When Ivy Angerman was only a year old, she started breaking out in rashes after bath time. Her parents assumed it was the soap, so they swapped it out for a different one. Over the next several months, her parents changed every shampoo and soap in the house, tried baths at hotels and Ivy's grandparents house, and took her to a doctor, but nothing helped. Finally, they found the surprising culprit — water.
Ivy, who is now 1 1/2 years old, suffers from a rare condition called aquagenic urticaria, which causes hives to form on the skin whenever it comes into contact with water. According to Healthline, there is limited research on the condition, and less than 100 reported cases. Ivy's mom, Brittany, told Delish since sharing her daughter's story she's heard from others with the condition. However, most are older and from other countries.
Ivy doesn't have a reaction internally when she drinks water — at least not currently. "I wonder if one day her throat will start to swell up when she drinks it," Brittany told PEOPLE. "It's already getting worse."
The condition affects everything from Ivy's bathtime to playtime. Just 15 seconds in water can cause extreme pain, Brittany told the magazine, so they limit her bathtime to one or two times per week. Ivy can't play outside when it's raining or snowing, and even her own tears cause her pain. Her mom worries about what will happen when she starts going to daycare and wonders if she'll ever be able to visit places like Disney World or the beach.
According to the NIH, symptoms usually disappear within an hour of contact with water. Given how many times a day people come into contact with water (bathing, washing hands, getting something to drink), though, contact is difficult to prevent.
The Angerman family started a GoFundMe to raise money to cover medical expenses and go toward research. They're hoping to move into a new home with a well, purified water system, and central air to help Ivy's symptoms. In the meantime, antihistamines and purified water have helped calm the reactions, though she's sadly still in pain.
Follow Delish on Instagram.
Download the Delish app.
