Hives (No More Advice Needed Thanks)

Before I knew about his allergy to Red Dye my son would break out in hives, esp on his back and arms to which I would treat with Benadryl liquid, as per Dr's orders. This of course never cleared it due to the red dye in the Benadryl. Once we figured out that it was the red dye causing the hives and "itchy" feeling and treated them with dye-free Benadryl we have been hive free unless something accidental slips by.
Just another possibility... P.

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Have she been tested for allergies? When my DD turned 2 we got her allergy tested. First the blood draw test and then the skin back scratch test. I suggest getting both done since they detect different allergy reactions/potential.

My Dd also has eczema, with an allergy reaction. She would also get hives, both itchy and non itchy, after eating certain foods.

I also recommend the food diary. After getting my DD tested, we did the food diary. And I keep a mental food diary for myself and my allergies, since NONE of my food allergies show up on the blood test. Both peds said that the tests are not 100% fool proof, so the best "test" is the food diary and the elimination diet where you temporarily eliminate potential allergens for 2 weeks and then add them back into the diet one at a time (about 1 allergen every 3-4 days).

Also check every label of products that come into your house, both food and non food items. Manufacturers often change ingredients. So you could be feeding your daughter something that she has had many times, but maybe there is one or two ingredients that have recently changed. Also, like another poster mentioned, you can become allergic to something that you have already had.

My DD can only use chlorine free diapers and wipes because the chemicals in other diapers give her a rash. So maybe that's something you want to look into.

I have always had food allergies. But over time some have changed. As a child I was allergic to chocolate, almonds, apricots, carrots, and oranges. I am now allergic to all of the above, plus peanuts, wheat (I am technically not allergic, but it messes up my digestive system), shellfish, and also lemons. But I can now tolerate cooked carrots.

My DD is allergic to wheat, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, oranges, fresh pineapple, and strawberries. We have not given her shellfish yet. Her blood test showed allergy to wheat, soy, eggs, walnuts, and peanuts. Her backscratch test showed only a reaction to cashews. Somehow her body has come up with a way to tolerate eggs and soy so she can still eat these.

I'd say that if your daughters hives don't bother her, leave it alone. I only put the hydrocortizone cream on my DD when they itch her enough that she complains about them as it's actually bad for the body. Hives are just another way that the body tries to get rid of toxins/allergens. My daughters hives look like bright red, purple, and blue, raised bruises. They look HORRIBLE when she has them. Sometimes they itch, sometimes not. Then sometimes she gets the little red, itchy bumps.

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Did you recently turn on your heat? That was a problem for me once . . . changed the filters, and no more hives!

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hi there..my 2 month old son has had them 2 times...we went to an allergist and confirmed that it is only hives..they way the allergist explained it to me is that his body is fighting off an infection and hives are the way his body responds as it fights the infection...some people break out with a fever blister..my son gets hives...benedryl did NOTHING for my son we took it around the clock, every 4 hours for 4 days..one dose of zyrteck and the hives were almost gone..it was amazing...i hope this helps ease your mind...p.s...my son has sensitive skin as well and we too use only aveno products!!

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I had "mystery" hives pop up for years... it was stress. I still get them occasionally when I'm really upset or stressed out.

Make sure there is nothing adversely affecting her emotionally-speaking and be sure you are using 100% natural bath/body/household products - including cleaning products and laundry soap. Same goes for foods - try to keep the processed, unnatural stuff to a minimum.

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my youngest 6 yrs old, last yr broke out in horrible hives, we tried everything...and Dr., even prescribed diff.meds/plus referred me to dermo., long story short, researched some stuff online-and low and behold...TEA TREE soap $2.95 a bar from any Henry's, Trader Joe's, etc...worked and cleared it up like magic....NO JOKE!!!! that's all I use on him now...best of luck!

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Hi J.,
Try put her in a COOL-tepid bath... not warm (as this can aggravate the hives or eczema).
And/or, try putting some baking soda in the water too.
Add about 1 pound of baking soda to the bath.
Here is a link for you:
http://www.thebodyworker.com/hydrotherapybaths.htm

On the other hand, I would not recommend a bath of Epsom salts, as this can cause hives in some people and other allergic reactions.

ALSO, you may want to try "Chilren's Claritin." versus Benadryl. I find success with Claritin, versus Benadryl which makes kids drowsy. Claritin is for allergies and an antihistimine too.
benadryl 4x's a day is a lot?

ANd, you can also make a "paste" out of baking soda and a little water... then pat it on her hive patches.
Or try Calamine lotion.

As a side note: my Mom has Eczema... and what causes it, for her... is Oatmeal... ANYTHING oatmeal. And also citrus fruits or foods. So if she stays away from these things, she does not have any Eczema breakouts. Also, my Mom did not have these sensitivities/eczema to these foods all her life... just one day, it popped up. Eczema/allergies are that way... not that you are 'born' with it. So what is allergenic one day, may not be next time... or a new allergy/sensitivity to something may arise at any time no matter how old. This is how it was for my Mom, and all the other people I know who have allergies.

Are your sure it isn't just a heat rash? Usually, hives really itches. But you said your daughter isn't bothered my her "hives." Usually, hives are irregular shaped raised "welts" and comes and goes, popping up in different places on the body. So to me, its NOT "hives" but a rash.
A "rash" and "hives" are 2 different things.
A rash is red bumpy things or splotches, NOT usually itchy. If your daughter had "hives" she would be totally itchy.

Also, did she have a fever recently or sick? If so, sometimes they can get what is called a "viral rash" or "fever rash"... which, AFTER the fever is gone, a few days later... they get a rash (red dots that look like a heat rash) over their body... but it is just the toxins/virus leaving the body. It is harmless and not contagious. Both my kids have had that, after a fever, at various ages.

All the best,
Susan

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Hi J.

There is a wonderful homeopathic called APIS that works wonders on hives and rashes. Especially useful when you don't know what has caused them. It comes in tiny pills that dissolve under the tongue and are totally safe for everyone. I have used homeopathics with my children practically since birth and they have been a great help.

You can buy them at any whole-foods or holistic pharmacy (like Pharmaca) but to really get the ones that dissolve on contact try Santa Monic Homeopathic Pharmacy. If you are not close they can even send them to you and have a homeopath on site you could talk to.

http://www.smhomeopathic.com/

Good luck!

N.

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HI J.,

My son's hives and eczema cleared up after going to a docotor who specilizes in NAET (www.naet.com) -- these things are always caused by a food, environmental, sometimes emotional. NAET practitioners can identify exacttly what the cause is and clear the sensitivies/allerigies.
i went to a doc in Pacific Palisades -- www.doctorvan.org -- she is amazing.

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My two year old son also had hives, and we're not exactly sure why, although it could have just been a virus. Sometimes viruses can cause that reaction in kids. He had them all over his body, arms, legs, and face as well, and had a slightly raised temp (99ish, not quite fever). They did not go away for about 2 weeks, and they didn't seem to bother him much (he iched his chest a few times, but didn't fuss about it). We just let them be, didn't give him anything except for a homeopathic remedy (can't remember which one) and we couldn't tell if that sped up the recovery or not.

I would just let her be, let her body figure it out, and they will eventually go away (unless you have something new environmentally around her that is causing the hives). The only time to worry is if she starts breathing funny, because that could mean that the hives have developed in her throat and are causing it to swell (which really only happens in severe allergic reactions). Just remember that the body has its ways of coping; sometimes it just takes more time than the patience we have!

Good luck!

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Your doctor is a very typical doctor, let's give you something for it but let's not find out what caused it. Drives me nuts.

When did she last have any shots? Also, as others have said, she could easily develop an allergy to something overnight especially if she has recently been vaccinated.

For my daughter's eczema and hives, we found a great product line that actually allowed her to take a bath everyday for as long as she wanted. The whole family loves it and it was developed by a scientist who had terrible allergies and sensitivites. For when hives come up, we use Dye Free Benadryl, Sensaria's Freshening Mist, and the White Tea Calming when it is bad, and then any of the lotions. There are no dyes, no sodium laurel sulfates, no petroleums, and essential oils and plant extracts are used for scent.

Get a blood test that checks for IgG reactions. Do not get the skin pricking test as it is just going to make your child feel miserable and you feel guilty. The true inflammation, allergic reactions come from more than the surface. My DD developed allergies to several things that are found in the shots: eggs, yeast, soy, dairy, and then gluten from the damage that her intestinal tract developed with something called 'leaky gut'. She is doing so much better now but all of the years of asthma, ear infections, dark circles under the eyes, took a toll on both of us.

So stay on top of it mom. Don't accept the doctor's response of just trying another pill. Figure out the puzzle.

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I can help you. I know a doctor who specializes in NAET and he has ELIMINATED allergens from my family using this modality. I recommend him to ALL of my families. I own a natural paretning boutique, Belly Sprout, in Fullerton and see children with allergies/reactions all of the time. If you can come in or send me a message, I can give you what I recommend to all of my parents; detergent, soap, cream, homeopaths, etc. My 3 year old broke in hives really bad right before his 2 nd year birthdya and we had to use Benadryl. Since then I switched our foods to EVEN healthier choices, been seeing Dr. Karaba and natural healing remedies and he has not had to use benadryl or cortizone.

Go to Henrys or Mothers and Get: Boiron homeopath; Histaminum Hydrochloricum and give her 3 under her tongue every 15 minutes for the 1st hour and then 3 times a day. This helps!

I have to go! We have a party at Belly Sprout today:)

C. FUnk
www.bellysprout.com
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My 4 yr old used to get hives all the time, and he has eczema. we finally went to a Allergy doctor and found out that he Developed a food allergy, with somethings he a been eating for a year or more with no problems. (wheat & tomatoes)The combination of the 2 gave him bad hive. I would cut out some food that could be allergy problems. strawberries, wheats, tomatoes & see how she does. Also I went to a Dematologist and they gave us a great cream for his ezcema only once in a while do we have flare up. Now we have his skin & allergies under control. Good luck.
Dr. Toy - Derm - ###-###-####
Dr. Dyer - Allergy - ###-###-####

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My daughter used to get them off and on and it took us all summer to figure out that it was from the red Kool Aid that they served only a few days a week at her summer camp when she was 4 or 5. Crazy!!! On the days they served lemonade she was fine. Has yours been eating/drinking anything with whatever is in red kool aid by any chance?

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People can become allergic to foods they have eaten on a regular basis. My advice is to keep a food diary of what she eats for a few months to see if you can find a food/hives pattern. Hives usually do not last, unless the allergic source is still around. Did you have carpets cleaned lately? Also, you can check with the manufacturer of the soap products you use to see if they have made any changes in their ingredients.

GOod Luck! Hope she is better soon!

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Aveeno makes some lotion in a small bottle for itch relief. It isn't cheap, but it REALLY does wonders on the itch. My poor mother breaks out in hives constantly, and this is the only thing that works really well as a topical. I don't know if you can use it on her, but read the label and see, but even if not, use it for yourself!

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my boys get hives due to food allergies and the only thing that seems to make them go away is the benadryl so i would stick with that. And yes the cortizone for the itch although Benadryl should take care of that too once it is in effect. My neighbors daughter had unexplained hives for a while that kept recurring and she finally found out it was associated with a fever/virus her girl had had a week or so prior. Didn't relate the two at all but I guess that can cause hives. So that could be an explanation if she has been sick or had fever lately?? Just a thought....good luck!!

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My daughter (10) had hives last week and it was part of a strep infection. Did they run a strep test? Strep shows up in many forms, not always a sore throat. She has sensative skin and eczema as well. One skin tip I'll pass on is to not use soap in the diaper/genital area; just warm water on a wash cloth. My daughter was fidgety and itchy down there for ages when I finally asked the doc that was the tip she gave.

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benedryal also makes a spray, it has been a godsend!

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Hi- my son breaks out in hives without explanation as well. He was "diagnosed" by an allergist as having Urticaria. You might want to research it, as your pediatrician will most likely want to do allergy tesing if they don't clear up, then if nothing shows up its on to the allergist. For him, Benadryl helps, as well as a hydrocortizone cream. He is on prescription anti-histamines, which so far have done nothing. Anyway, I thought it may be something to research so you are familiar with it, if it comes up. It seems like a lot of kids are getting unexplained rashes these days.

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For bathing her I wouldn't use aveeno. If she has sensitive skin, try using California Baby Products. Its all natural, no chemicals and is organic. You can go to their website for more information. They sell it at Target and at Whole Foods. Good luck.

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My son is 2 and has severe food allergies and eczema. Be aware that they can develop food allergies to something that they have been eating and then suddenly have a reaction after being fine with it for a long time.
The Aveno products are not recommended by our allergist, instead they recommend Cetaphil cleanser and/or California Baby Sensitive Skin (available at Target). We rub Aquaphor all over our son's body after bath and we rub him up 2x a day with Eucerin Cream....it really seems to help with the excema.
You definitely can try the Cortisone cream on the hives....just not the face or diaper area. I have also heard that products with zinc (diaper cream) are helpful, but I haven't tried them.

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I just read your letter to my husband and asked him "who does this sound like?" With the exception that our child is a boy, and is now 5 years old, we are you! At 2 he had hives that would come on for no known reason (he also had eczema). We tried everything, I tracked food/diet, changed soaps to non-dye/fragrance, allergy tests, everything! We saw 3 different peditricans, 2 allergists, a dermatologist and an environmental dr. Guess what we found out... Nothing. No one could tell us what caused his hives. He doesn't seem to get them as often or as bad as he did when he was younger. The worst cases came when he was 3 1/2-4 yrs old. I have tested out many different theories about what causes his hives. Various foods, pollens/airborn stuff, etc. Right now I am working on a theory of stress/anxiety. I have noticed that during the summer he was almost completely free of any hives. Now that he is back in school (new school and started a jr. kindergarten program), they seem to come a little more frequently. Not really bad, but a few pop up on his back or tummy. Try watching your daughter to see if they get worse after she has been crying or is frustrated over something. It may take a few hours for the hives to come up, but I have been noticing a definate trend! The teacher at school has been helping me and she will tell me if something happened at school and right now by the next morning I am noticing hives... As far as treatment, I hated giving him Benadryl. I tried Claratin, Zytec with no noticible difference. I also hated putting medication into his little body everyday. I found Hylands makes a Hives treatment. They are little pills that disolve in the mouth very quickly. They really don't taste like anything (I tried them) and once they disolve a quick drink of water/milk to wash it down and they are good to go. Check with your dr. because the label says for kids starting at age 6; however, our dr recommended them to us and told us to start with 1 tablet and if in 30-45 minutes you don't notice improvement give 1 more. After that 1 tablet in AM and 1 in the PM for a couple days (or until better but he told us not to exceed 2-3 days). I guess they aren't preventative. I got them at Mother's market and you could ask one of the people there, they are really good with the advice. Mother's also had some flower essences that would probably work well for hives. I bought a flower essence for my son that helps with fear, anxiety or panic in the environment (Fear-Less). It says you can spray in mouth or around body. He hates the taste so we have been spraying around the body. Seems to work or at least he is responding better to stress??? Sorry this is so long, I hope this helps you a little. At least try not to fall into the dr trap we did (too many dr's with too little help).

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Hey J.

Just because she hasn't been or shown allergy to something that you have been using doesn't mean that she can't develop an allergy to it or that her liver is so taxed at this point it has no where else to go but the skin. We have three excretory organs 1. liver 2. kidneys and 3 skin. We only see problems on the skin when the first two are overtaxed and can handle no more!
Case in point... about 6 years ago or so I develop a HORRIBLE eye allergy to the point where my eyes became swollen. At first I thought it was pink eye, but it didn't have the same characteristics. I was working for a chiropractic internist at the time and she did some testing on me. I also had gone to an opthamologist and my eyes check out just fine. The DC found that I had developed an allergy to my eye make up remover. I had used that same remover for about 4 years at that point... you just never know.
My recommendations would be to find someone to run the ELISA act test on her. It's a blood draw allergy test. Don't assume that you know what she is or isn't allergic to... if you're seeing hives she is allergic to something!
Good luck!

J.
www.HolisticWellnessAndNutrition.webs.com

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Reasons I get hives: walking barefoot on certain rugs, cough syrup, changes of temp - ie hot to A/C, and STRESS. Yay. Random reasons, and no other known allergies, but occasional eczema and other rashes.

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