Boy, 7, allergic to winter breaks out in rash and violently vomits during cold months
A SCHOOLBOY is left violently vomiting and covered head-to-toe in a rash every winter because he is severely allergic to the cold.
Tommy Leitch, 7, from Buckinghamshire, is so allergic to the cold that last winter he was hospitalised every month with extreme sickness.
Mum, Abigail McDonald, 26, revealed that she can't even wrap the schoolboy up in multiple layers to keep him warm when it snows because he also faces an allergic reaction when he gets too hot.
Tommy suffers with life threatening cold urticaria and angioedema– a skin reaction that causes a red rash from head to toe, difficulty breathing along with facial and stomach swelling when he is exposed to the cold.
TINY RASH
He is also unable to wrap up in multiple layers as the heat also triggers an allergic reaction - something he's still awaiting a diagnosis for.
Mum-of-two Abigail says the unpredictable flare ups put a strain on family activities as she is often too ‘anxious’ in case he has a reaction.
Abigail, from Amersham, said: “It all started when Tommy was five and I noticed a tiny rash on his forehead.
"I thought it was just a viral infection but the next morning he was covered from head to toe and complaining of stomach and chest pains with a swollen face and stomach.
STRUGGLING TO BREATHE
“We immediately took him to the hospital, and he was given anti-histamines and adrenaline and we were referred to a dermatologist who diagnosed him with cold urticaria and angioedema.
“Last winter he was hospitalised every month as his allergic reaction caused him to violently vomit, struggle to breathe and was delirious.
"It's a horrific condition and I always panic about it as it can be life threatening if Tommy doesn't get urgent medical attention.
“It is heartbreaking to witness my little boy with an oxygen mask on and with wires hanging off him in hospital but he is so brave.
“As the years have gone on, we have noticed it is both hot and cold weather conditions that cause him to have a flare up.
“I am always on guard as we never know when it is going to happen which makes it even scarier.
WEDDING POSTPONED
“Tommy starts to worry as soon as he sees the rash which I think makes the rash worse.
“He has missed out on lots of play dates with his friends and as a family we have been unable to go on holiday or on day trips as I am too anxious in case it happens when we are on the plane or abroad."
Abigail, who is a waitress and her partner Ben Leitch, 32, have postponed their dream wedding abroad as they are frightened his urticaria and angioedema will flare up.
Tommy must always stay at room temperature, if he is exposed to any more or less than 20 degrees then his skin begins to break out.
His mum ensures he wears suitable clothing in summer and winter to try and avoid reaction.
He can wear a coat and t-shirt during the winter and must avoid fleecy pyjamas of a night as he will overheat.
During the summer, he wears UV swimwear and spends no longer than 20 minutes outside in both weather conditions.
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He is now able to recognise the first stages of a flare up and requests an anti-histamine from Abigail – sometimes they do not block the symptoms and he begins to vomit and must go to hospital.
She adds: “I had no idea people could be allergic to temperatures before Tommy which I think makes it even more difficult.
“There aren’t any leaflets in my local GP so I have had to turn to Facebook support groups to learn more and try and find remedies on how to reduce the flare ups.”
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