I picked up my girls after school yesterday. As usual SweetGirl came bouncing out still full of energy and smiling. How does she do that? BlueEyes followed behind and I knew immediately, something was wrong. Her face, normally a healthy pink, was white and covered in spots? WTH?
I pulled her to the side of the school yard and began a head to toe Mama style inspection..
Does it itch? Do you feel sick? Does she have a temperature? Huh. No to all of these. What I did discover? My 11 year old daughter was covered in hives from the top of her forehead down to the bottom of her neck and on her hands! I remained calm, on the outside, while a silent stream of profanity rang through my head. Had there not been one teacher, one staff member, one volunteer who had so much as glanced at my daughter all day today! How had no one noticed this gorgeous girl was covered in some kind of bright red mystery rash?
Grabbed my girlfriend, who is also thankfully a nurse, and we quietly and calmly drilled BlueEyes about her general state of health, and any extra snacks her friends may have given her at school. Nadda. Nothing new, so what was this rash? If not hives from some kind of allergic reaction, possibly roseola? Time to call in the big guns. (Um yes, I am a tad overprotective, it’s how I roll)
I sent BlueEyes to the car and walked behind her, stealthily calling the Paediatrician as I went. Seriously, what did people do before cell phones. I love my blackberry. Anyway, thankfully Doctor Accommodating could see me. Now.
The verdict. Allergic reaction. To the nickel near the mouthpiece on her water bottle! Well gee. The only thing my dear girl has ever shown any kind of reaction too is nickel/metal. She used to get little rings on her tummy where her newborn skin touched the snaps on her onsies. Yeah, so I’ve only known about this allergy since she was about a week old. More recently, cute little cami’s must be worn tucked into her jeans to protect her skin from the metal parts of zippers and buttons. She is that sensitive. So why did it never occur to me that this is a child who should never drink from a no-name water bottle with pretty little nickel bits near the mouth piece? Der cause I’m an idiot.
How would a kid who LOVES her new water bottle so much that she filled it up 3 times that day NOT have a reaction. Sigh.
A quick dose of Benadryl and we were on our way. My dear daughter survived yet another Mama brain fart.
Eleven years down and how many to go? Wish us luck.
and nobody noticed!? are you right? Did no one look at her? Poor girl!
Wow! How would you have known there was nickel in the water bottle? Don’t beat yourself up! I would be beating up a teacher..for not sending her to the school nurse or calling you.
Wow, I thought I was allergic to nickel– I only get spot rashes, never all over hives. Poor thing, I am cringing for her.
A good mama might not know every problem, but she does fix it right away. You’re a great mama!
I’m glad everything turned out okay and she is going to be fine.
I’m a little neurotic, too, so I completely understand. It’s all part of being a mom. So is some of the forgetful stuff. We’re only human. Don’t beat yourself up. 🙂
Happy Wednesday!
Sorry about this… I am shocked not one teacher or anyone picked up on this… It is crazy really just how much stuff has nickle. My mother-in-law was allergic too, vitamins, earrings, lots of stuff.
Don’t feel guilty about it. Who would have thought there was nickel in a water bottle. Just take it as an eye opener, and tomorrow’s another day.
I can’t believe no one noticed this.
I would have not thought of the water bottle as well…and LoLo has had a nickel allergy since she was a baby too!
Awww modern mom don’t be so hard on yourself! When I was your daughters age I too had an alergic reaction to medication. My mom could not figure out what was wrong with me when clearly the only thing that I was on for about a week was a new medication. Sick kids Hospital asnwered that for her but ! I understand and love her even though my head was the size of a beach ball and I was swollen in hives from head to toe!… You are a great momma and there are always going to be momma brain farts, coming from a daughter thats 22 and still sees them 🙂 Have a good day, you deserve it!
totally would have been outright engraged with the teachers not having said anything to you.
CBG
canadianbloggergirl.blogspot.com
What a good doctor that he figured that out and so quick!
WoW! That is wild! Glad everything ended so well!
It is hard to believe that her teacher didn’t send her to the nurse. She is really allergic. I can’t believe that the little snaps would irritate her when she was a baby. Glad you found out the reason.
Thanks for sharing that story. I’m sure someone reading will benefit from the info, even if it’s by telling someone else.
And yes, we all miss the boat on occasion, but another one comes by and gets us back on board.
Seriously! I can’t believe the school did nothing!!! I would be ticked…you handled it a lot better then I would.
Glad she will be ok and don’t beat yourself up too much….honest mistake.
Good for you for going back into the school to point it out. I can’t believe no one said a thing! As for your brain fart, don’t sweat it. I wouldn’t have thought about nickel in a water bottle either!
PS I checked for the whipped peanut butter at the store and couldn’t find it! Tell those folks up north to send some my way!