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Allergies and intolerances

Sudden hives on DS2 (5)! Advice please

8 replies

singersgirl · 22/10/2006 20:05

Ds2, who's just 5, has never suffered from any allergic reactions to anything before now, though he does have viral triggered asthma which used to be quite serious.

Last Saturday he was playing bare-chested in the house and we noticed he was speckled with hives (not covered, but about 30 of them on the body and arms). We had been out for lunch earlier and he had had pasta with meatballs in tomato sauce (nice cafe with proper ingredients) which he has eaten there before. The hives went down by themselves, though DH bought some Piriton later.

All week he has had the occasional one or two hives on his body, mainly when undressing - though perhaps that's just when we notice them. Then today, at a soft play centre, he came up in hives all over his arms - he was wearing a T-shirt. He had a couple on his torso by the waistband of his shorts, too. They went down within 30 minutes, before we got home to the Piriton.

Now he had a choc chip cookie at the soft play place - I think before the hives came up, though there were none on his face or round the mouth.

I guess I need to take him to the doctor. Does it sound more like a food allergy or a contact allergy? DS1 had a couple of head-to-toe hives incidents as a baby, and that was definitely food.

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MumRum · 22/10/2006 20:14

Hi singersgirl... have you changed your soap powder or fabric conditioner, this happened to me when I had a service wash once, mind you I was a bit run down at the time...

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singersgirl · 22/10/2006 20:17

No, the same laundry detergent (we use Surcare as it's fragrance free) and spray-on stain remover. I did wash some sheets (not his) in Fairy, and I did think of that last week when it was in our house.

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gigwig · 22/10/2006 20:58

I think it could be more of a contact allergy - he had hives on exposed bits of the body both times, though dont know about those around his waist. Cant suggest what to I'm afraid as is 2 different places.

If it was food, you probably would have seen more hives more often this past week.

Perhaps he is sickening for an infection/virus and his body has started to do this to fight it off.

Hope you get some help at the GPs.

Our DS often gets hives on various parts of his body which have been exposed - quite often at soft play centres/resting arms on a table which hasnt been quite cleaned/on a soft play plaything that has had a child with chocolatey or ice-creamy fingers touch before DS touches it. Its contact allergy for him.

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singersgirl · 22/10/2006 22:06

Gigwig, what is your DS allergic to - is it dairy? And does he get worse reactions if he ingests the substances?

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gigwig · 23/10/2006 11:20

Hi singersgirl

he is allergic to dairy and egg - yes much worse reactions if he swallows any. also allergic to soem chemicals - dont know what - like the coating on plastic tableclothes. He does get hives if he touches an area that has had milk split/cheese crumbs etc on it and wiped away - not really on his hands but over the parts of his body that he then touches.

hope you get some answers soon.

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singersgirl · 23/10/2006 20:35

Well, he got them tonight on his torso after his bath - only about 5 or 6, wide apart, but definite weals/hives. I'm wondering about heat plus something else.

Thanks for your help, Gigwig - it must be really difficult avoiding milk and egg traces out and about.

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SamhainWitch · 23/10/2006 20:39

Has he had a cold or been run down lately?

It could be post-viral urticaria rather than an allergy. That can be on and off for days and IME does appear more after baths/when warm.

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singersgirl · 23/10/2006 23:10

That's interesting, SamhainWitch. He hasn't been noticeably unwell - a few sniffles, but definitely very tired after half term at school. I'm pretty certain it wasn't food related tonight.

We discovered he had headlice last week a few days after the first hives outbreak- and we were thinking it might be an allergic reaction to the lice - droppings or sweat or something. But he's clear now of lice (no child has ever been so wet combed!) and still getting the hives.

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