Hives (gelegata/utricaria) is a common condition that often affects children. Hives are usually itchy, red and white bumps or bumps on the skin. This condition is not contagious and can last for hours or days, but in some acute and chronic cases, hives can persist for several weeks. Hives occur when the body releases antihistamines in response to allergies or even to heat, anxiety, infection or changes in air temperature. If your child has hives, there are several ways to treat the raised bumps using home remedies or asking for a prescription from your pediatrician.
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Method 1 of 3: Visiting a Doctor to Diagnose Hives in Children
Step 1. Study the distribution of hives
If a child has hives, the condition may be spread to certain parts of the body or all over the body. Learning about the distribution of hives on a child's body can help you identify the cause.
- Hives that are localized to certain parts of the body are usually caused by direct contact between the skin and plants, pollen, food, or pet saliva and dander.
- Scattered hives appear all over the body. This type of hives may be a reaction to a viral infection or an allergy to food, medication, or insect bites.
Step 2. Be aware of the causes of hives
There are many different reasons that cause children to contract hives. Whether hives are localized to a specific area of the body or are evenly distributed over a child's body, knowing the cause of hives can help you treat hives effectively at home or decide whether to go to the pediatrician.
- Foods such as shellfish, nuts, milk and fruit can cause hives. Food-induced hives usually go away within six hours of ingestion.
- Medications such as penicillin or allergy shots can cause hives.
- Direct contact with animals can cause hives.
- Exposure to flower pollen can cause hives.
- Stings/bites of insects such as bees and mosquitoes can cause hives.
- Anxiety or stress can cause a child to develop hives.
- Exposure to extreme temperatures or sunlight can trigger cases of hives.
- Contact with chemicals, including detergents or soaps containing perfume, can cause hives.
- Viral infections such as flu, infectious mononucleosis and hepatitis.
- Bacterial infections such as urinary tract infections and strep throat.
Step 3. Visit the doctor if your child has hives
Take your child to the doctor if he has hives and you're not sure what the cause is, the hives don't go away after a week, your child has recently started taking new medicines or foods, has been stung by insects, or your child becomes very uncomfortable. Your doctor may prescribe oral medications, steroid creams, or other medications to relieve hives.
- It's important to see a doctor if you're not sure what's causing hives. This is necessary to minimize the risk of dealing with hives with something that could harm the child or something unnecessary.
- See a doctor if your child's hives persist after giving him a second dose of antihistamine.
- If your child has symptoms of anaphylactic shock, including swelling of the face or throat, coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, or feeling dizzy or faint, take him to the ER or call 112 immediately.
Step 4. Do a medical test
If the doctor is unable to determine the underlying cause of your child's hives, he or she may use different tests to diagnose the child's condition. This step not only provides information about the cause of hives, but can also help plan the best treatment for treating hives in children.
- The doctor may order blood tests to determine the underlying cause.
- The pediatrician may order an allergy test to see if your child has a sensitivity to certain allergens.
Step 5. Treat the condition that underlies the appearance of hives
If your doctor decides that your child's hives are due to an underlying condition, he or she may treat this condition to help relieve the itchy bumps and bumps. Several studies have shown that treating this underlying condition can treat hives more effectively than treating hives themselves.
- For example, if your child has a thyroid problem, the doctor may treat the problem first and see if it treats hives.
- If the doctor determines that your child has a particular allergy, he or she may ask you to prevent your child from coming into contact with the allergen.
Step 6. Avoid triggers of hives in children
This skin condition can occur due to certain allergens or irritants. Knowing what triggers hives in your child can help you avoid the irritant and help relieve and prevent hives from developing.
- The triggers for hives may be allergens, medications, food allergies, cosmetics, environmental factors, insect bites, infections, or harsh soaps or detergents.
- If you suspect certain triggers, try to limit your exposure to those triggers and see if this can relieve symptoms in your child.
- Certain external factors can worsen hives, including sun exposure, stress, sweat, changes in air temperature.
- Use mild or “hypoallergenic” soaps and detergents. Both contain fewer harmful chemicals that can irritate a child's skin. Every product marked “hypoallergenic” has been tested for sensitive skin and will not irritate children's skin.
Method 2 of 3: Treating Hives at Home
Step 1. Wash off the allergen from hives that are localized to one part of the body
If your child's hives are concentrated in one part of the body, wash off the allergen with soap and water. This should help relieve hives and prevent hives from getting worse due to the allergen still on the skin.
You don't need to buy a special soap, any type of soap can be used to remove allergens from the skin
Step 2. Bathe the child with cold water to reduce itching and redness
A cold shower can soothe irritated skin and help reduce inflammation. Bathing will be very helpful if the hives are spread evenly throughout the child's body. You may want to consider adding a colloidal oat preparation to help soothe your child's skin further.
- Sprinkle baking soda, raw oats or colloidal oats into the water. All of these ingredients can help soothe your child's skin.
- Let the child soak in the tub for 10-15 minutes so that he does not get cold.
Step 3. Apply calamine lotion or anti-itch cream
Applying calamine lotion or over-the-counter anti-itch cream can relieve hives, itching, and inflammation. You can buy anti-itch cream at supermarkets and drugstores, both physical and online.
- Over-the-counter anti-itch creams, or hydrocortisone, can help relieve itching. Make sure you buy a cream with at least 1% hydrocortisone.
- Apply the cream on the skin affected by hives once a day after the child is bathed.
Step 4. Apply a cold compress to relieve itching and inflammation
Itching and inflammation that accompanies hives is caused by histamine in the blood. An ice pack or cold compress can help relieve itching and inflammation associated with hives by narrowing blood flow and cooling the skin.
- Histamine is produced when allergens enter the body. Histamine is what causes all allergic reactions, including itching and inflammation.
- You can apply a cold compress to the rash periodically for 10-15 minutes, once every 2 hours or as needed.
Step 5. Keep the child from scratching
Help your child to avoid scratching as much as possible. Scratching can spread allergens, make symptoms worse, or cause these problems, including skin infections.
Step 6. Protect the child's skin
You can help prevent and relieve hives by protecting your child's skin. Clothing, bandages, and bug spray can provide a certain level of protection and help reduce symptoms.
- Wear cool, loose-fitting, soft-textured clothing such as cotton or merino wool to keep your child from scratching and prevent excessive sweating. Sweat can make hives worse.
- Wear long-sleeved tops and long pants on your child to prevent them from scratching and protect them from external irritants.
- If your child is going to be exposed to insects, you can also apply insect repellent on skin that doesn't have hives. This lotion can prevent insects from getting too close to your child's skin and causing further allergic reactions.
Method 3 of 3: Treating Hives with Medicine
Step 1. Give the child an antihistamine
If your child has hives all over his body, give him an antihistamine. This medication can block the histamine that causes an allergic reaction and help relieve itching and inflammation of the skin.
- Follow the recommended dosage for the child's age and weight. If you are unsure about the dosage, ask your pediatrician.
- Commonly used antihistamines include cetrizine, chlorpheniramine, and diphenhydramine.
- These drugs often have a sedative effect, so make sure you supervise your child for safety.
Step 2. Administer a histamine blocker (H-2)
Your child's doctor may recommend giving you histamine, or H-2, a histamine blocker to help relieve hives. Your child may get an injection or an oral dose of these drugs.
- Examples of histamine blockers are cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid), and famotidine (Pepcid).
- Side effects of these medications can include digestive problems or headaches.
Step 3. Use prescription corticosteroids
Doctors may prescribe stronger topical or oral corticosteroids such as prednisone if other treatments do not relieve hives in children. Make sure you follow the doctor's instructions when giving these medicines because these medicines can weaken the child's immune system.
Oral steroids are only used for a short time because they can cause serious side effects if used long term
Step 4. Ask for a shot of asthma medication
Some research shows that injections of the asthma drug Omalizumab can treat hives. This drug has the advantage that it does not cause side effects.
This treatment is more expensive than other treatment options and is usually not covered by insurance
Step 5. Combine asthma medication and antihistamine
The doctor may prescribe a series of asthma medications with antihistamines for your child. This treatment can help relieve hives in children.
- Your doctor may prescribe the asthma medications montelukast (Singulair) or zafirlukast (Accolate) with an over-the-counter or prescription antihistamine.
- This medication can cause changes in behavior and mood.
Step 6. Consider immune system suppressants
If your child's hives are chronic and don't respond to other treatments, your doctor may suggest medications that affect the immune system. This kind of medicine can help treat both acute and chronic hives.
- Cyclosporine limits the immune system's response to hives and can help relieve hives in children. However, these drugs have side effects ranging from headaches, nausea and, in some cases, decreased liver function.
- Tacrolimus also reduces the immune system reaction that causes hives. This drug also has the same side effects as cyclosporine.
- Mycophenolates suppress the immune system while curing the signs and symptoms of hives.
