:rolleyes:

Please Help !!!
My 16 yr old son has had a couple of experiences with alcohol for the first times. He came to me about it because it was very scary for him. He said after a few minutes of drinking even a few sips his throat started to close up. His friends even had to hold his head up all the way in order for him to breath. This had happened with regular alcohol and beer. It has gotten worse each time. He swears he will never drink again but I can not depend on that with all the peer pressure in life. I am afraid his friends won't understand what is happening and think he is just passing out drunk and leave him. Then he will die from anaphylactic shock. Has anyone heard of this?????? Of course because of his age he doesn'e want me to take him to talk to his Pediatrician. I feel he needs to know something for his future even if he chooses not to drink. Please help me I am scared to death!!!!!!

Where do I go to find out and get help maybe he needs to carry an epi pen it may be other things as well that could cause the same reaction.


Thank You Please Help Me,
Paisley6

Does he have this problem with mouthwashes, cough syrup, etc? Perhaps it's a sulfite issue? Lots of things could be happening. And you don't have to tell the doctor he's been "drinking"....just say you let him have some wine or something like that and it happened. And maybe try an allergist instead of the pediatrian....

Thank's for your thought's. So far it has only happened when drinking. But he has also never had any peanut products and that makes me wonder now. but I am very worried being a young not always so mart teen about the alcohol.

Paisley6 :confused:

Oh my! You need to convince him to go to the doctor. Honestly, those reactions are so scarey, I'm sure he is being sincere when he says he won't drink again. And his friends witnessed it, and I'm sure it was scary to them too. I doubt they will pressure him to try again.

In the meantime, maybe he could carry around some fast melt benedryl tablets. Better than nothing.

On another note, you are the mother, correct? And he's the underage child, correct? I wouldn't worry about whether or not he "wants" you to contact his doctor. His butt would be there. Period. You are responsible for his welfare even if he isn't interested in being so. You might try the allergist though as at 16 I think treating him as an "older" child might make it somewhat easier. Going to the pediatrician at 16 is getting to be a stretch.

On another note, you are the mother, correct? And he's the underage child, correct? I wouldn't worry about whether or not he "wants" you to contact his doctor. His butt would be there. Period. You are responsible for his welfare even if he isn't interested in being so. You might try the allergist though as at 16 I think treating him as an "older" child might make it somewhat easier. Going to the pediatrician at 16 is getting to be a stretch.

I went to my pedatrician at age 20 to get the chicken pox vaccine. (it was brand new, and only pediatricians had it in my area at the time.) My sister was 18, and neither of us had gotten the chicken pox growing up. It was so crazy! It was me and my sister and a bunch of little kids and their moms just staring at us like "What are they doing here?!" Of course my mom explained why we were there, and then everyone was marveling that we had never gotten the chicken pox growing up.


Anyway, you might want to take him to just a family physician instead if you can't see the allergist.

I went to my pedatrician at age 20 to get the chicken pox vaccine. (it was brand new, and only pediatricians had it in my area at the time.) My sister was 18, and neither of us had gotten the chicken pox growing up. It was so crazy! It was me and my sister and a bunch of little kids and their moms just staring at us like "What are they doing here?!" Of course my mom explained why we were there, and then everyone was marveling that we had never gotten the chicken pox growing up.


Anyway, you might want to take him to just a family physician instead if you can't see the allergist.


I was just thinking for a guy it would be even worse. I quit the ped by the time I was 15 or 16 and was using my parents' internist.

:rolleyes:

Thank you all for your reply. I have made him an appointment with a family Dr. I think your right he would be more comfortable. I am going to try to get him into to an allergist I will call around today.

He is a good kid but I am afraid of peer pressure not all of his friends that did not witness this believe it is that serious. He is scared which is good but I am terrified for him.

It doesn't help that we live on a lake an it is constant partying he has grown up around with my husband and his buddies. camp fires and drinking too often!
That is one of the reasons I want him to know for his future.

Plus I think if he really knows what it is and has it explained by a Dr. he will take it more seriously even than now.

I wondered if anyone has ever heard of anyone having a reaction like this???

Paisley6 :confused:

Hi Paisley,

There are many substances in alcholic beverages that may contribute to such a reaction. Many beers, wines, & coolers contain sulfites, which have been known to cause life-threatening reactions such as described & experienced by your son.

While sulfite sensitivity is not generally considered an allergy per se, an allergist is definitely the person to talk to about this. Because, if it turns out he does have sulfite sensitivity, there are other sources he may need to be aware of. He may need to carry an epi pen, and avoid things that trigger these reactions.

Alcoholic beverages sometimes contain histamine, which in some people causes reactions. And there are a host of other potential allergens.

It's not uncommon for people to have enzyme deficiencies that preclude breakdown of the alcohol, causing symptoms.

I'm afraid you're just going to get a lecture on underage drinking from the family doc. I hope you will ask for a referral to an allergist, and get it.

At the same time, do not buy into the attitude that a teen needs to drink to fit in ... that ya can't be a real man without holding your liquor. There are thousands of alcohol-abstinent teens in this country. There are many skills your son may need to develop to avoid peer & family pressure. But he would be a better, more mature individual for developing these skills. The main thing he may need to work on is cultivating some new friends who are into more uplifting activities than partying & drinking.

Please let us know how it goes at the doc appts. Best wishes.

I was just thinking for a guy it would be even worse. I quit the ped by the time I was 15 or 16 and was using my parents' internist.


Yeah I agree, it WAS embarrassing to us, and for younger more self-conscious teens, especially boys, I bet it would be worse. A family physician is probably the way to go

UPDATE... I talked over the phone with the Pediatrician and am going to get an appointment with an allergist ASAP. In the mean time she prescribed a couple Epi pens to have one on him at all times since we do not know what else may cause it or if even if he doesn't drink who knows if some kid will mess with him and put alcohol in his drink.

In the mean time I have encouraged him to concentrate on the things he enjoy's. He know's he doesn't need alcohol. He actually has been turned off to it from things he has seen growing up on the lake. But of course that day came to try it. He swears he feels no pressure to drink again. I am worried about what else may cause this as well and need to have him know for the future the real story of what happened.

He races Motocross every weekend and loves to ride. also jet ski's and boating are interests. The kids he is with for Motocross have no time for the drinking stuff right now so that is where he is going to consentrate. He really is a good kid.

I am still afraid for him but will continue to look for answers until I find them for him. They say it could be a couple of months to get into an allergist but just in case we will have the Epi pen and he know's if he has to use it he also has to and must call 911 as well.
Thank you all so ery much for your caring help. I am so glad that I posted here I had no where to turn and had never done this before.
I will keep you updated.
Thanks again. Paisley

Paisley: That's excellent. I think the best thing you are doing for him is showing him how to handle serious situations in a calm, rational manner. It will be something he can fall back on as he matures. Good luck and please keep us posted.

Titchou

All good news! Best wishes to your son. Hope he never needs to use the Epi, but am so glad he has them on board!