More of a rant really. Feel like this could only happen to my daughter. And less than 3 weeks before competition.

She has a princess on ice dress which really suits her personality and her program. (Belly dancing sort of music).

First time wore dress - itchy, excema, peeling skin. No problem - got a nude leotard. Second time (with leotard) itched a bit and reddish skin but seemed OK.

Tried it on last night (to check she hasn't grown too much) and instant red blotches all over her. (Didn't use bodysuit as it was a 2 second trying on).

Forth time wearing it - even with bodysuit - wheals/nettle rash - huge things with raised bit in middle. Granted she wore it for an hour for a whole skating session (it was a dress rehearsal and she didn't want to come off ice to change after 2 minutes).

So - need to locate something quickly or give her loads of anti-histamines, just wear for one competition or wear a pretty but completely unthemed dress.

PS She is very allergic and when little had significant allergic reaction to various foods - started with wheals and after a few more accidental exposures, eventually had breathing problems on exposure to these foods. She also has excema.

Busy checking ebay to see if there is something almost instantly available.

http://cgi.ebay.com/COMPETITION-ICE-...742.m153.l1262 was the dress

Have you tried washing it and/or having it cleaned?

Wow, that's really terrible!

Have you emailed the eBay seller and asked for a list of the source materials?

It's probably got melamine in the glitter glue. LOL. Do you want to think twice about what you've bought? The eBay seller asserts that it's made in the USA, it easily has 10-15 hours of work on it, yet is being sold for $65.00. Taking out the cost of materials, how much do you think that home-worker got paid? I suspect it's a Chinese made dress.

I really don't believe that it was made in the USA, something on that website says "shipped from USA". I'm sort of joking that there's melamine in the glue, that's my China reference. It is more likely that there is latex in the glue, and if that's the case, your child shouldn't even be near the dress.

Definitely try to get something else. Check the manufacturer of the dress and if I'm you, I'll be wary about getting the same brand for the daughter. Also, check the fibre content.

Why not try doing an allergy test to find out her allergies so she won't have to risk so many things?

And yes, try to wash it, but I don't think it'll work. And I think the bodysuit won't work because well, it's still porous...

I wish you luck in finding a last minute replacement! No matter how suited it is for the program, I don't think wearing that dress just ONE more time is worth it. I had one episode of hives. Terrible, and I won't wish anything similar on anyone.

They say allergies usually get progressively worse with each exposure.

I've heard a lot of people are allergic to the chemicals sometimes put in new clothing. Starch (I'm not sure that applies to dresses), whiteners, whatever. Not everything washes out - specific fabric or dyes, or even to wearing something super tight or scratchy.

But talk to the dressmaker - maybe you can't even cold/hand wash or dryclean it. He/she might also know what substances are in it, so you can consider avoiding them in the future.

It was washed (by hand) after the last competition. Good idea about finding out the chemicals possibly in it. There does seem to be a lot of glue involved and most of the stuff is glued on. The glitter stuff sheds a lot. Definately she won't be wearing that again. Personally think they are really OTT, although daughter is such a show off she seems to do OK in the dress. (If you know what I mean).

I live in the UK where they do not believe in allergy testing! (When she was a little kid she had some potentially life-threatening reactions to egg and a severe reaction to an anaesthetic and couldn't even get those tested).

Think I contacted the seller about the "made in the US assertion" but you're right - more likely to be Eastern labour. Off to hunt for info on melamine allergies.

Probably a good thing we did the "dress rehearsal".

Daughter of a friend of moms has got an allergy to synthetic fibres. She developed it when she was 3 or 4. Your kid might have the same thing.

OMG!! How horrible!! Try your local dance shops to see if they have any skating dresses or a simple type dance dresses with attached leotard. Then you could use hot fix crystals to decorate it or appliques. I do this all the time and the dresses look beautiful. Do you have Danskin suppliers in the UK? They have some great simple dresses that with decorating turn out gorgeous!!

By the way, why is there no allergy testing in the UK? Kind of OT but curious.

Danskin's website is www.danskin.com

I'm no expert. But if you mean your Daughter is allergic to the material of dresses. I should think your Daughter should be able to wear something. As I can't see Skating manufactures (sorry if that's spelled wrong) denying skaters who are allergic to there dresses not having anything to wear. That's rediculous right there.

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Oh that's so sad for her Hopefully you can find a suitable replacement fast. Is there anyone her size you could borrow a dress from?

I've never had any allergy issues, but last year I knit a sweater with this gorgeous Peruvian alpaca. Designed the sweater myself, it's a lace pattern, V-neck, 3/4 sleeves (which I planned to wear with just a coordinating cami underneath) came out gorgeous and fit perfectly, only to find out the first time I wore it that I must be allergic to the particular blend of alpaca I used. My skin got red, bumpy, itchy, you name it. This wasn't cheap yarn, either. And I had no issues with the yarn while I worked on it.

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Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

I'm shocked that there is no allergy testing in the UK. It's true that allergy testing is not 100% accurate, but no testing?

My older DD is extremely allergic to all milk products, still, at the age of 25, so I have lots of experience with allergies (she has others too, as does younger DD). The progression of symptoms sounds scary to me. Can you get your doctor to prescribe an epi-pen for your daughter? That is a single dose of epinephrine that is injected with just a jab. It is packaged in a plastic tube so it can be easily carried with you. It provides a 20 minute window in which to get to a hospital

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From a skating Nurse Anesthetist.--Allergic reactions often do accelerate with repeated exposure, with the possibility of anaphylactic reaction (aka anaphylactic shock) with acute closure of the airways causing wheezing or even total inability to breath and sudden, severe lowering of blood pressure. This can be life threatening. It is not worth the chance. Just accept the loss of $ and use a different dress.

Some UK clubs have dress hire and second hand dresses for sale. You might be able to get lucky and find something else in a hurry that way. And yes it will be a shame to not wear the dress you've bought, but her health is way more important.

I know there's a book available which explains which allergies are related to each other because the chemicals are similar. It might be worth having a look at down the library / local bookstore just so you can see if there's something she's already allergic to that's similar to anything that might be in a dress / glue. Given that there is no allergy testing (I've also heard it can be unreliable which is why we don't get it) it may be easier for you to do your own homework and work out what's causing it.

Huh. I'm allergic to wool, not synthetics.

Just curious: Is allergy testing illegal in UK, or just not covered by insurance and/or government medical programs, so you have to pay someone?

There are mail order allergy test kits, or one could wear swatches of different available fabrics under other clothing, and expose oneself to different (dried) glues, detergents, dyes, etc.

There are dance costume shops that sell and rent outfits. Maybe even real belly dancer stuff.

Maybe a dressmaker could duplicate the dress using other materials, by taking measurements off the original. Some fabric stores have notebooks full of them, or maybe people advertise, or other skaters could refer you to one. But a gal her told me they charge a lot.

Some skin tight outfits might stop allergens, like the skin suits sold by dive shops to protect stop jellyfish stings. The warm water models aren't hot or bulky. Don't know if they come in or could be dyed to skin tone color.

Would she go for a nice cheap conservative cotton sweat suit? Works for me.

She has a couple of pretty (unthemed) dresses which would be great with some hotfix crystals so hope to chat more to the coach today and tell them that she can't wear that dress again. I think they thought I was over-reacting yesterday I was told when she was little if the hives have a large raised central (white) area it indicates a potentially severe reaction.

They can be particular about competition dresses but at her level I don't htink its that serious not to have a costume themed to her music.

Not sure why the UK is like this about allergy testing I've heard its possible to get peanut allergy tested for and nothing else. Certainly she was under hospital paediatrician for many years and not one agreed to testing.

She had one severe reaction which needed resuscitation (anaesthetic reaction) and had several reactions which probably should have had adrenaline but all her allergies have improved a great deal and she is eating anything and everything with her only problem being excema. She used to have an epipen when little because her reactions to dairy and egg were so severe but as these aren't really a problem anymore we don't have them anymore.

It took about 12 hours for the rash to go down and I don't think she will go near that dress again! Will also never buy glue/sequin stuff again.

Not sure what level your daughter is skating at, but a nice blinged up dress should be fine. It's what a lot of the adults were wearing at the British over the weekend, so I can't see why the kids shouldn't.

I think I'd contact the ebay seller and see if you can find out what's in the dress so at least you can start trying to eliminate things for the next time. and maybe mention it to the GP next time you're there. He might have some ideas as to what might be in the dress which is causing it.

As for allergy testing, I've heard that it's possible for anyone to come up allergic to everything based on some of the allergy tests and I suspect that has something to do with why we don't test more rigorously in the UK.

[QUOTE=cazzie;386351]Not sure why the UK is like this about allergy testing I've heard its possible to get peanut allergy tested for and nothing else. Certainly she was under hospital paediatrician for many years and not one agreed to testing.

She had one severe reaction which needed resuscitation (anaesthetic reaction) and had several reactions which probably should have had adrenaline but all her allergies have improved a great deal and she is eating anything and everything with her only problem being excema. She used to have an epipen when little because her reactions to dairy and egg were so severe but as these aren't really a problem anymore we don't have them anymore.

.[/QUOTe}

The skin problem may be allergy related, of course. What you may want to consider doing is running her thru an allergy elimination diet. It essentially is removing all potential allergic foods from the diet (i.e. eggs, corn, wheat) for a period of a few weeks. The food you eat is pretty bland ... then, you reintroduce the food groups, one by one, over a few days. If you have the reaction, then, you know you're allergic and you can avoid that food group in the future. If you don't, then, you're okay. If it turns out your allergic many things, it gives your doctor aid in helping you construct a safe, balanced and healthy diet.

It is very effective, and generally very safe, although like any medical experiment or test it's best done with a doctor or allergist's supervision. It helps to identify mild, chronic allergies that can make your life quite miserable without making you overtly ill. Key things to watch for with a kid with chronic allergies: skin conditions; itchy nose; puffy skin; purple circles under the eyes; irritability; upset tummies, or just an aversion to some foods. Just google Allergy Elimination diet. It's not "quackery" its legitimate medical practice. Oddly enough, the paediatric anti-allergy diet we followed here was based on British research!!!!

Just a thought. It's easy to do, and can make a huge difference for you.

They certainly used to do allergy testing in the UK, as my sister was tested many years ago, but as it didn't show that it was the cat that was causing her problems and did show that she was allergic to other things, it wasn't much use - and it wasn't until the cat died that she got better!

How maddening about the dress, though - is this the first time she's had a reaction to fibres like this? Well worth finding out what the dress was made from. Let's hope you don't have to go the route of making all her dresses yourself to be sure of the fibre content - but if that's what it takes....

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Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

If you want something more authentic and she's willing to accept a unitard, River's Edge dancewear:
http://www.riversedgedancewear.com/shorsleevbel.html
sells some neat-looking unitards that have a top that looks like a choli, nude mesh at the middle, and a jazz pant style bottom. Tie on a hip wrap with lots of coins and voila--instant costume.

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Where I live they only allergy test twice a year, and you've had to have had a proven reaction (eg, hives, doctor and ER visit) to even get into clinic. Go live in your bubble in the meantime and wait for your appointment!

I've been trying to think of other things that could be in fabric and/or decoration. Possibly in the glitter there could be metals, ? That could be a problem for figure skating, being allergic to bling!

Good luck finding something suitable, and definitely a reason to do a dress test well before the competition.

What an amazing unitard! Will be contacting them. Daughter prefers unitards to dresses anyway and what a reasonable price!

If you want something more authentic and she's willing to accept a unitard, River's Edge dancewear:
http://www.riversedgedancewear.com/shorsleevbel.html

Glitter is usually attached by a kind of glue onto the fabric. She may have a problem with that. Or she may have a problem with the dye of the costume.

Myself, I'm allergical to metals (nikkel always, and also something else, not sure what, fact is even surgical steel and 18 carate gold and high-grade silver gives me a reaction) and I've never had a problem with any sort of glitter.

A far more likely candidate for allergies though: many third-world countries use a kind of powder on clothing that prevents moths, rats and fleas infesting the clothing. I think it's actually been banned on clothing for import into the European Union a few years ago, but it's still legal to use on for example feet wiping mats (like the ones you put in front of your door) and some people react violently allergical to that powder.
And, some people are allergic to moths or cockroaches themselves.

And read this: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497713
And this: http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/art...dehyde-clothes
You could try washing the costume in baking soda or soap nut just to be sure it's not something perfume-related.

Lovely coach is asking her grandmother (who sews) whether she'd be able to make us something in a hurry.

Will wash dress again but don't really want to put her in it. She has had increasing reactions every time and wouldn't trust it.... but - will need a wash anyway.

Sk8tmum - you're right about the low grade allergy skin stuff. After 9 years of being dairy-free though, daughter adament she wants to continue to have small amounts of dairy (to be able to eat with friends and ahve school dinners). Excema definately related to this but recent attempts to once again remove dairy met with sneaking/rebellion etc. Compared to when she was little when she became extremely ill after traces of dairy in her mind this isn't a reaction. I think she may change her mind eventually but currently one of those battles that it doesn't seem we can win. (Her little brother OTOH is very careful and gets quite cross when he has excema flares...)

Thank goodness they both chose skating as preferred sport. 10 minutes outdoors in spring and they are not well kids.... The refuge of the skating rink!

Well... I'm 23 and I completely understand your daughter (I've got e.a. yeast and soya allergies myself and they put yeast extract in *everything* these days, crisps, soups, etc) so don't count on the problem solving itself in the future too much.

Did she try any cortisol creams for the eczema?

How awful. Yeast is virtually universal in foods and the natural environment, including airborne sources. Did you do any controlled tests, or is your diagnosis based on more ambiguous criteria? I know someone who thought they were allergic, then changed her mind after more careful testing.

She was advised to try a rotating diet for her low level allergies, where she didn't eat foods with the same ingredients twice within a two week period. That way no allergens could build up high levels. It worked very well, she got a lot healthier - but it takes a lot of time to cook that way, so she gave it up.

Oops. I got off topic again.