Honestly, I would be on the fence with that one.
But I have snotty kids and stomach upsets are not unusual after having loads of mucous. And after being outside in the sun all day would lead me more towards the onset of sun stroke (burn or not). To me there are lots of non-allergy explanations for the same symptoms that I suffer from time to time.
Especially since you have a maybe diagnosis, not a definitive? Though please do club your husband for allowing the shrimp bait given that you have a maybe, kwim?
I would have been on the fence, too, under most circumstances, but in this case it was clear it was an allergic reaction.
DS ate dinner around 5 and then went fishing one last time before heading home the next morning. They fished for a couple of hours and then came back to the camper and sat around for a while before DS ate some toast as a snack. He started having the copious amounts of mucous (which he was mostly spitting out) shortly after eating and then the vomiting started. Since it was evening and he had been in the AC for a while, I don't think heat was a factor. Also, it's much cooler (even during the day) at the coast than he's used to up here.
Both his skin and RAST tests over several years were always equally positive for shellfish, but we tend to not avoid things without seeing a reaction. So, I can't blame DH for letting him handle the shrimp bait - I'm just pissed that there wasn't good (or any) handwashing afterward. Aside from the ick factor
, I would have made sure he washed since allergy was a possibility.
glad he's okay!! I guess now you know and found out without a massive reaction.
The thing that strikes me is how easy it is to not recognize a symptom....apparently no hives etc. right?
so, now how will you change your habits/comfort zone? changes things a bit, right?
Just glad he's okay
Yeah, no hives. DS is hit and miss with the hives as part of his reactions. The bad ones have never had hives, except for the medicine reactions. Generally, if he gets hives he doesn't have other symptoms. No hives any of the times he's had life threatening reactions. <sigh>
As for changing things, I'll probably not do much. Since DD and I are both anaphylactic to shellfish, we've never had it in the house and don't ever eat at seafood restaurants. DS has been fine for 16 years with us not actively avoiding cross-contamination for him, so unless I see a reaction, I don't think we should change things. I'm sure he'll be hyper-aware now if he's touched anything fishy (like my pun?
) and will make sure he washes his hands right away. I'm not sure if he'll choose to avoid touching shrimp altogether.
The thing that strikes me is how easy it is to not recognize a symptom....apparently no hives etc. right?
This.
DS's reactions have always included hives, wheezing, or both. If he just had tons of mucous or GI symptoms, I don't think he'd recognize what was happening. Though I would hope if he was eating something new or high risk he'd put two and two together - but maybe not? And sometimes reactions are to the old and familiar. 
Thinking about this does notmake me feel any better about DS leaving for school in 2 days.
DS has had the mucous/GI reactions before, but hasn't had any major reactions since he was very young. Since DS was reacting to contamination from his hands and not actually what he was eating, I think that's the biggest reason he didn't recognize it for what it was. I, like you, hope new or high risk food would have led him to putting two and two together - though with teenagers (esp. boys) that's not always the case no matter what the situation.
Topic: DS had a reaction to shrimp (Read 4255 times)
