Severe urticaria - advice please?

[marthamoo]

Ds1 (almost 7) has suffered from moderate urticaria (raised white spots on reddened skin, extremely itchy - like nettle rash) for a couple of years. He mostly gets it in the summer, in hot weather, and had it quite badly this summer after he'd been rolling about in grass. I give him Piriton throughout the summer (and apply Calamine liberally) and it's never been bad enough to warrant him seeing the GP.

Since Hallowe'en, he's been suffering from sporadic outbreaks, and I've been dosing him regularly with Piriton. Then, on Wednesday, he had the horrible sickness bug that seems to be going around, and on Thursday his thigh came up in an enormous raised weal from his hip to his knee, with patches of more normal looking urticaria round the periphery. I dosed him up with Piriton and by next morning it had gone. Friday afternoon it was back with a vengeance - I rang for an emergency appointment at 3, we went at 5 by which time he was covered with raised, very itchy, weals - on his face, arms, back and legs.

The GP said it could be a more extreme version of urticaria, brought on by the sickness virus, or it could be some kind of allergy (he hasn't had any new foods/medicines/washing powder/bubble bath etc. recently). She prescribed him a 3 day course of steroids (obviously, I'm not massively enthusiastic about the steroids but the poor child was in misery) and a different antihistamine called Loratadine. Today he's fine, no recurrence of the rash, but the GP said if it keeps flaring up she'll refer him to see if an allergen can be identified.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

My best friends dd had this kind of thing in Jan this year. She'd had tinsilitis about a week before with antibiotics,and they seemed to conclude it had been sparked by the combination of being run down, the virus and a big course of antibiotics. Hers took about a week to go down and she was pretty poorly for most of it. She's not had it since (or before). Not sure if that's any help but wishing him wel.

Not suggesting this for right now, but have you tried any homeopathic remedies for this? We've had a lot of sucess with calming my dd1s excema (now 99% gone) with various remedies.

You could try probiotics to strengthen his gut after the sickness bug. It could be a few things are leaking through his gut and causing the reaction. Probiotics will hopefully speed up the process which would happen anyway. Worth a try because I haven't ever seen anything to suggest they are harmful.

My sister and my DD have both had very bad attacks of urticaria. Both of them were very, very ill spending many hours in A&E. After months of conventional medicine my sister went to see a homeopath, she got 5 powders which she had to take each day for 5 days the urticaria went and she has never had a recurrance to this day!

When my DD many years later had a bad attack, we gave conventional medicine a couple of weeks and when there was no respite took her to a homeopath. The urticaria cleared up very quickly and she too has never had a recurrance.

So... my advice is to book into see a homeopath. If you have private medical insurance (which I get through work) then if you get a referral from your GP then you can get the insurance company to pay.

My oldest son had this when little and when we asked the doctor what it meant, she said that it was a name for a rash that couldn't have another name ie: something that he had that couldn't really be identified. He had really bad rashes and people shied away from him thinking he had a disease or he had been burnt. One day, it got less and less, next day it was back. We were told he could have loads of "prick" tests on his arms to see what he "might"be allergic to or we could leave it and see what happened. He woke up one day with no blotches and just got "better". Hope this makes you feel better. I hope whatever you try helps and don't worry about other people saying things-he will get better,

Thankyou so much batey, b the b, jmg and jollymum for your concern and advice. He took his last steroid tablet this morning so I'm now just waiting to see if it flares up again. If it does I'll get the GP to refer him to the hospital but I will also definitely check out a homeopath. I wonder if my GP would recommend one? Is there a professional body of homeopaths, does anyone happen to know?

Thanks again, fab Mumsnetters!

Marthamoo - I developed this at the age of 17. After going on a waiting list for 9 months I FINALLY got an appointment at the hospital and was tested for all sorts of allergies. Turns out I had just developed an allergy to TOMATOES! Which incidentally, I love!!

It affects my asthma too, so I take steroids and Neo-clarytin tablets daily. Allergies can just start at any time so it may not be a new food he is eating that is causing it. Sorry this is a bit after-the-fact... only just noticed it.

Glad you've been given some great advice.

There is a registered society of Homeopaths. The one I use specialises in children and she sorts them out regularly from tummy bugs to persistent coughs to many a "skin" thing. Good luck.

Marrhamoo - Am i glad i found this thread!

I suffer with what is known as Cold Urticaria - have done for the last 18 months.

Mine is the reverse of your sons - i get in cold conditions, not necessarily really cold just a bit on the chilly side - I cannot walk down the freezer isle in Sainsbury's without it coming up, i cannot have Air Condition on as it comes up with a vengance, i cannot take a nice walk on another other than a scorching hot day without it coming up.
I was even in Majorca in July 2002 and it even came up each time i went into the sea - even when the temperature was well in the 90's!

I have been to my doctors (Numerous times as they are shit), have been referred to Bupa and then referred to St Thomas' hospital in London.
When at St Thomas i had several tests carried out - none of which were blood tests (think this could've helped)!

Prior to going to St Thomas' i didn't have a clue what this condition was called but it has been diagnosed as Cold Urticaria - all i have been told is that i can either take a daily antihistimine or just wait for it to go!
Apparently it will dissapear as quickly as it arrived - don't know about your son but mine just arrived one day when i was walking to work - one day i was fine, then next i was covered!

Mine starts with the skin itching, then doing red then turning into huge white weals that turn solid!

What i would suggest us that you do not let your son go swimming - i was told that in very extreme cases people have been known to have fits and drown whilst swimming - obviously not trying to scare you, just want you to be aware - this has not happened to me but each time i go swimming i can only go for 10 minutes or so and the my rash arrives!

Sorry for the long post but have been waiting to learn of someone else who suffers from this - I am now pregnant and wonderign whether this is going to cause a problem with my pregnancy or m,ost importantly any harm to my baby!

Hope my advise helps - If you learn anything from any doctors etc i would be very interested to know!

Jem x

Sorry for the over use of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Must've been getting carried away

Try a free sample from Elena Schalburg for itchy red skin, eczema psoriasis etc., email: elena @elenascollection.co.uk Just mention Mumsnet and you will get free samples of a Natural Vegetable based handmade/homemade creams and soap!

Hi All

Have any of you had a look at a condition called Mastocytosis?? its another form of UP but with a lot of different symptoms! anything from skin rashes, stomach aches, bone pain, sickness, diarhoea to nose bleeds etc every child is different and as yet I haven't come across any child that is the same. Some just have skin complaints some have more symptoms. My son who is now nearly 3 was born with it but was not diagnosed until he was 8 months old and that was only by chance. It is a rare condition and hopefully is not what your little ones are suffering with. I have a website www.MastoChildUK.org which is for parents in the UK who have children with Mastocytosis, it contains info about the condition and a forum.

If any of you want to know anything else please email me from the site.

Lisa

Interesting thread. I came out in a blotchy/ raised rash yeaterday which I think is Urticaria and , like Batey's friend dd, had just finished antibiotics for tonsillitis. It is more raised on my thighs but generally confined to my chest, stomach and back although also itchy in patches on inside of my arms. Will it just go away of its own accord ? I've got anti-allergy gel to apply.

Allergies are completely different to mastocytosis! but urticaria pigmentosa is one form of mastocytosis, although the symptoms can be the same. Have a look at the website !although the information is aimed at parents of children who have this condition most of it applies to adults and children it just takes a different course. Lots of things can trigger heat, cold, stress, foods, drinks, rubbing/irritation the list is endless! I'm no expert but between us all we tend to find a solution to most problems.

Lisa

I also had urticaria when I was in my early twenties. Didn't know what it was even, had to go and see a dermatologist who diagnosed it straight away. I would come out in huge red weals all over my arms and face and anywhere I might have touched it was that sensitive. Really nasty and in my case caused by stress. Was given stuff for it and it took a while to work but did go eventually and has never come back.

Jemma7, sorry - I must have missed your post, have only seen this thread resurrected today. It's interesting to read of your experience -, I used to get mild urticaria when I was hot (say I was running for a bus) and the weather was cold.. I haven't had it for about ten years and in fact had not really thought about it til I read your posting.

Ds1 has been fine since the course of steroids - just a case of wait and see now I guess. Sorry, no advice to pass on regarding your pregnancy.