Allergic Reaction

Long story short:  Ainsley had an allergic reaction to the foam in the helmet Wednesday night and is now without a helmet until next Friday.

She started wearing the helmet 23 hours a day on Wednesday and when I took it off of her that night to give her a bath, I noticed that her head was really red and her hair was crusted to her scalp.  We just assumed it was from sweating all day, but the redness didn't go away, even after her bath.  I was concerned and wanted to call the Orthotist and leave the helmet off, but Joel convinced me that it was just her sensitive skin and it was fine.  We had our one week follow up appointment Thursday and we would be able to get answers then.  So, we put the helmet back on her Wednesday night and what a mistake that was!  She was up numerous times Wednesday night and couldn't get comfortable.  I should have taken the helmet off during the night, but again, I just assumed she was getting use to sleeping in the helmet and was expecting a few bad nights until it was more comfortable for her. 

I took the helmet off Thursday morning to get her dressed and her head was even worse than the night before.  It was bright red and you could see exactly where the helmet was because of the outline on her head.  She had blotches of scaly spots, spots where there were little bumps, and a few places where there was yellowish-orangish ooze.  Her hair was completely matted to her scalp and I knew something was definately not right.  I refused to put it back on her, and called the Orthotist.  When she returned my call, she confirmed that she was having an allergic reaction and to leave the helmet off. 

This picture doesn't really show how bad the reaction was, but you can see that her head's pretty red here.  It looked MUCH worse in person.  Poor baby!

We went in for our regular one week appointment Thursday afternoon and the Orthotist said that it was rare, but they have seen babies have allergic reactions to the foam in the helmet before.  She called Dr. Johnston and they told us to give Ainsley Benadryl last night and to follow up with them this morning.  Because Ainsley's helmet wasn't fabricated correctly, we had to get a new helmet ordered.  They did another scan yesterday to order a new helmet, and we're getting a different type of foam in the new one.  Ainsley will also have to wear a knit hat underneath the helmet so her skin isn't in contact with the helmet.  We go next Friday to pick up her new helmet.

With the scan they did yesterday, the measurements didn't show any improvement with Ainsley's head.  I could tell that is was looking different, and the Orthotist got out the scan picture from the week before and held it up to the scan from yesterday and you could tell the difference in the pictures.  Her head is starting to shift to the left, which is exactly what we wanted it to do!  I was happy to see the improvement, even if it was a small improvement.

I took Ainsley in to the pediatrician this morning to see what else we could do for her head.  The redness was almost completely gone this morning, but her skin had started to peel.  She also had 5-10 small red dots on her forehead and in her diaper area.  The doctor confirmed that she had an allergic reaction and thought that the red dots looked like some type of bite.  I couldn't believe that they were bites of some kind, because she hadn't been anywhere.  I came home and washed her sheet and mattress cover, just in case.  (By the way:  if you put a mattress cover in the dryer, the plastic will melt.  Lesson learned in this house!)  The red spots on her forehead were pretty much gone tonight, so I really don't think they were bites.  And, more of the spots have now popped up and they are on the top of her head now.  I'm convinced it has something to do with the reaction, but I don't know what it could be.  We're putting cremes and lotion on her head 2-3 times a day and the doctor thinks she will be completely cleared up in a week.  She looks like a big grease-ball with all the cremes I have to put on her head. 

I also felt a lump on the back of her head Wednesday night when washing her hair.  I freaked out, imagine that, huh???  Joel felt it and was worried about it also.  It was confirmed today at the doctor that it was a lymph node and it was because of her allergic reaction.  They said that we may feel more and that they will go down as the rash goes away.

I'm hoping for a big improvement by tomorrow morning and that most of the red bumps will be gone.  I feel like the world's worst mom, and wonder when things are going to start looking up for us.  It seems like every week it's something different that comes up.

I've been swamped with work for the past few weeks, so Mom took Ainsley home with her Sunday night and kept her for me Monday.  I put Ainsley in her pajamas that Uncle Tanner bought her, and didn't realize until I was putting them on that they buttoned up the front and there wasn't an easy way to get them on or off.  So, I'm sure Mom had a fun time changing Ainsley that night/the next morning. 

Are you wondering what kind of pajamas Tanner got for his favorite niece?  Well, camo pajamas, of course.  Did you expect anything else?

 

I guess my baby needs a butt flap in case she needs to squat in the woods......