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Original poster

8 year old suddenly came out in hives yesterday, now it’s happened again

20 replies

Chris1989 · 06/03/2024 17:37

Hi 😊 I have an 8 year old son and after he came home from school yesterday, I noticed his feet looked a bit red. Later on he came for a bath and I was shocked to see he had, what seems like hives? all over his body (see pictures). He was absolutely fine in himself, they weren’t itchy at all either. He had some antihistamines and when he woke up they were all gone.

He’s come home again today and they’re starting to appear again. Nothing has changed at home that could cause this so I’m baffled and not sure what to do!

OP posts:
Original poster
Chris1989 · 07/03/2024 20:28

3rd day in the row they’ve come up now :/ pharmacist seems to think it’s something in school he’s coming into contact with, like some sort of bush, but they’re even under his clothing.

OP posts:
QuestionableMouse · 07/03/2024 20:30

I think he nerds to see a doctor and you should give him an antihistamine on a morning before school! Hope you get an answer!

crabapplejam · 07/03/2024 20:30

Sounds like school if he's coming home with them?

Have a word with the teachers and see what's new in the routine/classroom/ school meals etc?

crabapplejam · 07/03/2024 20:31

And yes, I agree you should speak to a gp

Bumblebeeinatree · 07/03/2024 20:33

Could just be new plants coming out in the spring. I would definitely use an antihistamine tablet every day for a while and see a doctor. Also sometimes a virus can cause them.

Curlymam88 · 07/03/2024 20:39

My daughter had bad hives doctor said its the bodys way of fighting an infection?

bruffin · 07/03/2024 20:43

Happenened to me as a child a couple of times and never agsin. Same with Ds , he has a few food allergied. Happened rwice and never again.

LightSwerve · 07/03/2024 20:46

Could be viral, could be hayfever, could be an allergy, could be stress!

Start a food diary, give an antihistamine in the morning (are they ok for his age?) and get an urgent GP appointment.

Original poster
Chris1989 · 07/03/2024 21:13

Thanks all, I was going to get him an appointment today until I saw suggestions to speak to a pharmacist first who seemed to not be too concerned but at the same time shocked at the extent of them

He had the same thing when he was 4 looking back, but he’s got no allergies other than that and nothing has changed. He’s not really ‘coming home’ with them but rather they appear 2 hours later.

He’s been having antihistamines each night which seem to work well at getting rid of them temporarily at least!

OP posts:
Inyourwildestdreams · 07/03/2024 21:20

@Chris1989 I don’t have any answers for you just I had a very similar situation myself last week and had hives appearing all over my body for 9 days straight (I’m in my 30s with no previous allergies). My doctor has referred me to the allergy clinic to be on the safe side and ran a full blood screening but had seen a few patients over the last couple of weeks with hives and seemed to think there was a nasty virus doing the rounds. I felt fine in myself otherwise!

RainbowZebraWarrior · 07/03/2024 21:29

Chris1989 · 07/03/2024 21:13

Thanks all, I was going to get him an appointment today until I saw suggestions to speak to a pharmacist first who seemed to not be too concerned but at the same time shocked at the extent of them

He had the same thing when he was 4 looking back, but he’s got no allergies other than that and nothing has changed. He’s not really ‘coming home’ with them but rather they appear 2 hours later.

He’s been having antihistamines each night which seem to work well at getting rid of them temporarily at least!

Thats urticaria. If they are coming on about two hours after coming home, is it after he's bathed? Does he have hot baths or showers?

I have Urticaria. It's basically over production of histamine by the body. It can be exacerbated by temperature fluctuation and stress (among other things)

Just to try and pin down a cause as the GP will ask all the usual things like any change of washing powder etc. (Think about what's in his routine from coming home to the hives appearing?)

Urticaria can be acute or chronic. It can also wax and wane over years. Definitely keep on with the antihistamines to keep it in check until you can see a GP. Cetirizine is best for hives / Urticaria.

PictureFrameWindow · 07/03/2024 21:49

I also have histamine sensitivity, it can be caused by aged foods, aubergine, tomato, spinach.

Sometimes your gut bacteria can even produce histamine so a probiotic can help.

glitteryframing · 07/03/2024 21:50

I have cold urticaria and take a prescription anti histamine every day to keep it at bay. But if I leave the house without taking one or get too cold, I break out in hives just like that on my hands, forearms, legs and feet.

Mallowmarshmallow · 07/03/2024 21:58

My ten year old suffers with hives on a regular basis. The uticaria histamine comments are very interesting, I'll research more.

OP, are your DS' itchy? My DS' never are, and they don't seem to bother him.

I only realised a few weeks ago that we've had a significant reduction for a fairly sustained period, and I realised because they're back at the moment.

CancelledCheque · 07/03/2024 22:10

My 11 yo son had an intermittent rash exactly like this. I wondered initially if it was allergic as I had recently changed fabric softener but cutting it out didn’t make a difference. I spoke to a GP who from the history was of the opinion that it was post viral urticaria. The rash was worse after exercise or a warm shower. He was prescribed a daily long acting antihistamine (cetirizine or loratidine) for two months initially, with a short acting antihistamine (piriton/chlorpheniramine) to take on top if needed for breakthrough. He has now had it for about four months and it has settled a lot. He only needs to take antihistamines a couple of times a week now. I know it could happen again and we know how to manage it.

I hope you get answers and a GP should be next port of call.

Fifiellz · 07/03/2024 22:10

My daughter came up like that every few days on holiday in Turkey. I thought it was the pool chemicals but it's never happened before or since.

CancelledCheque · 07/03/2024 22:11

Just to add that my son is definitely itchy when his rash is out. It completely disappears in between episodes and the antihistamines settle it well.

Original poster
Chris1989 · 08/03/2024 10:57

Thanks again all :) woke up this morning and they had disappeared again, I tried getting
him a GP appointment this morning but had no joy. Will keep an eye on the weekend, if it keeps getting worse I might try to see an out of hours GP

OP posts:
sweetpea567 · 17/03/2024 19:54

My 7 yo dd has in the last day came out in the same thing, spread all over her body. We went out for breakfast on Saturday morning and half an hour later they appeared. She is not allergic to any food as far as we know. Been giving piriton but it's not helping much. Will be calling the gp in the morning to see if we can get it looked at.

Najah · 05/04/2024 12:10

My daughter has Recurrent acute Urticaria.

She started having similar to your son in August 2022 after being to a waterpark and used the hedrin headlice lotion. No idea which triggered it!!!
Since then, She has been on ceterizine twice daily for about 1.5 years. And tried to wean it off a month ago...but she has now different episode of rash on her body after a cold and it is taking several days to fully develop. like pimples rash ...The specialist allergy which we met after 1.5years of waiting suggested to take ceterizine 4times daily. 😥Good to know it is quite common in children. Please update us !! Hope they feel better soon x

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