As a parent one of the worst things is visibly seeing your child in discomfort as it makes you want to do everything in your power to relieve their pain. Such is the case with hives. Depending on the severity of the condition, it can cause irritations for your child and the itching can often be quite unbearable. While hives in children are generally not life threatening, it needs to be taken care of right away.
What are hives?
You might have had this when you were a child but essentially hives, also known as urticaria, are caused by allergic reactions which then form as red welts on areas of the body such as the arms, legs, back, chest and even the face. These red bumps are directly as a result of intense swelling. The extent of the condition depends on how severe the allergic reaction is.
What do they look like?
At first glance, hives in children look like bug bites as they are typically red or white in color and are shaped like red bumps. However, one major distinction of hives is their ability to spread rapidly across the body from one location to another.
For example, it is quite common to notice hives on one part of the body and then completely disappear after some time. The thing is they can also easily reappear as new hives on another part of the body.
What are the symptoms?
The most obvious symptom is signs of red welts and skin rashes on the body of the child. Another common symptom is the itching sensation around the area of the outbreak. This can be extremely uncomfortable for your child as his or her natural instinct will be to scratch it until the pain goes away. The only caveat is that scratching can actually make the hives worse or cause the skin to blister.
What are the causes of hives?
What makes the treatment of hives often difficult is the fact that the causes can be blamed on a number of different factors. One cause might be due to external irritants that your child’s skin might contact in contact with such as laundry detergent, certain types of clothes, lotion, bed sheets or even things like grass and sand.
Other causes of hives include allergic reactions to food such as nuts, berries, fish or even dairy products. As soon as you notice hives in children be sure to take note of what your child ate within the last few hours. Medications can also cause hives or at least contribute to its development.
Again, be sure to note down if you have used any kind of medicine or over the counter treatments for your child. Extreme weather conditions have also been known to cause hives in children such as in hot climates where it is easy to sweat.
If you suspect any of the above descriptions to because of hives in your child then it is absolutely important that you discontinue use and consult with a doctor for further instructions. In fact, due to the nature of hives it is highly likely that your doctor may not even be able to pinpoint the cause.
Are hives contagious for adults?
Hives are not contagious and just like the common cold, generally pass with treatment and time. If your child has developed a case of hives then it is essential to identify the allergens so you can prevent the condition again.
When should I worry?
In extremely rare cases, children with hives have been taken to the ER which is why it is important to monitor your child for signs such as throat tightness, breathing difficult, lightheadedness or even vomiting. Should the hives persist or if you notice these above symptoms then you need to go to the ER right away.
How to treat hives in children
The most common hives treatment is to make use of antihistamine such as Benadryl, which you can get over the counter at your local pharmacy. Be sure to carefully look at the dosing chart before you administer any to your child. Another helpful tip is to not wait for the bumps to go away as allergic reactions may spread rapidly.
Then continue administering Benadryl every six hours for a day or two. Additional treatment will depend on how severe it is so administer it as necessary. If your child simply cannot stop scratching himself or herself then consider using Calamine lotion as this will help to provide instant relief.
Every case of hives is different so at any point if you are not sure of what you are doing, then it is strongly advised that you contact a doctor for the appropriate dosage and the needed treatment.
How long will it last?
The answer to this question depends but hives in children typically lasts for a day or two. However, there have been reported cases of lasting for several weeks so be sure to keep this in mind. Fortunately, most cases can easily be treated with simple medications like Benadryl, anti itch cream and time.
If none of the above treatments work and you notice the hives getting worse then this is when you need to contact a health practitioner right away.