DD2 was given a new hoodie to wear at one of her clubs. Within half an hour she was covered in blotches and itching. I figured it was the hoodie, as she had previously not had any allergies and nothing else was different. We took the hoodie off, washed her skin and I took her straight to a chemist for piriton. However, by the time we got home, half an hour later she was bright red all over. We put her in the shower and she started screaming, saying it hurt and felt like there were chillis up her nose and in her ears. Suddenly she started saying her throat was closing up and she couldn't breathe properly.
We took her straight to A&E and they were brilliant, got her sorted out very quickly. It was very scary though, for us and DD. she was on antihistamines and steroids for a few days and they just said maybe it was a one off but if it happened again they would look into what she might be allergic to.
Anyway, she has been fine and I didn't really think any more about it until one day this week when I got a call from school saying she was itching with a rash and could they give her some piriton. It turned out they had asked her to try on a sports skirt which had just been delivered. She had tried it on over her tights and it hadn't come into contact with her body.She had it on for less than 30 seconds.but she had obviously touched it with her hands.
Thankfully the reaction didn't develop into anything more than the itchiness/blotches this time. Probably the limited contact and speed of hand washing and giving of piriton. But I am worried now. Obviously I can make sure every new item is washed but if she has a reaction to something just by touching it I need to make sure she doesn't come into contact with whatever it is that she is allergic to. They are going on a residential school trip soon and are given a sweatshirt designed by the school while they are there ( she didn't have a reaction to last years) and I have asked them to make sure hers is washed but I can't expect them to wash all of them, so they will have to keep hers separate.
What I would like to know is, has anyone had experience of this type? How do I find out what the allergy is, I have read up on allergies like this and it seems it could be anything from formaldehyde to flame retardants, anti- crease or any number of chemicals, even black dye. Should I go to the doctors with DD to ask them to look into it even though the second reaction was much less severe? The first one was so sudden and frightening, I would hate for that to happen to her again. How do I stop her being exposed to something when I don't even know what it is? Will they take me seriously or will they just think IABU to take a fit healthy child to the doctors? Thanks.