Poisoning

Visions of Mexican jumping beans are again flashing through my thoughts. Blessing #5 is spending his days in his brother's "outside workin' hat" with its wide brim set atop his three-year-old head. My little lad is happily bouncing around in his mock-sombrero.

As we headed to soccer practice yesterday afternoon, I overheard the big girls talking to each other about B#5, while they sat on either side of him in the back seat of the Monkey Bus.

"Look," says B#2, "He's got a bumpy thermometer on his ear."

"Look," says B#1, "He's got one on this side, too."

"I told you there were goosebumps," says B#2.

Kids, right?

I was driving to the practice at the time and didn't think too much of their conversation. Until later when B#5 was sitting in the driver's seat with me. Then I was thinking about it.

The outer edges of his ears are red and blistered, a.k.a. the bumpy thermometers. He isn't sunburned, and he doesn't have blisters anywhere else.

We are now fairly certain that we are dealing with a case of "juvenile spring eruption of the ears," a probable variant and localized form of "polymorphic light eruption." It is considered a delayed allergic reaction to light, sometimes referred to as sun poisoning.

Niiiiice. But it doesn't seem to be a huge deal, and for now, a big hat and cortizone are all we need.

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