Any hives experts around?

[JessiCake]

My DD (4) broke out in quite severe hives out of nowhere on Friday. I've no idea what caused them but have a couple of possible suspicions about either flowers or perfume. A small red patch on her chin rapidly became a patch of quite lumpy hives, these then spread pretty rapidly over her entire face and neck. She was very distressed too - red and hot to the touch and screaming (tbf she is a bit of a drama queen in general, but she was quite obviously exremely uncomfortable) and thankfully we located some Piriton which we gave her about 15 mins after it all started. The hives slowly disappeared.

The next day, hives popped up again, on her legs and bottom this time. Again, no idea of the trigger (but could have been a wet wipe). Piriton again, and they went away.

Today no hives but she has been generally 'blotchy'. She got upset at bedtime (nothing unusual!) and her whole face has just FLARED up, not in hives as such but red blotches that have taken almost 20 mins to subside.

So a couple of questions for anyone who has experience of them!!

1. about 2 months ago she began to come out with eczema for the first time (we are an allergic family, all the eczema/hayfevery things are in her genes!) and it has been very hard indeed to stop it flaring up. Just gone on a combo of things from the GP a couple of weeks ago that seem to be helping calm a huge outbreak down, but new patches still appearing and she's very dry all over. Is this related to the hives, perhaps?
   
   
2. How many more outbreaks of hives should we see before going to the GP? I don't want to hurtle off at the first sign of them but don't want to just keep doling out piriton without asking a dr about a possible cause. We have extremely good health insurance through work so might a referral be worth asking for? The eczema alone is really really hard to manage at the mo.
   
   
3. once one attack of hives has occurred, do they just remain generally 'histamine-heavy' for a while and more suspectible to further outbreaks from very little triggers?
   
   Any advice at all would be hugely appreciated!!
   
   I may be a tad over-worrying but having once had a horrendous scare with my DH when he had a nasty allergic reaction to something (rushed to A&E etc) I am once bitten, twice shy! And Friday's sudden outbreak was pretty alarming as she really looked awful and was very upset indeed.
   
   Thank you!

[INeedNewShoes]

Her dry skin wouldn't cause hives I don't think.

Have you changed washing powders or is your DD wearing hand me down clothes/bedding from another family?

New toothpaste? New pyjamas? (Just trying to think of why it flared up at bedtime)

Unless you can identify the cause and avoid it I think she does need to see the GP tomorrow. Hives on the face/neck need to be taken seriously in case it develops into swelling inside the mouth.

[JessiCake]

Thanks INeedNewShoes!

Nope, not changed washing powders (or rather, I did about 2 months ago when her eczema first got bad, so it's not new iyswim)

The first outbreak on Friday was in fact in the middle of the day, totally random as far as I could tell, she hadn't even eaten or drunk anything in the last hour. We were greeting relatives so I did suspect perfume or similar could have rubbed her on the face from kisses/cuddles?

OK though, good advice about hives on the face needing attention - the relatives we were greeting on Friday all seemed to think I was being OTT mother when I got extremely alarmed by hives spreading rapidly all over her face - eyelids, mouth, etc - so it's good to hear I wasn't just being silly to rush for the piriton!!

Thank you.

[Sittinginthesun]

DS2 had hives when he was around 3 years old, and we never did find the cause.

He had a mild tummy bug the weekend before, and the GP suspected he'd had a reaction to the virus. Apparently very common in young children.

It started on his hands, then his face, and flared up on and off for months across his body. I gave him antihistamine as and when he needed it, but the flare ups usually went on their own.

He's 10 now, and we haven't had problems since.

[JessiCake]

Ah - that's interesting about the viral conection! DD has had a virus this past week but was clear of it by mid-week. But maybe something lingering?

Should I still pop to the GP do you think, given it was her face? She's supposed to go to nursery tomorrow and I'm a tiny bit worried about it happening there (not worried, per se, I will let them know and tell them they can give piriton etc but I would hate to think it could be worse)

[Whitelisbon]

Hives on the face and neck can become dangerous if they develop in the mouth and throat, so, yes, go see the gp.
Push for a referral to dermatology while you are there.

My Dr's allergist once explained histamine and reactions to me - think of your body as a pint glass. Everyone produces histamine at various times, but it's generally just a little drip in the bottom of the glass. However, sometimes, for instance during an eczema flare, your histamine levels rise, say to half a pint or so. Then, you use the washing powder that your body always produces histamine too, which takes the glass up to 3/4 full. Then, you eat something that your body doesn't like, which raises the level again. Then, you go outside and sit on the grass. You produce more histamine, which overflows the glass, which then causes hives, wheezing, and onto anaphylaxis. So, yes, if her histamine levels are raised because her skins flared, it's very easy for a minor reaction to become a more serious one.
Finding the cause might never happen, but I'd be asking for referrals to the allergy clinic.

[JessiCake]

Thank you so much whitelisbon, that is a terrific analogy and I see exactly what you mean.

I am so reassured that it wouldn't be silly to go to the GP. I had my MIL telling me not to be silly and that it was just redness - her eyesight is awful and she literally couldn't see the hives spreading like wildfire! I wouldn't have been half so panicky if it had been on her legs like it was the following day but all over her face scared me. And then she (DD) started saying her throat hurt - I am 99% sure it was from all the screaming she was doing but obviously it was hard to tell! I had to tell her very sharply that if she didn't stop screaming so we could work out what was wrong with her throat we would leave the family do and go straight to the hospital - which calmed her down.

[MrsMulder]

My dd had hives that randomly came and went after chicken pox so it can definitely be a reaction to a virus. I would give regular piriton for a couple of days while the 'allergen' works its way out of the body.

[Loraline]

The speed of the resction and the fact they're on her face say GP to me. You're clearly on the lookout for more serious signs which is good, and the sore throat probably was from screaming, bit definitely investigate if she has an itchy mouth or throat if it happens again

[JessiCake]

Thanks all!
Will book in with GP tomorrow, I would kick myself if there was a more serious reaction and I just hadn't gone and had her checked out. Would feel happier with an allergy referral too, it may well just be reaction to virus of course but better to know.

[BumpKitty]

My DD is 3 and has been having hives off and on for about 3/4 weeks. She came out in spots which we thought was the pox but it didn't develop at all and the GP said it was a virus. She came out in hives a week or so later and I did go to the doctor with her as it was very alarming and initially I thought it could be scarlet fever. This GP said the hives are likely a reaction to the virus, so her body treating the virus as an allergen. She doesn't have any allergies or excema and nor do any of the rest of the family so this makes the most sense to me. I keep thinking it's gone then she'll break out again, but that makes sense with whitelisbon's explanation.

[geekyboo]

I'm slightly prone to hives, ice once had it on my face and neck due to an allergic reaction to so medication and was told to seek medical help as it was an allergy/near my airways. But the other times i mainly felt it is much milder and a response to stress/fight or flight feelings. Us ot possible your daughter has been feeling a bit unsettled or distressed recently? Hope she's feeling better soon, cooling the areas down has always helped x

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

was going to say similar to whitelisbon once the system is going it really likes to get going and kick arse!

I am a hivey person, but only over the past five-seven years....I tend to take an anti histamine every day, they stay away, I forget to buy new AntiHs, they don't reappear and I imagine I have grown out of them

then it starts all over...can be too hot, too cold, new washing powder, even dh if he is away for a week or so and I welcome him home the hives break out and it's back

I find loratidine works best for me.

I'd go to the GP for sure, esp as you all seem to be allergic types.

[geekyboo]

Oh dear so many typos, darn you phone

[JessiCake]

I love MN.

Thank you SO much everyone.

This has reassured me A) that I was being a good mother and not a hysterical nutcase when the face/neck hives broke out. MIL's reaction astonished me as she has been very very vocal indeed about it apparently being my responsibility always to ensure that DH has an epi-pen on him after his nasty allergic reaction a few years ago... and here her 4yo GD was breaking out in hives all over her face and she kept saying, 'Oh, don't worry so much! She's fine!'

and b) that I won't be wasting the GP's time by popping in tomorrow if they can fit us in.

Thank you. I really appreciate all the advice and anecdotes x

[Twopeapods]

Hi Jessi
My DD1 has been prone to hives since she was about 12 months. She gets them every time she is coming down with a virus. It's the very first clue we know that something virally will happen in a few days tome.
We usually give her a dose of piriton if it's bad, and have a cream on standby if she breaks the skin when scratching. Funnily enough when she gets something as simple as a cold she gets very ill and often vomits. I wonder if her immune system goes into overdrive with things. DD2 doesn't get anything like it and rarely gets ill.

[Poosnu]

My DD also gets post viral hives - when she is getting over a virus she over comes out in them. They generally come and go for a week or so. I give kids piriton.

[shewolfmum]

Gut health. Probiotics. Vit c is natural ani histamine. Advocado and fermentes food are high in histamine as are bone broth and hung meat.

[Starrr123]

@geekyboo how long did they last after stopping the medication? X

[LesleyRoman]

Hi, I'm experiencing something similar with my son. He's 2 and a half.

I know this was posted a long time ago, but it's the only thing I can find that's similar to us. I'm very worried and stressed about it. Any help or advice, would be greatly appreciated.

I was just wondering if you found any answers for what was going on, or if anything helped?

Many thanks,

Lesley