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View Full Version : Update- more detailsLatex sensitivity/ topical reaction- btdt?



SnuggleBuggles
01-02-2010, 06:14 PM
Dh and I were talking about it and he said that it was not irritated where the strips were, just the pad. Dh was the one to put the bandaid on and I hadn't realized that the pad on it was so big. Does that change things?

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Stupid me forgot about one of ds1's band-aids (it was on his hip) and it was on for several days w/o being replaced. It is a nightmare underneath now. It is scaly and red- really irritated and blistery looking. I have noticed in the past that when I take band-aids off of him that it is really red wherever the band-aid was in contact (like an imprint of it on his skin) and have meant to pay more attention to his reactions to these things. My sister has a latex sensitivity as well. I just dropped the ball. We are doing neosporin and hydrocortisone cream, per my sister's recommendation (I have a call into the ped).

Has anyone else dealt with a latex sensitivity or allergy? Is there anything I need to know aside from alerting people to this?

TIA!!
Beth

elizabethkott
01-02-2010, 06:22 PM
I teach HS, and last year we had a student with a SEVERE latex allergy, to the extent that we had to have a school-wide ban on latex balloons, since she would have a reaction if she was in the same hallway/room with them (and a lot of our students give each other "balloon bouquets" on their birthdays, so it was a real issue).
Since DS1 is in school (I'm assuming) you should likely let the school nurse know, and tell them to let his classroom teacher know, especially since these would be the people who would use latex gloves while treating your son in the event he was bleeding from a cut or something. Have you thought about taking him to an allergist to test the degree of sensitivity/allergy?

swrc00
01-02-2010, 06:44 PM
I am assuming it is whole shape of the band aid. If not it could be the adhesive and not the latex. I have a latex sensitivity but I break out in hives. My allergist does not like to test for latex because it involves actually exposing you to it rather than the skin prick test which is very controlled.
I would alert the school and provide latex free bandaids for him there.

lilycat88
01-02-2010, 06:53 PM
:yeahthat:


I have severe reactions to "latex free" adhesives. I always have to tell them to use paper tape or some other tape that isn't so "adhesive". Bandaids are a nightmare unless it's the "sensitive" kind.

infocrazy
01-02-2010, 06:57 PM
I am allergic to adhesive. I do best with Johnson & Johnson brand, but pretty much I get what you described wherever the adhesive was. The "waterproof" ones are particularly bad. I only ever get a skin reaction but it is a scaly red rash and is often worse than what the band-aid was for. I just avoid bandaids and use gauze if necessary. If you need a band-aid, I'd just make sure to remove it after a short time and change where the adhesive strips were.

Ugh, they used medical tape for my epidural with DS1 and it was the WORST thing about my recovery...and I had a C/S!!! My whole back was covered with raised red welts. That stuff is BAD! I threw a fit to use paper tape with DS2. They were nervous about it, but they finally agreed.

brittone2
01-02-2010, 07:01 PM
Another vote that it could be the adhesive. One of my kids reacts to non name brand bandaids but not brand name. My mom reacts severely to certain adhesives (band aids, medical tape). She once had a mole removed and the mole healed totally fine. She had huge welts and a nasty nasty rash where the adhesive had touched her. She ended up having to take predisone to calm the rash IIRC as nothing topical was doing enough for her.

We don't have any family history of latex allergy at this point, but some family members are definitely sensitive to certain adhesives.

SnuggleBuggles
01-02-2010, 07:21 PM
Hmmm...that's an interesting thought about the adhesive. The irritation is on the whole area where the bandaid was, including the padded area. But, he had done ok with other bandaids that were also left on just as long. How would we test for that?

Beth

tnrnchick74
01-02-2010, 09:38 PM
Most bandaids these days are latex free. I'm also voting that its the adhesive as opposed to a true latex allergy. I hope your child gets feeling better soon! It sounds like you are doing the right thing with neosporin & hydrocortisone. I would definitely mention it to your ped though, just in case

MamaMolly
01-02-2010, 10:34 PM
For sure I'd switch to latex free bandages, just to be safe. And mention it to the Ped. Like many of the other PP's my DD is very sensitive to the adhesive in many bandages. If I leave one on her skin over night she'll get a horrible blistery rash that scabs before it heals. Pretty much worse than the boo-boo it is supposed to cover!

I have had a lot of luck with these papery feeling ones that have Mickey and Friends on them. The brand starts with an N and I can't think of what it is right now. Of course we are all out of them, too so I can't go look. :banghead:

bubbaray
01-02-2010, 10:38 PM
Most likely its the adhesive. I have this allergy, as does DD#1. We both are fine with Nexcare bandaids. Bandaid brand are the worst IME.

HTH

Melaine
01-02-2010, 10:39 PM
I think I am allergic to the adhesives as well. I'd had irritation from band-aids before but when I wore the heart monitor I had a bad reaction to the "sticky" part. The doctor was supposed to look into what the allergy might specifically be but I never checked back....maybe I should call and see!

JBaxter
01-02-2010, 10:40 PM
Another family members with adhesive issues. My dad could only use the paper medical tape. Anything else peeled the skin right off of him.

jerigirl
01-02-2010, 10:42 PM
I also think that it is more likely to be related to the adhesive than latex. Or could the bandaid have been on too tight and pulled/irritated the skin? I have seen patients with what they think is a reaction to latex or tape adhesive and actually it was from putting the tape too tight.

Also be aware that latex allergies can cross over into food allergies.
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/latex-allergies?page=3

bubbaray
01-02-2010, 10:43 PM
My dad could only use the paper medical tape. Anything else peeled the skin right off of him.


Yes, to this. My allergy got so bad for a while, that is exactly what would happen, the skin would peel right off. Sooooo painful. I really tried to avoid all adhesives/bandaids for a while and am OK with Nexcare now.

wimama
01-03-2010, 01:18 PM
Another vote for a likely adhesive allergy. If there is no longer an open wound there now, I would skip the Neosporin and just use hydrocortisone cream.

Also, Neosporin allergies are also very common. Usually, Neosporin allergies present with a reaction centered where the padded area of a band aid touched the skin. Reactions can take a few days, even a week to occur. The Neomycin antibiotic in Neopsporin is typically the culprit and causes allergic reactions in many people. Polysporin and Bacitracin ointment are better choices for people with Neosporin allergies.

SnuggleBuggles
01-03-2010, 02:54 PM
I was wrong about where the irritation is and updated the op.
Beth

tnrnchick74
01-03-2010, 02:59 PM
I was wrong about where the irritation is and updated the op.
Beth

Was it one of those bandaids with the antibiotic ointment built in? If so, I would guess its an allergy to that. If not, was it put on super tight? The bandaid shouldn't be "skin" tight - the pad should not make an airtight seal with the wound.

Next time, try just a plain gauze pad with some paper tape and see if anything happens. And also try another variety of bandages. I still am not convinced its a latex allergy though. That would definitely be on the "strip" areas IF they had latex. The gauze padding doesn't have latex.

SnuggleBuggles
01-03-2010, 03:07 PM
No additives on the pad. I don't think dh would have put it on too tight but that is a possibility.

It's weird because other times the pad area has been fine but the strip area has been irritated (never this bad). Head scratcher.

Beth