hives from new t-shirt - any ideas?

[greenbananas]

DS has food allergies but no chemical sensitivities as far as I know. I put a brand new t-shirt on him today (without washing it first ) and within a minute he had hives all over his chin and torso. I've dosed him up with antihistamine and he seems fine.

Does this sound familiar to anybody? What should I do about the t-shirts? They are just 100% cotton like most of his other stuff, so I'm guessing he reacted to a chemical that was on them. Is it okay to boilwash them and try again?

Sorry to ask so many questions - just hoping somebody can advise, because I've never seen him react like that to something that wasn't food before.

yup, DD had to have a treatment of steroid cream after wearing new but unwashed clothes.

i always wash them, in a normal cycle, before she wears them now, bit of a PITA but it's not happened since.

Thank you, Beaker - sorry to hear about your DD's steroid cream experience . I'm really glad to hear that washing new clothes has sorted this out for you. DS's new t-shirts are now in the washing machine...

I've done a bit of googling since my initial slight panic, and it seems fairly common to have a reaction to new clothes - it's just that I'd never come across this before. Perhaps it's because DS is such an 'allergic' child, but my first thought was that the t-shirt had somehow got impregnated with milk protein or nuts or something (completely irrational, I know!)

I am actually quite embarrassed about having posted this, because DS didn't have a serious reaction (no swelling or anything, just loads and loads of hives). Oh dear, it seems that I am actually quite a good example of how some paranoid mums interpret absolutely everything in terms of their DC's allergies . Anyway, thank you for your response

greenbananas

hey, don't beat yourself up, if your DCs have any reactions/allergies/intolerance it's always best to err on the side of caution.

hope your wee fella's ok

greenbananas Your allowed to worry - it goes with the territory. FWIW my DS has hives all over his back/ shoulders which seems to be from the sun - but not everytime he goes in it iyswim? Seems to be sun + something else. Coupled with the fact his voice is extremly hoarse atm I'm very aware.

My friend always says he fine but you, me and others here know how quickly fine can become not fine. And you know theres people here who understand.

It does sound like a chemical reaction - have you heard of the one from black dye (PP?) or something?

I think having an allergic child makes you super-sensitive to even the mildest reaction, rather than more chilled.

Last summer my sis and I took the boys to a fun run thing at the local sports club. Dnephew (no food allergies) had a cup of squash and 10 min later was covered in hives. They lasted for 30 min then faded. Sister was very ho-hum, look X has a rash. If that had been ds1 (various food allergies) I'd have been panicing and worrying about how he got contaminated, would have stuffed him with Piriton and shaken the rest of the day. I guess it's cause we know how bad it can get - I really envy my sister her 'innocence'.

Oh I love you all on here.

I really wish we would get people to understand that hives = worry for us, not just 'oh god whats he eaten/breathed/touched' but that and 'how bad will this get?'.

When will people understand its not precious mummy syndrome but genuine fear. (not always founded luckily and obviously - but genuine and necessary imo)

I spent the last few days on edge as DS got hives from sun?, eyes very black and slightly puffy and noisy breathing (but not obviously congested in the nose), and also a laryngitis type voice problem. Had the usual 'oh he's fine, stop fussing' comments. So I kept him in all day (until 2pm) today, voice much better. Off we go to supermarket today, past fields with all these fluffy things floating in the air - and his voice goes. . Nothing eh? Ringing GP tomorrow for advice. Kinda hope he tells me to stop worrying too.

BB Got a wet fish handy.

DS got dreadful eczema from a pack of brightly coloured vests from Primark when he was 6 months old. Washed them, and they were fine, but he has not had Primark clothes or coloured vests since. Eczema took about month to clear up, but he has been fine since.

DD1 is like this. No one I know has a child with anything like this so am glad we're not alone. She has chronic urticaria and is covered with hives every day so she has an adult dose of fexofenadine to take each morning. Occasionally it breaks through and we have to sit in a & e if it's on her face, while it goes down.
I stick to the same washing powder and softener and wash everything we buy first. She doesn't seem to have a trigger, it's just part of her life so we just keep an eye on her.
Hope you get sorted, we found the antihistamine syrups good when she was a bit younger.

He had the same about 4 weeks ago when tree pollen was rife. He does have suspected hayfever but its not grass pollen allergy. (negative RAST).

It would help if he had a temperature and felt ill - then I could blame a virus.

DS has been to A & E for cut open mouth and cut open head (separate incidents). You get the look then. You want to scream 'I didn't do it' You won't get that with allergies.

I think it's the 'dressing' that new clothes have on them. My son had hives once from new pjs. I now try and wash new clothes first :)

Bless you all... I don't know whether I'm reassured or just very, very sorry to know that I'm not the only one going through this with my DS.

I've washed the t-shirts, but have not dared to put them back on DS. I'll wait until his skin is better - he now has rotten eczema all over his face, chest and back, and even down his legs (such a shame, because his skin has been almost perfect for ages). Fortunately, it doesn't seem too itchy-scratchy, but he is generally cranky and unwell and hates having the cream applied. I am still so cross with myself... but we live and learn.

Thank you all so much for helping me to realise that I'm not just being freakish and over-protective when I worry about DS. This allergy board is a wonderful thing. Before I found all you other lovely mums, I felt like I was a complete loon for getting upset every time DS had a minor reaction.

(It would be lovely to be like your sister, Barbarianmum, and be able to say "ho hum, DS has a bit of a rash...")

These days I mostly just feel grateful that food allergies are so much easier to control than allergies to 'environmental factors' like pollen, heat/cold, dogs and dustmites etc. It has really helped me to put things in perspective.

heliumballoons, how worrying for you not to know what your DS is reacting to I do so hope you get to the bottom of this soon!!!

greenbananas Sorry to hear about your DS exzema. Hope he feels better soon.

I am lucky in that I know (iyswim) that DS won't have an analphylatic reaction on contact to food, he is at risk but I think its lower.

Whats interesting is DS has had new t-shirts and he was wearing those on the days he had the hives reaction. He had taken them off when the reaction occurred which is why I thought sun/heat? but I'm wondering whether the t-shirts aggravated his skin first. . Think I'll wash new clothes first too - jut in case.

Don't be cross with yourself - you care and are willing to come on here and talk about your fears/ concerns. I bet your DS is grateful for all you have done re farm visit and the freedom you give him (chicken run). And no-one here will think your a loon.