Welts on Leg - Cinnamon? (LONG) - Updated With Photos

[Mom to M&M]

So we celebrate Hanukkah but my sister celebrates Xmas so we were this last night for dinner. Anyway, DD had a great time playing with her cousins and my sister made a great dinner. But at dessert, DD has half of a Christmas cookie made by a friend of the family (who wasn't there and is a great baker but has never had kids and doesn't know how to cook kid friendly). It looked like a typical xmas cookie - hers was shaped like a star with sprinkles and all. Well that was around 7:15.

We left there around 8:10 and got home a little after 9. DD wanted to sit on the potty before bed and I noticed a small hive on her thigh but nothing too much. She went to bed but at 9:45 was still awake and calling for a clean diaper. Her diaper was dry so we let her sit on the potty again and then noticed WELTS and BIG hives up and down her thighs and calves and on her tushy. They didn't seem to bother her at all though. Gave her a dose of Benadryl and she fell asleep a bit after 10. I checked on her shortly thereafter and the hives looked the same (but no worse). Then we checked her again at 10:45 and it seemed a bit better.

This morning she woke at 7:30 and had peed through her diaper and pajamas and onto her crib (very unlike her) and the welts still look about the same plus there is one area on her upper left arm I hadn't noticed. Still dont' seem to bother her at all and her mood is ok but tired. Plan to call the doctor when he gets in later today.

I called my sister and she said my niece's face also looked a bit welty but nothing much. Neither she nor I had one of the cookies ourselves but my sister thought it was likely there was cinnamon in there (apparently one of the top 10 allergens) and possibly some sort of nutmeg or almond oil or something. I'm guessing maybe the cinnamon since she hasn't had that before?

Should I do anything else? Give more Benadryl? Just wait? You'd think I should know about this being former allergy mod but sadly, I don't... I can post a picture if it would help later.

[Zoey]

Hi hun.  I would call the pedi to let them know this happened.  Chances are they are going to just have you monitor her and give benadryl.

Owen just had his first allergic reaction last week - to an antibiotic and it looked EXACTLY like this.  We were told not first, not panic .  Second, to give benadryl every 4h regardless of itching or presence of hives, for 48h.  Third offer an Aveeno bath if he seemed to have break through itching.

I don't think it itched all that much.  But it certainly looked horrid.  They told us that he could continue to have hives for up to 14 days, even though we obviously were not giving him the offending antibiotic anymore. 

Naturally monitor her, if she gets more hives, has difficulty breathing, blue around her lips, swelling/hives on her face - I'd call for an ambulance.  However, I doubt any of that will happen.  It does take some time for the offending substance to leave the body, and then for the body to calm down and stop pumping histamine like crazy.

Hope this helps some.

PS she could be sleepy and have peed through her stuff last night because of the benadryl... it makes Owen super groggy - perhaps her too.

[Mom to M&M]

Hi Zoey!!!! Thanks as always hun. How long did Owen's hives/welts last for?

They don't seem to itch or bother her at all and definitely nothing around the face so far but they look even worse in person than in those pictures. I haven't given her Benadryl since last night at 9:45-10pm. I was waiting to talk to the doctor but they don't get in until 11:30 today (it's 10:20 here now). I wish I knew what caused it - should we ask for allergy testing so we don't give it again?

How are you and Owen otherwise? Happy holidays!

[Shdef]

We were told to give antihistamines, too (citirizine). Jenn has had a few of them, some not as bad, some much worse. Her hives look like this as well, they do tend to get itchy.

It is also very important to find out what she is allergic to, so insist on allergy tests.

Hugs

Steffi

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks Steffi. They are starting to itch her a bit here and there I think but not too bad. Is it odd that her legs are so covered but then just one spot on her arm and nowhere else?

[Shdef]

No I don't think that's odd... Jenn gets hers on her chest and back of the neck and eyelids... they are all different 

[Lissybits]

Wow! The welts look EXACTLY like what Nicholas has now all over his body. He woke up with swollen lips  this morning and just had 3 or 4 welts but now (12 hrs later ) they are all over his body and he has been itching them like mad. His feet swelled too!
We gave him a cortisone tablet and he is MUCH better.
We're not sure what the cause is although I know it's not cinnamon since I put that on roast potatoes all the time! I'm guessing it was nuts either in the turkey stuffing or in a Christmas biscuit.
Although our Dr seems to think it's related to some plastic play food he got for Christmas since he was putting them in his mouth all day yesterday 
I too would like to know how long before the welts go.
How's DD doing now?
Lis x

[Mom to M&M]

Talked to the doctor about half an hour ago. Like you guys said, he said to give Benadryl 3 times a day (so abotu every 6-8 hours depending if awake) and that it could take some time to go away. He was pretty sure it was from cookie and to get an ingredient list and he's also going to do a full panel allergy test either later this week or next and compare against that. In the meantime, I just put her in for a nap (she had Benadryl at 12 and then lunch) and they are starting to look a little better definitely so we'll see. Wonder exactly what caused it... about to call my mom's friend (who made the cookies) and try to get full ingredient list. Thanks again everyone.

[Mom to M&M]

Is it weird that her legs are getting better (still some hives but less and welts definitely down) but now there are some more hives on her arms?

[Shdef]

Jennifer got cortisone and antihistamine orally and applied as well... She also got jabs when it was really bad, made it go away right away.

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks Steffi. I have another call into the doctor and hopefully he calls back soon. But is it normal that one are seems to be improving at least some (her legs) but another (her arms) seems to be getting worse? Is that just happens as it travels through the blood stream?

[Shdef]

You know, this happened to Jenn, too but we still don't know what she is allergic too, so it's hard to say if she was the same.

But I'd call the doctor because a severe allergic reaction can also affect the thoat.

What have you given her?

[Zoey]

I think it is absolutely normal that they are getting better in some places and not in others.  They tend to disappears and reappear in a different place.  Owen's lasted about... 6 days   But like I said, he didn't seem at all bothered by them.  He just looked awful. 

I think it's good that they are going to test her.  Was she wearing any new clothing, lotion, soap - anything else that it could have been?  I'm sure not, but just thinking aloud. 

Oh also, O's seemed to appeared bigger and redder where anything touched his body.  Also his elbows, and knees, wrists, knuckles all swelled and got red and hot (this made me very nervous, but they said it's part it the allergic reaction and not to worry as long as he wasn't stiff).  So maybe letting her be in a diaper/panties. 

Hang in there.  I'd call just so they can put your mind at ease sweetie.  It is scary! 

[andibig]

Sasha had that after she had a prawn (my fault ).and hers came up really quickly and were really itchy poor thing.hers came and went over the next 24 hrs.
NHS direct told us to give her piriton and just keep an eye out for any swelling around her mouth etc and we also used some camomile lotion to help with the itchness.
Hope Marissa feels better soon

[Zoey]

This may help a little: Hives


"Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. They range in size from a few millimeters to several inches in diameter. Hives can be round, or they can form rings or large patches. Wheals (welts), red lesions with a red "flare" at the borders, are one manifestation of hives. Hives can occur anywhere on the body, such as the trunk, arms, and legs.

One hallmark of hives is their tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours. An outbreak that looks impressive, even alarming, first thing in the morning can be completely gone by noon, only to be back in full force later in the day. Very few, if any other skin diseases occur and then resolve so rapidly. Therefore, even if you have no evidence of hives to show the doctor when you get to the office for examination, he or she can often establish the diagnosis based upon the history of your symptoms. Sometimes it is helpful to bring along a photograph of what your rash looked like at its worst."