Allergic to... kinder!!!!!!

[MummyCharmzy]

HELP.. please!!!

DS returned to kinder today after having two weeks off, once AGAIN he has come up with a bright red rash.

This has happened the last THREE times he has gone to kinder and one time he also developed school sores.

The rash is what concerns me though - hes obviously having an allergic reaction to something but I ahve checked what hes been eating and A) its the same food he eats at home and B) its different each time

Tomorrow I am going in there to have a chat about if they've changed cleaning products in the last few weeks but what other things could be causing this?!?! Any suggestions much appreciated as I need to know what questions to ask.

If I can't establish tomorrow what has caused this I will be pulling him out of kinder until next year and will have to send him to a different centre.. as well as of course getting him allergy tested but I know that the waiting list for that with his paed is at least 3 months.

What else could it be? Its DEFINITELY something at kinder and itrs not food.. so what else?!

[cwsmum]

One of the staff wearing different perfume? A plant that he's brushing past? Other than that, cleaning products are the obvious ones...maybe a combination of them?

Hope you figure out what's causing it soon :)

[MummyCharmzy]

oh great suggestions thanks... im writing it down so i can go in armed with hopefully every possible cause so we can figure out whats changed in the last few weeks because hes been going there for a year with no problems!

any more suggestions much appreciated

[Mum2Bug]

If they are supplying any food ask if they have changed any brands as there may be additives or something "extra" in the new food they are using.

[Funkychicken]

This is a tough one. Is the rash around his mouth or on his face. You mentioned that he has come home with school sores and unfortunately these are highly contagious and seem to stay with the child-my DS#1 had a major outbreak every winter and this was the first year he seems to have grown out of it.
Often impetago (school sores) presents as just a rash, not actual sores. When my children are run down or over tired they often develop an impetago style rash that seems to disappear overnight.
I would second the idea about the staff wearing perfume or a new cleaning product.
Also, there are many different 'degrees' of allergies. Most are intolerances as opposed to true allergies. There are in fact very few people with true allergic reactions and mostly it is an intolerance to a food or substance. This is good news as most intolerances can also be grown out of and have no major lasting effects.
Good luck with your staff meeting! :)

[Chickadee]

Where is the rash? I can think of sunscreen, detergents they use to wash the bed sheets in (not sure if that applies to kinder!) or perhaps the brand of wipes they use for washing dirty hands and faces.

[angcaltam]

When my DS1 was going to daycare they changed the sunscreen. It took us a while to figure out what was going on and why he was coming out in a rash at daycare when he never did before. :confused: I went in to see the Director and she said that the only thing that they changed was the sunscreen,:detective: so we decided that we would pack some of ours in his bag for him and what do you know, no more nasty rash.:no: :smiliedance:

Good luck and let us know how you go.

[MummyCharmzy]

I went in there and got a list of there menu and all brands of foods used in what hes been eating, I've ruled that out.. he eats ALL the same food at home regularly.


I got lists of all there cleaning products and there ingredients but they have no changed them so unsure if this could be the problem

none of the staff where perfume so thats not it either

they havent changed sunscreen but apparently one other child has had an allergic reaction to it, so ive written down the brand they use and im going to buy sometoday and 'spot test' him

As of today hes unenrolled from kinder until I have figured it out ymself or had him allery tested in which case he wont go back until next year for 4 yr old kinder. Hopefully we figure it out though as he loves kindy and gets so much out of it!

thanks for all the suggestiosn, ill let you all know how I get on!

[MummyCharmzy]

omg I just dont know what to do, yesterday I re enrolled him and sent him to kinder with his own food, his own sheet and pillow to sleep with, his own face washer, his own sunscreen.... and still he comes up with this horrid reaction.

This is driving me crazy! Hows he ever going tog et to start school if hes ALLERGIC TO KINDER

what else can i try? I still havent even had my appt to see the paed let alone to make the appt (which i already know has a 3 month wait) for allergy testing..

Hes meantto to start 4 yr old kindy next month and its so important in preparation for school and he needs to keep up with it cos hes had developmental delays and i dont want him slipping behind in anyway before he starts

but i dont know what to doooo

please help!!

[our little treasures]

Hi I have you tried zurtec or clarintine for 5 days to get it out of his system??? What does the rash look like is it similar to mozzy bites but lots in an area???? I ask as my daughter for the last 4 weeks has been having reactions but hers only last about 5mns and then pass.. Evertime I made an appointment they were gone so one day at the supermarket she got it and I ran into the pharmacy and they told me it's an allergic reaction.. Apparently just because the rash disappears doesn't mean it's is not there, that infact it is always there and then when she gets hot it comes up..

So to treat the rash I had to give her zurtec liquid for 5days and the rash didn't come back while she was on it... Also they said it could be something she is eating and I explained dd hasn't eaten anything different and they explained that preservatives and colourings build up in the system and then after a while it breaks out... IKWIM

[MummyCharmzy]

thanks for the replying, i was told to give him phernergen which clears it up overnight. Its a red splotchy rash all over his face, worst above his eyebrows and his lower checks, mondays rash was actually more spotty than usual but still worst in the same places.

I dont think it could be a build up or anything like that because he had a few weeks break and it still happens the exact day he goes back and ive checked there entire menu and all products used in it are used at home.

ive even checked what powder they use in there dishwasher and it doesnt seem it could be that either


I've ruled out so many things already and then gone back over it all thinking 'well could it be' but even trial and error isnt figuring this one out :S

[Little_Toad]

Could it be a stress reaction?

Does he like kinder?

[Rhys'Mum]

I had a wierd allergic reaction that took me months to identify - plug in air fresheners.

I had been using the air freshener for months but happened to be home for a week and seem to have passed my tolerence level because from then on any significant time in a room with plug in airfresheners and I get an itchy rash. Even things like those wooden sticks in a jar can cause me problems if they are synthetic.

I know the day care our son goes to always smells pretty strongly of something sweet and artificial so maybe your kinder does too....

Another thought is perhaps something in the garden that he comes in contact with during outside play. Gosh I hope you are able to find it because I know how devestated my little man would be if he couldn't go to daycare, not to mention how broke we'd be if I couldn't work. Good luck.

[MummyCharmzy]

I'm not sure it could be stress although he doesnt like going there in the morning he loves it when he gets there and for some reason this always flares up in the afternoons


the air freshener is a good idea, ill look into that thanks. i havent noticed any strong smells in there though.

Its nothing in the yard that we know of as theres only natural grass (no fake stuff) and theres no plants or anything just play equiptment. They did suggest maybe the sand but hes never had problem in the sand before and they can only think of 2 times hes come up with the rash having played in the sand that day, the other times.. no sand play.

The only allergy hes ever had has been yoghurt which hes outgrown now which makes this even harder for me to understand!

Keep the replies coming, i need all the suggestions i can get! I'm making yet another list of possibilities to take back and try to figure it out :S

[2s'nuff]

How did the suncream test go? As it's on his face, I'd send him to kinder with his own suncream (the one you usually use at home) and see if this makes a difference. My Dad builds up allergies to suncreams. He can use one for a while, then for no reason it gives him a rash. He now uses the baby ultra sensitive suncreams.

Another thought, what do they wash his face with after eating?

Ignore this post, as I've just reread the home suncream/facewasher test failed.

[MummyCharmzy]

thanks anyway :)

[2s'nuff]

OK, a post that might offer a suggestion this time, though I don't know how possible it will be for you:

Are you able to spend a day at the kinder with DS? If you can keep an eye on him, you might notice when during the day and after what activity/meal etc the rash appears. You could ask one of the teachers to try and do this, but it's more likely they will forget or not notice the exact time it happens.

[MummyCharmzy]

thats a great idea! Will be a bit hard to work out as my 2 bubs dont go to childcare but im sure i can manage something and that way I should be able to figure it out :D

THANKS :D:D

[Ky]

Hi

My dd was being sent home from school every monday with a rash ... it just so happened that this was the day for sport and I thought that maybe there was some kind of plant that she was allergic to.

I got a referral to an allergy specialist and he ruled out environmental factors as we live directly opposite the school and have a similar outdoors environment (lots of gum trees and very little grass etc). He did as k me what she was eating for breakfast and I replied that she ate Weetbix each morning and had done since she was a bub so surely she wasn't allergic to that.

Turns out ... Weetbix combined with physical activity can cause children to come up in a horribly itchy rash!

We have switched to cornflakes (the other recommendation was rice bubbles) and she hasn't been sent home since!

Just a thought ....

[Rhys'Mum]

Hi

Turns out ... Weetbix combined with physical activity can cause children to come up in a horribly itchy rash!
....

WOW!!!!!! Who would ever have thought of that one. Another wonderful example of why bubhub is so fabulous.

BUT I love my weetbix so I don't even want to start thinking about why!!!

[TammyB]

My DS's excema would be worse after being at daycare and I believe it was the synthetic carpet. I know you said the rash is on his face, but it might be worth a thought. How about craft supplies like paints and glues? Hand wash soap?

[MummyCharmzy]

UPDATE - PROBLEM SOLVED

It WASSSSS there washing powder! They used there own facewashers on him last time and he got the rash (Bad them cos i sent my own) then on monday they made SURE to only use everything of mine.. my sheets my pillow my face washer and noooooooooo allergic reaction!! WOOHOOOOOOO :D:D:D

[Chickadee]

That's excellent! I'm so glad you've found the cause finally!! Fingers crossed that that's the end of the rashes.

[mikaelasmum]

oh thats great news

[2s'nuff]

Yah:smiliedance: , happy to hear problem solved.

[abbynmonique]

can i ask you,, what washing powder do they use, and what do you use,, im currently trying to figure out this one myself!!
cheers abby

[Kirstlea]

I'm not sure it could be stress although he doesnt like going there in the morning he loves it when he gets there and for some reason this always flares up in the afternoons


the air freshener is a good idea, ill look into that thanks. i havent noticed any strong smells in there though.

Its nothing in the yard that we know of as theres only natural grass (no fake stuff) and theres no plants or anything just play equiptment. They did suggest maybe the sand but hes never had problem in the sand before and they can only think of 2 times hes come up with the rash having played in the sand that day, the other times.. no sand play.

The only allergy hes ever had has been yoghurt which hes outgrown now which makes this even harder for me to understand!

Keep the replies coming, i need all the suggestions i can get! I'm making yet another list of possibilities to take back and try to figure it out :S

I have just come across this thread and wondered if he only gets the rash in the afternoons could it be prickly heat?

I don't know what the temps are like your way but if its hotter than normal it could be that. If it is prickly heat cornflour is the best to put on it as it doesn't clog up the pores and cause more problems.

Goodluck

Kirsten