, as if he had hayfever, about 3 hours after he had a yorkshire pudding - I thought it was hayfever and gave some piriton, but thought nothing of it. Now I see it was the first warning.

Anyway, he had a fever and the only thing he wanted to eat was pancake, which he had eaten before over the course of a month or so. So he had some pancake and ate about half of it.

About 3 hours later, he wakes up after a bad dream. Still poorly with a fever. I notice a couple of white spots on his eyelids, but think nothing of it. Settle him, go downstairs. He calls me 5 mins later, his eyes are puffy. He has piriton, but then I see his face swelling in front of my eyes!! The most heart-stopping thing I have ever seen. I panic and call the ambulance. Cue all night in hospital. His whole face swells, but not his airways - poor thing looks like he has been in a fight :( They give him some adrenaline on a nebuliser (low dose apparently), and steroids.

So, his allergist reckons it was because he was poorly. he can still eat well-cooked egg, but I am terrified to give it to him.

How bad was this reaction on the scale of allergic reactions? Do you think reactions become more severe over time? What is particulalry worrying is the delayed reaction -anyone have experience of this?? Would you personally try him on well-cooked egg??

I am not fussed about him avoiding egg as I can keep an eye on his food and give him a packed lunch etc for school. He is always with a trusted adult. But he has been invited to my ex-mil's wedding and she wants his dad to sit on her table and ds to sit with his gf on another table for the meal. If there is ANY chance of another reaction, I am not happy with this.

[purepurple]

I don't have any children with allergies but I do work with children and have some experience of caring for children with allergies.
I understand that allergies do get worse the more the child is exposed to an allergen.
While, I would respect the advice of the professional, I would be wary about taking a risk and possibly having a worse reaction if he did have egg.
It is not that hard to avoid egg, as long as all the adults are aware of the need to.
As for the wedding, I would insist that he sat next to his dad and that all the adults are aware of the allergy.
Hopefully, somebody with some proper advice will be along soon.

[OnEdge]

Why did you refuse the chance to do this in the hospital where he would be monitored by experienced professionals ?

[thighslapper]

Sorry not read whole post because i am alarmed at the title...

If his face has puffed up, you cannot in all honesty say that his airways will not be affected....even if it was not affected on previous occasions, you cannot say that it will not be affected on future occasions.

I would be VERY worried about this and would be seeking medical advice....in hospital where they have emergency airway equipment.

The airway can be affected in AN INSTANT, litterally seconds, so for this reason you need him to be in a safe place.

[thighslapper]

ok now have plowed through your first post.

You do sound really sensible and you know what you are talking about.
Its very difficult as you want them to enjoy all foods and i think that you are really brave trying him on different stuff, but good on you.

I still think that this is a severe reaction to something, something like a bit of a rash is scary enough but to have a whole face swell up before your eyes is just terrifying i am sure.
Can you go back tot he allergy people? Do they keep an eye or do they leave you to it?

[differentnameforthis]

My latex allergy started as a rash, progressed to eye swelling (almost shut), then cracked lips, finally to a tingling sensation in my tongue & wheezyness.

I wouldn't give him any of what you think may have caused this reaction & I would get a second opinion.

And make sure everyone knows about his reaction .

[pinkorkid]

Just checking, have you been prescribed epipens for your ds?

[globalmouse]

thanks for your replies
Sorry if the title is alarming! I didnt think it would sound as if it was happening right now!!

You see, the confusing thing is how calm they all were at hospital. The paramedic was telling me he reacts like this to cats, and didn't seem in any particular hurry. I was in total panic, so perhaps he was trying to keep me calm.
The doctor said, oh its not that bad, but then again, was he trying to keep me calm??? Seemed horrific to me.

I refused the chance to do it at hospital as I guess we had done a similar thing before with sesame, and I honestly had no idea that this would happen. I kind of expected any reaction to be a very mild reaction. I learned my lesson :( Mind you, he would have sailed through a food challenge in the hospital, as he was tolerating egg in things for weeks before this happened.

Hmm, having trouble with the wedding. Unfortunately, though his dad says he will insist upon sitting with him, I can't really believe anything he says :( He was there in the aftermath though, and I think it scared him, so hopefully he will take it seriously. I will email my ex-mil and let her know the seriousness of the situation in case his dad hasn't. Maybe I will get him a badge that says 'I have severe food allergies. Please DO NOT FEED me.' Ds won't mind I am sure, not if I make it really special. He is already quite sensible, and asks adults to check ingredients, but I am sure he wouldn't ask his dads gf, yet I do not 100% trust she knows to check. This is so difficult :(

Maybe I'll make another appointment at the allergists. He has been treating him since he was 1, so I trust his opinion. Maybe another egg food challenge in the hospital is needed.

We do have an epipen for him.

[tinytalker]

Hi globalmouse, I have allergy alert badges,stickers etc for sale if you want to PM me I can give you the site address.
I would say better to be safe than sorry. My dd starts a reaction with rapid facial swelling, then hives and blocking of the nasal passages and then weeziness/tightness in chest!!