Hives from paper towel?????

[wendibird22]

Yesterday after lunch DH wiped off DDs hands with a wet paper towel. This is what we've always done. Immediately her hands broke out in hives. But just her hands, not her mouth, which DH also wiped. At first we thought it was the jello that she ate (she hadn't had it before). We took her up to the ped (he's just around the corner) and by the time we got there the hives had pretty much faded. Then at dinner time it happened again after eating jello and being wiped up. So we were convinced it must be the jello. But this morning it happened after breakfast and again immediately after wiping her hands with a damp paper towel. What's odd is that it is the same brand of paper towel we've always used and it's the 4th or 5th role in big package we bought...so I would think this eliminates the possibility that they changed how the paper towel is made. Anyone heard of anything like this??

[ahrimie]

Maybe her skin is just sensitive? For me (and I've noticed with my DD), some foods just irritate her skin (and she eats with her hands). She'll have hives after we eat sometimes (but it's not associate with wiping for us) but it doesn't seem to bother her the least bit. And I have to wash my hands or at least wipe them often while I eat because fruit juices or other foods just irritate my skin.

Did the hives seem to bother your DD? It might just be a skin reaction to the jello.

[wendibird22]

No, they don't seem to bother her and they do fade within an hr. We ruled out the jello after it happened this morning and she didn't have jello this morning. The only commonality between yesterday and this morning is the paper towel.

[jayali]

Do the paper towels have a design on them? Maybe it is the ink in the design. Just guessing here.
DS will occassionally breakout in hives and we never seem to be able to find the cause. They disappear within the hour, but I am always concerned about them.

[Tondi G]

I'd switch to wiping her hands down with a baby wipe or a rag instead of paper towels and see if she gets a reaction. Thats really weird but you never know, I guess!

[wendibird22]

No, no ink on the towels...just plain white.

DH told me it happened after lunch today as well. We are switching to wash clothes.