Natural anti histamine??

[canyou]

SIL baby Ds has had a severe reaction to wheat,eggs,nuts and possible dairy and has ended up in hospital with breathing difficulties. Sil has been difficult with Dr's re treatment which is elimination diet [both Mum and baby as bf] antihistamines and calpol,milton baths and steroid cream and water based cream after the breathing problems the baby has come out in an excema [sp/] rash
Mum wants to go down natural route ie herbs etc and wants to use nettle tea as a natural antihistamine or find another, We are very worried, they live 1.5 hrs from hospital if she stops treatment and the worst happens.
Baby is 8 months old I like using homeopathy but in this case it seems dangerous, any advice would be appreciated before family go running to SS to report SIL. I honestly believe she cannot see the seriousness of this, her baby was perfect and in less the 7 days has become a sick and rash covered baby and she is seeing it as an attack as her as a parent.But we get on and if I had facts she may listen to me if it is not just my opinion
TIA

[Spuderoonerism]

Oh gosh - from an SS perspective I'm not sure what to advise and I don't have enough experience/knowledge to comment on what you can do if you suspect someone is failing to follow hospital advice. You could try calling the Anaphylaxis Campaign who are fab about everything in my experience. Could you contact the hospital directly and outline your concerns to the doctor?

Severe allergic reactions are terrifying and it may be that your SIL is struggling to handle this. 'Denial' of the seriousness of it is more common than you think. She needs to understand however that no amount of nettle tea or 'natural anti-histamine' will help someone having a severe/anaphylactic reaction - even if there was sufficient anti-histamine in whatever she was trying to give them (which I very much doubt) you won't be able to physically get the person to drink it.

You could also point out the 'dangers' of assuming that natural is always best ie it is natural products like nuts and milk that have caused the reaction, however only you can know if she would be open to that approach.

[canyou]

Thank you,
The point you made natural caused this so natural may not fix it is by passing her but maybe those are the words I need to use, Yes I can some what understand her denial [My DD was very premature and burying my head was so tempting] but ...
Your first comments are right I will contact the Dr [at the hosp] he did have concerns about SIL
I just need to know what I am talking about and at the moment I do not, I am not in the UK but we should have an Anaphylaxis group so I will look that up. I never even thought about a support group they might give me advice.
Thank you

[eragon]

Has she stopped all forms of treatment? or just considering?

are you sure that she is taking this route?

has she been giving the infant antihistamines so far?

[canyou]

Baby is out of hospital this morning and she has stopped treatment as of tonight,
the baby has had a bath with seaweed instead of milton and emulsifying ointment and she has said she has not used the hydrocortisol cream either.
She is also not following the diet even though she has said she is as Sil just praised the dinner MIL left while baby was in hosp for dad to eat Lasagne
I am so pissed and cross I have rung BIL and told him and said on their heads be it if that baby dies
Am considering ringing the hosp ward to know what to do

[canyou]

Sorry yes baby has had antihistamines for 5 days now in the hosp despite of SIL's objections

[MistyB]

I don't have a link but high dose vitamin C, preferably non citrus (biocare do a bilberry one) has been shown to be an effective anti histamine in asthma cases but I don't know if any trials which show effectiveness in cases of anaphylaxis.

[eragon]

anti histamine would not halt anaphylaxis.

I suspect that this mother will go back to the doctor once her child becomes ill again. Has already spent some time in hosptial, so isnt completly against normal medical care.

[freefrommum]

No antihistamine will work in the case of full anaphylaxis, 'natural' or otherwise.

[ukey]

were the breathing difficulties as a result of an allergic reaction?

If so then the mum will need to arrange an appointment to discuss how any future reactions will be managed.

Has the baby been tested for the specific allergens?

My main concern would be further severe reactions and whats in place to manage it if the child were to come into contact with something causing a severe reaction.