CHILD’S HEALTH/SKIN DISORDERS: HIVES (URTICARIA)
Cause
Hives are generally caused by an allergic reaction to various substances, which may include certain types of foods, food colourings, preservatives, plants, drugs (for example, penicillin), insect bites, and many others.
Clinical features
Hives are intensely itchy, raised, pinkish spots which together form a rash, usually on the trunk. Spots may become quite large (up to 5 cm in diameter each) and may form giant urticaria which are very large patches on the skin. Hives usually last for several hours and then slowly resolve.
Treatment
There is very little you can do except to try to ease the itching with calamine lotion. A spoonful of bicarbonate of soda added to a tepid bath may also help to ease the symptoms. Your doctor may suggest using an antihistamine until the hives resolve. Hives are not contagious.
• if your child has marked swelling of his mouth or tongue, or has difficulty breathing (angioneurotic oedema);
• if your child is generally unwell or has a fever in addition to having hives;
• hives appeared immediately after the child took any sort of medicine;
• the rash has not disappeared after 2-3 days.
Prevention
Try to identify the cause of the allergy and have your child avoid the offending substance. In many cases the substance cannot be identified. You may wish to discuss with your doctor the option of skin tests for allergies.
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