Rash .... safe meds?

[Mom2Ava]

Hi all. Yesterday we went to the fair. As we were leaving we noticed that Ava had several red welts on her facing and began was itchy all over.
By the end of the night the welts looked like they were going away. While out today, the welts came back ... more than yesterday and she is itching all over agin ... itching areas where there is not rash.
Her eyes are quite bloodshot, pupils dilated again.
The rash looks almost like posin IVY, but I am not sure.
I am going to get her some meds. We cannot give any pf the ped meds because of he sugar so I will get some adult clariton & adult benedryl.
Anyone off hand know the dosage for a 31 pounder?
Anyone know if clarotn is as good as benedryl when it comes to rashes?
I want to avoid benedryl if possible as it makes her nutty .... and is also known to lower the sz threshold.

[LIZARD]

Hi all. Yesterday we went to the fair. As we were leaving we noticed that Ava had several red welts on her facing and began was itchy all over.
By the end of the night the welts looked like they were going away. While out today, the welts came back ... more than yesterday and she is itching all over agin ... itching areas where there is not rash.
Her eyes are quite bloodshot, pupils dilated again.
The rash looks almost like posin IVY, but I am not sure.
I am going to get her some meds. We cannot give any pf the ped meds because of he sugar so I will get some adult clariton & adult benedryl.
Anyone off hand know the dosage for a 31 pounder?
Anyone know if clarotn is as good as benedryl when it comes to rashes?
I want to avoid benedryl if possible as it makes her nutty .... and is also known to lower the sz threshold.

JEN!!!!!!!!!! CALL THE PHARMACY!!!!!!!!!!! KIDS should never take adult strength meds!!!!!!!!!!! I know the sugar is a concern, but adult med can do serious damage to a young child.

((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))), and good luck...

LIZARD

[daughterhasE]

Claritin might not work as well as Benedryl for hives since it is such a LOW dose antihistamine....but maybe if it is 10mg and she is 31 pounds... :confused: Our pede OKed regular adult Claritin for Joe and he is skinny--maybe about 45 pounds now. Adult strength Benedryl is scarier for her weight--but I would think dividing the dose in half is OK. I have done that for Soph. I find her weight strength listed on bottle and then cut the teaspoon amount in half. If it is hives, it will disappear. If it is poison ivy, it will not! lol.

Poison ivy is more blistery looking and smaller than hives, usually.. for some people it is purplish/dark, for me it is like groups of little blisters that eventually look fluid filled (clear fluid, not to be gross). It is massively itchy! Any way she caught it in the park or anywhere else she has been recently?

So sorry she is miserable. Tecnu is great for poison ivy as are oatmeal baths.

I hope it is hives, rather than poison ivy! The fact that it left and then came back sounds more like hives to me. Poison ivy is constant.

[Mom2Ava]

JEN!!!!!!!!!! CALL THE PHARMACY!!!!!!!!!!! KIDS should never take adult strength meds!!!!!!!!!!! I know the sugar is a concern, but adult med can do serious damage to a young child.
Liz,

I wasn't planning on giving the full dose. There is a chart on the back of the adult boxes of how much to give kids ... but kids under 6 it says ask the docs. We have before I just don't remember the dose.
Our epi's nurse has mentioned for us to get adult meds and just cut the dose.
Dont' worry ... I would never give a child an adult size dose of any meds.... especially benedryl ( I am not a fan of benedryl)

[Mom2Ava]

Yeah ... you are probably right Lori about the poison IVY. It started out looking like a few red welts ... same today when it came back, but tonight it is looking more rashy and the welts are smaller but not blistery.

As for the benedryl & clariton ... I bought both. The dose for the clariton is 5mg. I have 10mg tabs so I will cut them in half if we need one. Benedryl is 12.5

[shanunlee]

You should still check with a pharmacist, but....

Benadryl- 5mg/kg/day with a max of 37.5 mg/day for ages 2-6.

1kg=2.2 lbs.

Hives are evil. I have had them all my life and had TWO systemic reactions last night. SIGH Poor Ava.

I have had hives that just make my feet and hands itch and swell up.
I have had hives that makes my skin break out in little red spots like you describe.
I have had hives that makes me break out in big, white whelps.
I have had hives (like last night) that cannot be seen. I searched all over for them and couln't find them, but there was no doubt in my mind what was going on. My throat was starting to swell!!!

Are you sure you are supposed to give it at all though? Julia's neuro said NO antihistamines.

Also, try and ice pack directly on the rash. Trying to keep her calm will help too. Good luck with that.

Please, please, please keep us updated. *heart

[LIZARD]

Liz,

I wasn't planning on giving the full dose. There is a chart on the back of the adult boxes of how much to give kids ... but kids under 6 it says ask the docs. We have before I just don't remember the dose.
Our epi's nurse has mentioned for us to get adult meds and just cut the dose.
Dont' worry ... I would never give a child an adult size dose of any meds.... especially benedryl ( I am not a fan of benedryl)

I'm glad to know that. :o I still would be scared to death to give it to her, based on everything you said here. Rash? Dilated eyes?? Sounds like a serious allergic reaction to me. I'd be running to an ER, considering all her issues. I still think talking to the pharm about it is the best idea. The dose is listed for 6 yo, not 3, and with her neuro concerns, I just wouldn't trust it..,but that may just be me.

Good luck!

LIZARD :)

[Mom2Ava]

Ava is prone to rashes. This one is mild compared to what she has had in the past. Both DH and I have had anphylactic reactions before ... this was not going on with Ava. The dilated pupils had been going before the rash started. We also have her hooked up to an oximeter & HR monitor. The o2 & HR are both fine.

As far as running tp the ER ...You may not if you have ever been to ours :)

The only reason I even considered going out to get something tonight because at our appt w/ epi a couple of weeks ago I showed her a pic of Ava's reaction to bug bites. She suggested benadryl but said clariton was ok too. She recommended we see an allergist/immunologist as well ... course that was the doc that cancelled Ava's appt for next week.

As far as anithistamines and sz, it is the 1st gen antihistamines I believe lower th e sz threshold. Benadryl and the older ones. What our epi at childrens had to say about benadryl was that he believed it were ok for allergic reactions ... but that was it. He didn't say, but seemed to insinuate he did not like benadryl being used for other issues. I don't like benadryl for Ava because it makes her nutty ... I have a bad reaction to it as well. It is not surprising to me that it triggers seizures in some. If Ava had a serious reaction ... I would give benadryl and risk seizure.

[nick's mom]

how is she doing today jen? did the rash go away? do you think it's poison ivy or something else? i sure hope she's feeling much better today and the rash has cleared up. our ped said benedryl if nick has another reaction to foods and even told me he could take a double adult dose!! i was shocked but he's about 100 pounds. praying for a wonderful day for ava.

[Mom2Ava]

Rash is gone today ... the more I thought about it ... the more I realized the rash was probably from the sun. It was pretty intense this past weekend.
Crazy weather!

[nick's mom]

yeah, i heard you guys were having hot weather too! it's october!! time for cooling down. glad the rash is gone. i hope she has a great day!!

[LIZARD]

As far as anithistamines and sz, it is the 1st gen antihistamines I believe lower th e sz threshold. Benadryl and the older ones. What our epi at childrens had to say about benadryl was that he believed it were ok for allergic reactions ... but that was it.

Hmm...:confused: This is interesting to me. It might be because of my low dose of phenobarb, but I have no prob with Benadryl.

I hope I didn't upset you. ;) I just knew she's only 3, and being that small and young with all those things to contend with...it just sounded scary when you saud you were going to give her the adult med. I knew about the doses for kids, but my instinct was to call the pharm and ask what other options there were. I'm so gla to hear she's getting better! :)

(((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))),

LIZARD, who was given adult-strength aspirin for headaches as a 6 yo! :eek:

[Mom2Ava]

I hope I didn't upset you.No ... not at all! I always appreciate your input. And after my meeting w/ Dr Naz next week ... I am sure I will be looking for more of your input ( chiari stuff & AD stuff)

I seldom give Ava meds at all ... but the antihistamines have been on my mind from our appt w/ epi .... and we have been trying to sched an appt with an allergist for the past week.

In general, I cringe at thought of giving a small child benadryl ... mostly because of what it does to me, but also because there have been so many deaths of toddlers from benadryl ODs ...

About the antihistamines and sz thresold ... have you read the info on epilepsy.com? I also have a link to an allergy forum where allergists talk about the older antihistamines & sz.
And also .... don't know if you have RLS or not, but benadryl is not recommended if you have this either.

[LIZARD]

((((((((((Jen))))))))))). :)

Thanks, hon'. I'm relieved to hear Ava is beter today, too! :)

I haven't read the site for awhile. Interesting RLS info. I don't have it, but I have noticed when I'm settling down for the night that I get an occasional pins and needles sensationon my right upper leg. It's only been over the past few months or so and may be a thyroid thing. (I was dx'ed hypothyroid in August. :rolleyes: )

LIZARD :)