[Bug-n-Bears-Mommy]

What have you done when you do not have a complete family history of allergic reactions from your children's biological families?

With one of my son's we have a pretty thorough health history, but with the other it is terribly sketchy. I was on my way home from work yesterday when my sitter called to let me know that while swimming in their little pool and playing in the backyard a bee got in his shorts and stung him on the penis! I was about 10 minutes out and told her to give him some benadryl.

When I got home he was still screaming uncontrollably and when I looked at his sting it was horribly swollen. Maybe because of where it was I freaked out more than I might have, but I scooped him up (naked) and drove him to the ER. They were very understanding and sympathetic to his situation, and said I did the right thing in giving him the benadryl. The instructed me to also give him ibuprofin and maybe claritin during the day for the next 3 days and monitor it. But later I wondered if I was over reacting.

My gut told me that without adequate family history and given the location I was better to act immediately. But when I called DH to tell him I was going he kind of questioned why I was going to the ER for a bee sting. What would you have done?

[MrsD]

I don't have kids yet, so I can only imagine.....

BUT, I think I would have gone to the ER. I'm an "err on the side of caution" person anyway when it comes to medical things, but also, bee stings CAN be really serious if there is an allergy. And to see your little one screaming in pain, and to know how sensitive of an area he was stung on, I think I would want to make absolutely sure he was going to be okay.

I hope he's feeling better!

[nikkianni]

I think you did the exact right thing. We have a medical history for Eve that says neither of her bparents are allergic, but when her firststing happens, you'd better believe I'll be watching like a hawk. Because even with a great medical history, you just don't know.

[crick]

Well, even if you think it might have been an "overreaction", it's better to have that then not know, right? So don't second guess yourself on it.

I think having a sting on the penis would make me take further action because that's such a sensitive area and who knows...even if not allergic, it could be more dangerous than getting a sting on the arm. I would have definitely called the pediatrician to find out what extra steps I should take etc. due to the location of the sting.