Hives on DD's neck, back and face??

Noodle716

DD keeps getting hives on her face, neck, shoulders and back...they come in little clusters or sometimes a few sporadically all over, but it is defiinitley a lot and fairly often - not just your random few that pop every now and again.

It has been in the 100's (and humid) here so I have been assuming that the hives that have been popping up are from heat but I am beginning to wonder if it could be something else...I am highly sensitive to perfumes and lotions so we don't have anything of the like that she would be exposed to here, but I guess still could be otherwise out of our house. I will get hives from that but not nearly as many as she is getting.

I am wondering if it could be nut butters? We just started Almond Butter (just a little on some toast or a cracker)...I know berries are another possible reason for hives but she doesn't get those consistantly and the hives are hanging around daily.

Anyone ever experience hives with their LO??

EveryNameIWantIsTaken

DS has a couple food allergies.  Milk was the first one we found out.  When he get something with milk in it (more specifically whey) he breaks out in little tiny hives usually on his face, neck, chest and back.  They can be in clusters or just a few here and there.  He also starts itching his eyes a lot and they get red and puffy.  Maybe try eliminating the almond butter and berries and see if they still pop up?  The only other time he has gotten hives that were not food related were when a fever had broken.

Noodle716

EveryNameIWantIsTaken:

DS has a couple food allergies.  Milk was the first one we found out.  When he get something with milk in it (more specifically whey) he breaks out in little tiny hives usually on his face, neck, chest and back.  They can be in clusters or just a few here and there.  He also starts itching his eyes a lot and they get red and puffy.  Maybe try eliminating the almond butter and berries and see if they still pop up?  The only other time he has gotten hives that were not food related were when a fever had broken.

I had a feeling you would be the one to respond since we share in the dairy allergy issue. I have been eating dairy and so of course since she is still nursing...this could be an issue. I know, I am horrible...we have been in and out of our house since it is on the market and I have been making sure she doesn't eat it but I haven't paid so much attention to what I eat while we have been out and about so much... I also realized yesterday that the Stoneyfield soy yogurts have milk in them!!! I never thought to check the ingrediants on the soy products. I am new to the no dairy lifestyle so I am still learning! I will go back to my strict, no dairy for me and see if that helps! I was really hoping it wasn't dairy but in the back of my mind I thought it could be especially after seeing the ingrediants on the soy yogurt. The whole dairy issue started becuase of ear infections but maybe she really has a true allergy!

rissainthesky*

DD also gets hives from dairy. She has FPIES and we are nursing, so if I accidentally eat something with dairy, she'll either break out in hives, spit up, or both.

EveryNameIWantIsTaken

Thankfully ds's dairy allergy is mild enough that if he gets something, a small dose of benadryl solves the problem now.  The soy yogurts that have the dairy cultures don't seem to bother him.  He's also starting to be able to tolerate very low moisture cheeses.

Peanuts on the other hand, not good.  Not good at all.  Apparently if he gets something with peanuts again it could result very very badly as it is an allergy that will build the more you have it.  Awesome.

ape

you won't know what is causing it until you start eliminating stuff. I am allergic to a ton. I am allergic to heat but that is pretty rare. Apparently, berries are a random allergy for kids. I always thought they were common. The pediatric allergist we went to for my DD angioedema (hives that swell under the skin causing your body to swell up) told us he only had 2 serry allergies in the practice and this is a big practice in Madison, WI. I had thought my DD was allergic to berries. Guess not.

I would eliminate anything you think might be possible and then after a few weeks add one thing back. If you see hives you know it's probably that one thing. This is what most allergists have told me in the years I have dealt with hives. 

Also, if these are chronic hives, meaning it's been around for 6 months (might be just three) I would suggest an allergist. While hives aren't bad they do indicate something is off and an allergist might help. 

bim38106

ape:

you won't know what is causing it until you start eliminating stuff. I am allergic to a ton. I am allergic to heat but that is pretty rare. Apparently, berries are a random allergy for kids. I always thought they were common. The pediatric allergist we went to for my DD angioedema (hives that swell under the skin causing your body to swell up) told us he only had 2 serry allergies in the practice and this is a big practice in Madison, WI. I had thought my DD was allergic to berries. Guess not.

I would eliminate anything you think might be possible and then after a few weeks add one thing back. If you see hives you know it's probably that one thing. This is what most allergists have told me in the years I have dealt with hives. 

Also, if these are chronic hives, meaning it's been around for 6 months (might be just three) I would suggest an allergist. While hives aren't bad they do indicate something is off and an allergist might help. 

This. I have chronic hives (which is 6+ weeks of them. I've had them for a year). I was told by multiple doctors that chronic hives cases aren't usually because of an allergy and in 95% of cases, they never figure it out and it just goes away on it's own (hopefully) some day...

That said, I was still sent to an allergist who did allergy testing. Nothing came back so they ran a bunch of blood work (still waiting on results). They put me on an elimination diet to see if it's a sensitivity to something (rather then an allergy) or an allergy to something they can't test for (like food dyes, preservatives, etc...). So far, no luck and it's been 2 weeks on this diet.

Chronic hives can also be caused by an autoimmune disease. Sadly, there aren't good tests out there for most of those. They can test for the basics: lupus, RA, etc.. but there are a ton more that they can't test for.

Best thing is start w/ your pedi and work with them on eliminating things. Keep very detailed notes of when it happens and what she's eaten and been in contact with that day. Is it always at a certain time of day or is it completely random?

GL to you. Hives can be very difficult to find the reason for. In the meantime, you can give Benadryl or Zyrtec to control them. I'm on multiple antihistamines daily and I still get them, just less then w/out. I wake up w/ them every single morning though...