Rare condition means Minnesota toddler is allergic to water

(KMSP) - With a set of bright blue eyes and an adorable smile, Ivy Angerman's parents say she's just like any other normal 18-month-old--except when it comes to bathtime.

It's not exactly out of the ordinary for a toddler to dread the ritual, but for little Ivy it's become downright dangerous. 

She was recently diagnosed with Aquagenic Urticaria, a rare allergy to water which causes severe hives and rashes. The Angerman's doctor told the family that Ivy may be the youngest person to ever be diagnosed with the condition, which usually develops during a person's teenage years.

"As a father it absolutely breaks your heart," Dan Angerman said. 

Ivy can be seen crying on cell phone video taken by her mother, with doctors saying she can only be immersed in water for roughly 15 seconds before her skin begins to burn and develop blisters. 

Ivy has seen her symptoms abate somewhat with a regimen of anti-histamines, though to help with the symptoms experts say she needs to consume and bathe in purified water as well as live in a climate controlled home with central air that will prevent her from overheating. As a result of these guidelines, Dan and Brittany Angerman are currently in the process of moving out of their home, which was built in 1901. 

They're hoping to get some more answers from the Mayo Clinic, though doctors warn the condition isn't something she can just grow out of--in fact, they warn it may get worse over time.

“Is she ever going to be able to go to daycare? Is she ever going to be able to go to public school? Is she able to ever go in the ocean? I don't know.” Brittany Angerman said. "“I just hope that someday she can drink water and be able to live a somewhat normal life.”