Any advice for a 4yo who is "itchy"

[jumperoo2738]

My 4yo says she is itchy "when something annoys you" she complains about feet, back, armpits etc.

No rash.

Creamed skin.

Cooled down.

No fever.

No changes to laundry stuff etc etc.

In my heart she feels like an absolute fuss pot who has got into this infuriating habit of feeling "itchy" when it suits her and most annoyingly in the middle of the night!!!!

She is absolutely fine at nursery or if she is doing something she wants but of course I don't want to be wrong. I want to book a gp appointment but also don't want to waste the time of the NHS.

I think I have a case of the boy who cried wolf. Any advice? Is this a phase?

Give her an ice pack for the itch.

i get extremely itchy skin sometimes. It can make me want to flay my own skin off. It’s a condition I have and I have 2 doctors on the case. I’ve got pills, creams, and even injections, but sometimes the best thing to stop a bad itch fast is an ice pack.

if she is doing it for attention, an ice pack won’t hurt and she will likely get bored with the cure after a few times. If she is actually itchy, it will help.

Thread worms? They are so common, cause itching often at night.

My daughter has this a lot. I thought she was just being annoying, but turns out she has sensory issues. We've been doing OT that we got referred to via the school and it has really helped her cope. Now she just says she is "itchy" when she is tired. I think sensory issues tend to be worse when tired or upset. I wish you luck and hope you can find out what the itchiness really is. if the school is no help the GP can also refer you, I believe.

My guess would be sensory issues like feeling like the skin is prickling. I agree with ice pack you can get cute kiddie ones or have a 'magic' cream like aveeno or something. Rubbing it on the skin may help.

Thanks for these ideas. I needed the perspective too.

Sensory issues can cause that, my son has that feeling when he's overwhelmed.

Also, I heard somewhere that sugar intolerance can make people feel itchy?! I've noticed it in myself if I've gone overboard on the chocolate.

What does a sensory issue mean though? Just that she feels itchy but it is genuine?

Basically yeah. My son is very sensitive to fabrics/clothes, he can't wear things with labels, "big" seams or if they're remotely tight.

If he says things are making him itchy but I know he's in clothes that he usually wears without issues then it's a heads up he's feeling especially anxious or upset about something.

Oh right it is an indicator of something else plus a discomfort.

It is just throwing me off as it has come out of nowhere and I do believe her and I will explore it properly now you ladies have helped me see what it can be...but she is also a fusspot generally so it is hard.

Need a patience recharge.

I get itchy in the night, and have done since childhood. But it's not quite the usual sort of itchy... I can't describe it. But I get it on my back and up my arms. I'll lightly scratch myself, and that seems to soothe it.

I also used to get hives on my legs and arms every evening without fail that were super-itchy. Now I take a daily antihistamine every morning, and that completely stops them. If I stop taking them, they start back up within about 4 or 5 days.

Giving your DD a low dose of a kids antihistamine whenever she complains won't do her any harm. And having to take a medicine might just get annoying if she's faking it. It seems a strange thing for a 4yo to make up though.

Labels on clothes, seams in underwear, sounds sensory

My eldest gets 'itchy' a lot at night, antihistamine and cream help us. I tend to give her the 'treatment' but no additional attention, so she doesn't learn it's a way to have us up for hours at night (if it was up to her we would be up for hours chatting about all sorts)
I also think nighttime is when the itchy feeling is worst, they are so busy running around during the day they don't realise but like us adults once they slow down at night they feel things

Yeah, okay I'll try that for the evening.

Still undecided. Agree odd to make up but when I called the doctor she didn't want to go and was then okay ISH and we are thinking you can't control an itch.

Let's see if it is a phase that passes!

But I will try an antihistamine after nursery and see.

@jumperoo2738 no 4 year old is going to "want" to go to the Dr if asked though?!

I'm getting the impression you really think she's just doing this to be awkward?

What are her clothes like? Labels, seams, fabrics etc? Any other "off" behaviour that you've noticed? Worried or hyper or distributed sleep etc?

@jumperoo2738 Has she ever had any kind of eczema as a baby or anything? I have a 4yo DS who had very very mild eczema as a baby (a few small patches) but seem to be completely fine now - however, he does still complain about being itchy. And he’s quite twitchy and scratches a lot. Mainly the bottom of his back, on top of his shoulders, and round his hips.
Is it worse at any particular time of the year? We’ve figured with DS that temperature changes make it worse. So if he’s been out in the cold then goes into a house with the heating on, or if he’s been warm in nursery all they then we walk home in the cold etc.

We use Oilatum in his bath and then make sure he’s well moisturised and it seems to help

Sensory issues is worth keeping an eye on.

There are therapies to help the brain interpret the body better. I think using a soft brush every day to brush the skin is one of them. It teaches the brain and nervous system to be more accurate, iyswim.

Was she prem or anything?

I get a feeling like insects crawling on me. Sometimes an insect, so I’m constantly checking my leg to see whether there is something there, other times all over or all over my back or legs. That’s a more constant itchy feeling, so I don’t need to actually check. More irritating but less distracting than the individual insect sensation!

Don't get hung up on the words she is using to describe how she feels. She's only 4 and isn't articulate enough to express it in words that you will understand. It's probably some form of sensory processing disorder.

My daughter has sensory issues- when she was little it was mostly an aversion to sudden loud noises, now it's things like labels in clothing and getting a little overwhelmed if there is a lot going on around her. Out of my two children she's definitely the 'high drama, fussy' child. But she's also living a perfectly normal life so it's not a huge deal.

Not prem. No skin conditions ever. Never had even a sick day from nursery.

Sensory is making more sense. It's not that I think she is being awkward it's just 4yos are FULL of drama like cutting the sandwich wrong etc and this is new to me so just had to try and workout what the heck it can be.

I'm keeping an eye and this has just reminded me to get the antihistamine this afternoon.

Thanks all