I was wondering how common serum sickness is in children. DS was hospitalized after given Augmentin in Dec '10 due to what his pulmo says is serum sickness. However, his allergist had him try Augmentin again, saying that it was probably just a virus causing the swelling, etc. Sure enough, a week into the Augmentin and he developed hives, just as he did the 1st time. Now his allergist wants him to try taking Augmentin again, because he says serum sickness is so uncommon. Firing allergist, I'm not putting DS through this again or risking a more severe reaction. His symptoms were classic for serum sickness! Just curious as to how many others developed serum sickness to an antibiotic. I understand it is uncommon and the risks increase with antibiotic usage, but my daughter was on lots of antibiotics when she was young due to reoccurring strep, but never developed anything like this. I've had friends whose children were on constant antibiotics due to ear infections, later resulting in tubes, and this never happened. Is it more common in CF and if so does anyone know why?
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Serum sickness
- Thread starter Eden
- Start date
I was wondering how common serum sickness is in children. DS was hospitalized after given Augmentin in Dec '10 due to what his pulmo says is serum sickness. However, his allergist had him try Augmentin again, saying that it was probably just a virus causing the swelling, etc. Sure enough, a week into the Augmentin and he developed hives, just as he did the 1st time. Now his allergist wants him to try taking Augmentin again, because he says serum sickness is so uncommon. Firing allergist, I'm not putting DS through this again or risking a more severe reaction. His symptoms were classic for serum sickness! Just curious as to how many others developed serum sickness to an antibiotic. I understand it is uncommon and the risks increase with antibiotic usage, but my daughter was on lots of antibiotics when she was young due to reoccurring strep, but never developed anything like this. I've had friends whose children were on constant antibiotics due to ear infections, later resulting in tubes, and this never happened. Is it more common in CF and if so does anyone know why?
I was wondering how common serum sickness is in children. DS was hospitalized after given Augmentin in Dec '10 due to what his pulmo says is serum sickness. However, his allergist had him try Augmentin again, saying that it was probably just a virus causing the swelling, etc. Sure enough, a week into the Augmentin and he developed hives, just as he did the 1st time. Now his allergist wants him to try taking Augmentin again, because he says serum sickness is so uncommon. Firing allergist, I'm not putting DS through this again or risking a more severe reaction. His symptoms were classic for serum sickness! Just curious as to how many others developed serum sickness to an antibiotic. I understand it is uncommon and the risks increase with antibiotic usage, but my daughter was on lots of antibiotics when she was young due to reoccurring strep, but never developed anything like this. I've had friends whose children were on constant antibiotics due to ear infections, later resulting in tubes, and this never happened. Is it more common in CF and if so does anyone know why?
I do not know if it is more common in CF, I took antibiotics for years (not for CF) and still do take them quite often and never ever had any reaction to anything. My dd w/cf (3 y/o)got her first reaction when barely 2 i think. She was on Augmentin also and had swelling etc. AFter that she got milder reactions to Bactrim, Fucidine, Rifadine etc. I was panicked.
then we did tests on her when she was NOT sick: turned out that she only had reaction to Augmentin, the others were OK. I am still kind of unsure (in spite of what they told me at the hospital) of what will happen if she takes these antibiotics repeatedly (she was off them for probably 6m-1yr before we did allergy tests), but at least there is hope.
then we did tests on her when she was NOT sick: turned out that she only had reaction to Augmentin, the others were OK. I am still kind of unsure (in spite of what they told me at the hospital) of what will happen if she takes these antibiotics repeatedly (she was off them for probably 6m-1yr before we did allergy tests), but at least there is hope.
I do not know if it is more common in CF, I took antibiotics for years (not for CF) and still do take them quite often and never ever had any reaction to anything. My dd w/cf (3 y/o)got her first reaction when barely 2 i think. She was on Augmentin also and had swelling etc. AFter that she got milder reactions to Bactrim, Fucidine, Rifadine etc. I was panicked.
then we did tests on her when she was NOT sick: turned out that she only had reaction to Augmentin, the others were OK. I am still kind of unsure (in spite of what they told me at the hospital) of what will happen if she takes these antibiotics repeatedly (she was off them for probably 6m-1yr before we did allergy tests), but at least there is hope.
then we did tests on her when she was NOT sick: turned out that she only had reaction to Augmentin, the others were OK. I am still kind of unsure (in spite of what they told me at the hospital) of what will happen if she takes these antibiotics repeatedly (she was off them for probably 6m-1yr before we did allergy tests), but at least there is hope.
I do not know if it is more common in CF, I took antibiotics for years (not for CF) and still do take them quite often and never ever had any reaction to anything. My dd w/cf (3 y/o)got her first reaction when barely 2 i think. She was on Augmentin also and had swelling etc. AFter that she got milder reactions to Bactrim, Fucidine, Rifadine etc. I was panicked.
<br />
<br />then we did tests on her when she was NOT sick: turned out that she only had reaction to Augmentin, the others were OK. I am still kind of unsure (in spite of what they told me at the hospital) of what will happen if she takes these antibiotics repeatedly (she was off them for probably 6m-1yr before we did allergy tests), but at least there is hope.
<br />
<br />then we did tests on her when she was NOT sick: turned out that she only had reaction to Augmentin, the others were OK. I am still kind of unsure (in spite of what they told me at the hospital) of what will happen if she takes these antibiotics repeatedly (she was off them for probably 6m-1yr before we did allergy tests), but at least there is hope.
M
Mommafirst
Guest
I really don't know anything about this but I have to say that I can't believe your allergist is such an idiot. I get having him test the first time....but it seems clear that the augmentin was the problem. Yikes, how annoying to be surrounding by idiots.
M
Mommafirst
Guest
I really don't know anything about this but I have to say that I can't believe your allergist is such an idiot. I get having him test the first time....but it seems clear that the augmentin was the problem. Yikes, how annoying to be surrounding by idiots.
M
Mommafirst
Guest
I really don't know anything about this but I have to say that I can't believe your allergist is such an idiot. I get having him test the first time....but it seems clear that the augmentin was the problem. Yikes, how annoying to be surrounding by idiots.
I am not a medical professional, but it sounds to me more like a typical allergic reaction...?? I don't blame you for not wanting to use it again... repeated use of a drug one has been shown to be allergic to drastically increases odds of severe reaction (for example, anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.) Allergic reaction is a whole lot more common than serum sickness, esp to a drug in the penicillin class (to which allergies are very common.)
eta> I didn't even catch the 'virus' thing in your post. It's laughable to me to even think that your child could have the SAME reaction twice to a drug, and the allergist would say virus the first time, serum sickness the second time, and want to try it yet again, without ever considering he's simply allergic to the med! *eye roll*
eta> I didn't even catch the 'virus' thing in your post. It's laughable to me to even think that your child could have the SAME reaction twice to a drug, and the allergist would say virus the first time, serum sickness the second time, and want to try it yet again, without ever considering he's simply allergic to the med! *eye roll*
I am not a medical professional, but it sounds to me more like a typical allergic reaction...?? I don't blame you for not wanting to use it again... repeated use of a drug one has been shown to be allergic to drastically increases odds of severe reaction (for example, anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.) Allergic reaction is a whole lot more common than serum sickness, esp to a drug in the penicillin class (to which allergies are very common.)
eta> I didn't even catch the 'virus' thing in your post. It's laughable to me to even think that your child could have the SAME reaction twice to a drug, and the allergist would say virus the first time, serum sickness the second time, and want to try it yet again, without ever considering he's simply allergic to the med! *eye roll*
eta> I didn't even catch the 'virus' thing in your post. It's laughable to me to even think that your child could have the SAME reaction twice to a drug, and the allergist would say virus the first time, serum sickness the second time, and want to try it yet again, without ever considering he's simply allergic to the med! *eye roll*
I am not a medical professional, but it sounds to me more like a typical allergic reaction...?? I don't blame you for not wanting to use it again... repeated use of a drug one has been shown to be allergic to drastically increases odds of severe reaction (for example, anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.) Allergic reaction is a whole lot more common than serum sickness, esp to a drug in the penicillin class (to which allergies are very common.)
<br />
<br />eta> I didn't even catch the 'virus' thing in your post. It's laughable to me to even think that your child could have the SAME reaction twice to a drug, and the allergist would say virus the first time, serum sickness the second time, and want to try it yet again, without ever considering he's simply allergic to the med! *eye roll*
<br />
<br />eta> I didn't even catch the 'virus' thing in your post. It's laughable to me to even think that your child could have the SAME reaction twice to a drug, and the allergist would say virus the first time, serum sickness the second time, and want to try it yet again, without ever considering he's simply allergic to the med! *eye roll*