oh my god my child is swelling!

[Boco]

dd2 woke covered in a rash today, which was confirmed as a reaction to penicillin this morning at the doctors.

Throughout the day it's been getting worse, her whole body is now covered in freaky pink and white swellings. It seemed to be getting better a couple of hours ago, then suddenly her face ballooned and her lips swelled up.

Just did a mad dash to the out of hours doctor and got steroids - he said her throat isn't swelling and chest is clear, and steroids should make it go down, but to go to hospital if anything changes.

She looks so bizarre - no way i'll be getting much sleep tonight!

Anyone elses dcs had this? Do the steroids work quickly? Can i stop following her around staring at her and shrieking with horror?

Was an antihistimine recommended at all?

Take her straight to A&E She may be going into delayed anaphylactic shock!!

oh blimey Boco

No advice but good luck and a bump for you

How does she feel? I gather from your profile that she is 2 so maybe she can't say. How is she behaving? If she seems happy, I wouldn't worry.

I am allergic to penicillin. I did not react to it until I was 18 and I don't remember swelling, to be fair, but I did have the rash. But, though I looked awful, I felt fine... That is all I can think of to say to you.

Boco .. poor you

I believe steroids act quite quickly so if no change within the hour I'd probably go to A&E

if her breathing even starts to change I'd take her .. or if the swelling reaches her mouth

Yes been giving her piriton all day but it's been getting worse.

Doctor said that its an anaphylactic reaction but that the steroids should hopefully stop her throat swelling. When i saw him this morning and she just had the rash on her body he said 'you only really need to worry if her lips swell, but that won't happen' - so when her lips started swelling i went into headless chicken panic. Got to emergency dr really quickly and she's had 3 prednisolone tablets so hopefully that'll make it better. Just anxious about her throat swelling.

It may be a reaction to the Steroids, My dd's are anaphylactic and I would say It sounds pretty familiar to an anaphylactic shock. I'd take her to A&E to be monitored as it has reached her face and lips!

God Boco! You should be in hospital having her monitored!! Bloody GP!

Hills the steroids are to stop the anaphylaxis, which it looks like are caused by the penicillin she had for a chest infection - she's never had antibiotics before so it must be that.

You're right though, if the steroids dont work and it keeps swelling we'll go to a@e

Are you near a hospital? Personally I'd take her now. I know you have seen the gp but it is a matter of life and death with anaphylaxis, my dd has an estimated span of 6 minutes now!

do you know something .. I really think I would consider just plonking myself in A&E anyway .. ok she'll most probably be fine but I think I'd prefer to be near medics and drugs in case it does get worse quickly

I am not saying this to worry you .. but the stress you're under must be immense at the moment

x post with Hilllary but agree with her

She will need to wear a medi allert bracelet in future - just in case.

oh no really?

I must admit when we just took her to the gp i was really surprised he didn't send us to hospital, it was happening so fast. We live 25 miles from hospital so it is a long way. If she had any breathing problems or mouth swellings i'd call an ambulance. My step dad is also a paramedic and at work now, so i'll call him if there's any change.

Waaahhh, its really scary!

Well 25 miles is a long way and tbh your chances would not look good - sorry to be blunt but thats anaphylaxis for you. My consultant told me not to bother calling an ambulance as it had to do the journey to me and back which would take too long, a man on a bike yes would be quicker but seriously its her first attack so you dont know how she will react, some anaphlactic shocks are delayed up to 8 hours and happen gradually, they get quicker and qicker and more severe each time. An epipen would be the only thing to save her life in a full attack.

If your gp has one then great but she should really be monitored, her bp, heart rate etc until she is better as standard.

That's awful Hills. The gp did say she must never have penicillin again as the reaction would be too severe.

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gewt yourself and her to a hospital NOW! i would not be happy with this at all.

when dd1 eye swelled shut and ehr eyeball bubbled due to the pressure, she was given anti histimines and monitored for four hours, untill they were happy the swelling was subsiding.

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Swollen face and lips - I would go to A&E.

Defo go to A&E. Really really not worth the risk