Dear Bubhub....

[Hokey Pokey]

I wanted to ask if it is possible to have a new section on Anaphelaxis, a life threatening allergic reaction.
I have just found out this week that my daughter is anaphelaxis to green ant bites and am feeling quite alone, frightened and scared and very overwhelmed by it all :(
What do you think?

[nemosmum]

Hi Kristy,

Wow how awful for you and your bub :( I know when DS was diagnosed with allergies (not anaphalaxis, thank goodness) it was a scary and overwhelming experience as you kind of get inundated with information about the risks etc.
It took us many weeks to sort through everything and come to terms with our DS situation. Now 10 months down the track we feel confident in how we manage DS's allergies so hopefully things will get better for you and your family.

I think your doing the right thing looking for support as its great to hear other peoples experiences as it always made me feel less alone lol :D

Feel free to pm me any time :)
Sarah AKA O's mum

[ThomasMum]

Hi Olivia&BellasMummy,

you could email Bubhub (Hillary) directly, as I had done in the past before when I ask her to add "Immunisation" thread to this site. The link of the email is at the very top of this page where it said "email here". If you cant get that email addy, PM me and I will help you

Thomas'sMum

[WeThree]

good idea Kristy! Thomas has the same problem, to Walnuts and Peanuts, scary stuff, it would be great to get in contact with some other mums going through the same thing :)

[razzle]

You can email hilary at hilary@bubhub.com.au or send a PM to bubhub Kristy. I'm sure she'll find a place for it.

I can only imagine how scary it is. (((hugs)))

[veve]

Oh ((hugs))) kristy!!

I have taught children who are Anaphelactic (sp?) before... and it CAN be scary...depending on how it is managed...

not enough people know about it - or take it seriously!!! I get VERY frustrated with the staff at school!!!!

have you been to a specialist yet? depending on your munchkins reaction level... the one thing I would DEFINATELY look into is an epi-pen... they have run two seperate stories on the SUNDAY program (channel 9) about reactions.. and how society doesn't take it seriously... there were several situations in which lives were saved by epi-pens...

one little man (4 years old??) ate a tsp of egg white (pavlova)- when he was allergic to eggs... he had a severe allergy.. and the epi-pen saved him..

good luck...
it is DEFINATELY worth having as a new section

xxxx

[veve]

sorry - I just re-read my post... and I hope it wasn't too dramatic!!! :o

- lots of luck Kristy ... and big hugs..

xxxxx

[Hokey Pokey]

Hey

Yeah she has an epi pen, she is going to school Wednesday once the staff have been trained about the pen and a little on anephalaxis. The principle said she is the only student and out of his 21 years of teaching has never had to deal with this before. And after watching what happened last week, he knows just how serious this is and is doing EVERYTHING he can to prevent it again and to make sure she gets her treatment ASAP!! Which is a HUGE relief to me! As ants are just so so hard to avoid here in QLD! And only one tiny ant can take her life :(
So it is all quite a worry right now for us.
She was a VERY lucky girl.
Took 2 ambulances one was an intensive care paramedic care to save her life. At one stage they had to stop on the motorway to give her treatment and they did not think she was going to make it....
So I'm still coming to terms with having flashbacks about the whole ordeal and trying to ease my nerves.... It is just so overwhelming.

[veve]

oh hon (((hugs))) I cant even IMAGINE what that whole day was like... :eek:

it will be hard to protect her here in the sunshine state... it was almost tradition to get bitten by green ants while waiting in line for a bat in softball competition! :o

I really am overwhelmingly glad that your little girl pulled through (few goosebumps as I read about your day!) ... hopefully with the support of school staff- and a decent principal- she will cope well at school...

all the best... and as I said ((hugs!)))

xxxx

[Hokey Pokey]

Thankyou Jenny
I guess with time the worry will ease hey?
We have a referal to the paediatrician here in Brisbane, but that may take a while as we are in public!

[Hokey Pokey]

Hey ladies
just having some troubles pm'ing bubhub... (hillary) could someone please help me LOL :o

[bubbles28]

Oh Kristy,
I'm so sorry you had to go through that. How horrible. I'm glad your little one was ok after the situation.
I've had my 9mth old son allergy tested as I suffered numerous allergies as a child.
I have since found out that he is serverly allergic to dairy, eggs and tuna.
So I also worry that if he was to ever get in contact with these things that he to could also have an anephalaxtic reaction.
Is there any way of telling before hand if this could happen? Obviously I guess I need to avoid these foods at all costs.

[Ffrenchknickers]

Hey Hun:)

Praying and thinking of you guys here all the time:)

[Hokey Pokey]

Thanks Katie ;)
Hi Tina
Um I was told that in most cases, the first time they are exposed they may not have a reaction or only a mild localised reaction, this was the case for my daughter 18 months ago when she sat on a nest of green ants.
But second time around can be life threatening as the case with Olivia.
It is a very scary and unexpected thing, not enough people realise just how serious it is, far more worse then an "allergy" :(

[jaydensmum]

Hi Olivia&Bella'smummy how did you go with sending the PM to hilary? If you want i can pass it onto her for you, if your having troubles with sending it.

jaydensmum

[Hokey Pokey]

Hi Naomi
That would be great if you could do that for me?
:)

[jaydensmum]

No problem Olivia&Bellasmummy, ill do it after i write this post.

jaydensmum

[Hokey Pokey]

Thankyou very much :)

[veve]

Oliviaandbellasmummy-

wasn't it your DDs first day back at school today/?? I was just wondering how she went/??? how you went???

xxx

[WeThree]

hi Kristy :) Thomas's school has also been great, they always ask my permission before he partakes in any cooking etc, and if they are in doubt, they do not let him do it. they have an action plan in place with his photo on it in the staff room and play ground and all staff were given a lesson on how to use the epi pen and signs to look for that he may be having one of these reactions. it is only a very small school (about 150 students) and i feel reassured knowing that everyone knows him and looks out for him, he is also very good about it, he knows how terrifying it is to go through it and he constantly asks everyone 'does this have nuts in it? are you sure?' it is so scary though isnt it? especially the first time it happens, just awful, how did school go today? let us know! :)

[Hokey Pokey]

Poor little thing was so scared to go back and it just broke my heart :(
But we both made it through LOL!
I almost walked back to school to take her home would you believe :o
I just felt so horrible in the stomach and wanted her home with me in my eyes...but today has been just a little easier :)
It is a very scary and worrying thing trying to avoid these ants as they are EVERYWHERE and it does not help when people have to CONTANTLY bump into me and ask what happened (talk of the suburb I think!) and then proceed to tell me of such horror stories they know about of children dying and not getting the pen fast enough etc etc ... really did not help my emotions and worry yesterday!

[Ffrenchknickers]

*Hugs* Kristy:)

Ive been wondering how you guys are:)

[WeThree]

hey Kristy, glad to hear you both made it through (((HUGS))) omg, the ant thing must be awful, at least with thomas it being a food thing we can at least have a bit more control over it, although this kid at school the other day chased him with a peanut butter sandwich, poor thomas was so terrifed he threatened to stab this kid with a stick and then thomas got a detention!!! i was not a happy camper that day i can tell you, i went off!!!!!!!!

hopefully things will get a little better soon, dont let people scare you with stories of kids not getting their epi pens in time etc, as long as all teachers at her school are aware of her problem and know what to do (which i know i read something about that they had all been taught how to use it etc) then they will always get to her in time. doesnt make it any easier though, for you or her, keep us posted xxx

[Hokey Pokey]

Thanx guys :)
Teacher left me a note in her communication book that she has been quite happy but is now "her shadow" lol so she must be feeling a little worried still and wanting to stay right by the teacher. Teacher said she does not mind at all!
:p

[jaydensmum]

Hi Kristy i just thought i would let you know that Hilary will be putting the new section that you requested on the site soon.

jaydensmum

[bubhub]

Hi - there's a new section now under Parenting Issues > Serious Health Issues

There's a whole new 'sub-forum' in that section entitled Anaphylaxis.

There's also an association called Anaphylaxis Australia at this website: http://www.allergyfacts.org.au

They've got loads of info on that site.

Hope this helps and sorry that I've left it until this thread is three pages long before I created the new section! I'll try and move this thread to the new bit.

Hilary