Unexplained hives (child)

[Music City Mama]

I know hives can be mysterious and unexplained sometimes, but I just wanted to hear if anyone has any similar stories that can give me any insight as to what might be going on.

I do need to preface this with the fact that my 9 year old is allergic to peanuts (and we also avoid tree nuts). He reacted to peanut butter when we first introduced it when he was 2 years old -- he had facial hives and swelling (but not in his mouth/throat). His allergy was confirmed and retesting a couple of times since then still shows that he's reactive (we do carry an EpiPen, btw). He's never had a food reaction since then (however, we are diligent about reading labels -- won't allow "may contain", "processed in the same facility", etc.).

He's always had sensitive skin -- mild eczema when he was younger, particularly in the creases of his elbows and behind his knees. He's sensitive to grass -- if he's running around outside in the summer, he'll sometimes get a couple of contact hives on certain parts of his skin that go away once we wash it off. He takes Allegra on high pollen days only. There's a low pollen count here right now, but the one thing that is in the air is ragweed which I do think is a trigger for him.

Early on Friday evening, he told me his legs were really itchy. I told him that dry weather can do that and I looked at his legs and they were covered in hives. I pulled up his shirt and his torso was also covered in hives. I immediately gave him Benadryl, looked inside his mouth for swelling, asked him how he was feeling (fine other than itchy), and then asked him about what he may have eaten that day and when this started. He said it started after school but before dinner. He said he absolutely did not eat anything questionable or new that day.

The next day (yesterday), a good 18 or so hours later, he got hives again -- this time on his face in addition to his body. Again, not feeling weird/bad other than the itchy. Gave Benadryl and all was well for a few hours. He went to friend's house for a couple of hours last night (I stayed, just in case) and he broke out again (about 7 hours after the previous outbreak).

He's not sick at all (although, he does sound stuffy this morning), we haven't changed laundry detergents (we're at end of the same jug, so it's not like it's a new jug of our same stuff), and we just can't piece it together. At this point, I feel like it's not food-related, but of course I can't be sure.

Has anyone or their child experienced anything like this and was a cause ever determined? I remember having a bout of hives for about 2 weeks in my mid twenties, but I never figured out what was causing it.

 

[lsyorke]

My DS(28) went through this recently. Bad hives for no "obvious" reason. We went crazy trying to figure it out. After 3 weeks of this we started seeing a pattern for some foods. Turns out after stopping some, reintroducing slowly, stopping again we identified it as a phosphate allergy. Doesn't sound like much, but phosphates are in pretty much every "prepared" food, most commercially available baked goods and a lot of cold cuts. (sodium pyrrophosphate is the most common form, but there are others). Never had a problem prior to this. Come to find out that its very common and one can become sensitized after years of no probems. Worth looking at the labels of what he is eating.

 

[barkley]

we've been dealing with this for about 4-6 months. ds will just break out with no discernible trigger (after a few occurrences we were keeping track to see if we noticed any trends). no changes in diet, no changes in laundering/hygiene products, no changes w/existing (minor outdoorsy type) allergies. I was using Benadryl to treat but it stopped helping so we went to the doctor (we took a photo during one breakout so the doctor could see what we were dealing with)-just ended up being told to use Claritin instead of Benadryl. so far ds says it makes it clear up faster and helps with the itching.

I had a similar thing happen in my 20's as well-it cleared up after a few months but I never figured out the cause.

 

[jevs]

Stress related?

 

[barkley]

My DS(28) went through this recently. Bad hives for no "obvious" reason. We went crazy trying to figure it out. After 3 weeks of this we started seeing a pattern for some foods. Turns out after stopping some, reintroducing slowly, stopping again we identified it as a phosphate allergy. Doesn't sound like much, but phosphates are in pretty much every "prepared" food, most commercially available baked goods and a lot of cold cuts. (sodium pyrrophosphate is the most common form, but there are others). Never had a problem prior to this. Come to find out that its very common and one can become sensitized after years of no probems. Worth looking at the labels of what he is eating.

it's worth it to look at the labels on cleaning/hygiene products as well.

I get nasty migraines that can be triggered by almost imperceptible scents in some products. I've had a manufacturer on more than one occasion slightly tweak the ingredients to products I've used for decades-and the only way I figured it out (after the migraine hit) was by comparing an older bottle with a more recently purchased one (so the new bottle got tossed while I searched for a new replacement product and was very prudent using up the last of my older supply).

 

[diznygirl]

My son has a skin allergy to wheat (along with a host of other allergies). We had an incident where it was just too much chicken nuggets, orange
Chicken, crackers and he broker out in hives. His histimime level just got too much for his body to handle. We've read ibuprofen can raise histimine levels, so we stick to acetaminophen for him. Also read that vitamin c can lower so he takes a gummy every day. Can't hurt.

We also use the Benedryl crime on his hives. Seems to help him

Hope you figure this out. No fun not knowing what causes it so you can fix it!

 

[mjkacmom]

Cold weather? Christmas tree?

 

[mom2rtk]

Our 21 year old got them about once a year for many years starting as a fairly young child. One doctor thought he was overheating at night. One doctor thought it was an allergic reaction to a virus. Another thought he was allergic to cut grass because they seemed to be happening in early spring. Only once was I able to get him in to the doctor fast enough for them to see how bad they really were. She was quite alarmed and had us carry an epipen for a few years.

The truth is we never found out what caused it. We treated with Benadryl and Zyrtec but it didn't do much good. On the very last case he had, 4 or 5 years ago, we had a doctor recommend using Zan-tac. He cleared up within hours of taking it. It's a stomach acid drug but also has anti-allergy properties and works on different receptor sites than the other allergy meds.

So we never did get an answer. But he seems to have outgrown them. And we are better equipped to treat it now.

Good luck!

 

[DisAuntie]

Does he use an ipad? If I have any part of my ipad resting on my arm uncased, I break out in all over hives.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

DD19 has always had some weird issues with hives and even skin mottling (the latter, usually when she had a virus).

A couple of years ago she bought a new plastic water "infusion" bottle (where you can put cut up fruit in the middle). She rinsed it out, then filled it with cut up strawberries and lemon, and proceeded to drink it. A friend came over, and it wasn't until after the friend left she mentioned she had hives (not uncommon for her) but that she was also a little short of breath (new - and she hadn't mentioned it because she and her friend were doing Just Dance and she just thought it was because of the dancing, but it didn't go away when she stopped). Our pediatrician felt it was probably a strawberry allergy, especially since she'd broken out into hives the first time she'd eaten them (like many babies do; she'd gone on to eat them and strawberry derivatives all the years in between, though, seemingly without problems). She had to carry an Epi Pen and all that because of the shortness of breath, basically, saying it could get worse next time, etc. We were also referred to an Allergist. She went through allergy testing and lo and behold, she was NOT allergic to strawberries, or much else, actually. So the allergist felt that it was just a "weird hive thing" (sorry, I cannot remember the exact name and can't find it online, either) but to keep an eye on it, etc.

DD and I think it was more related to the plastic, as she's had other things happen when she is in contact with plastic, whether she drinks it, or has it near her skin, etc. The allergist didn't think much of that theory, but it's the best we could come up with. Anyway, it hasn't really happened again to that degree. I think that she didn't fully wash the infusion bottle out before using it, that it was more of a swish some water around in it. Now she washes plastic cups out with sudsy water before she uses them. Not all plastics have the same chemicals in them, though, so certain ones might cause more of a reaction than others. But who knows.

 

[lsyorke]

it's worth it to look at the labels on cleaning/hygiene products as well.

I get nasty migraines that can be triggered by almost imperceptible scents in some products. I've had a manufacturer on more than one occasion slightly tweak the ingredients to products I've used for decades-and the only way I figured it out (after the migraine hit) was by comparing an older bottle with a more recently purchased one (so the new bottle got tossed while I searched for a new replacement product and was very prudent using up the last of my older supply).

Yup, we did all that and nothing triggered for those. The phosphate...huge trigger, when for 28 years it was no problem. After doing some research I found it's very common and one of the substances that few would even look for, but it's becoming much more prevalent with all the prepared foods we consume.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Ha! Look what I just saw in the news today:

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...nts-uniforms-blamed-rashes-headaches-recalled

 

[lifesavacation]

I have a son(20) who breaks out in hives. He had several histamine spots as a baby/toddler and his body is just reactive. It really could be the Christmas tree. It took us awhile to figure that one out. Did the friend have a dog or cat? My son is also reactive to wheat, dust, grasses, detergents, and shampoos/soaps. And we also avoided ibuprofen per the dr's recommendation.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what caused his hives. Sometimes it's hard to know.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I have chronic idiopathic urticaria - random hives. My longest stretch was 18 months of head to toe hives when I was 11. There is no "allergy" causing it. When my body is under stress (emotional or physical) for long periods of time, my immune system goes haywire and reacts to everything as an allergen.

Most cases of hives will never have an origin discovered. Put him on Zyrtec, it is the best allergy medicine to stop the release of histamine (which is causing the hives). Heartburn/reflux medicine has also been useful in preventing hives in some people if they continue.

Keep him cool as well. Ice packs on the super itchy parts really helps. Don't cover him in caladryl or any other anti-itch cream. It is dangerous to cover too much of the body in those medicines.

Good luck. I know what he is dealing with and it is miserable.

 

[anniemae]

My first thought was viral hives but you said he was not sick. I was at the end of a cold and for about a week I was breaking out in hives every morning. Then throughout the day they would crop up on one part of my body, go away and reappear somewhere else. Apparently it is the bodies way of ridding/reacting to different viruses.

 

[Music City Mama]

Thanks for your responses. Based upon my research and your responses, it could be almost anything.

As far as the Christmas tree, that's a great guess, but we didn't even get our tree until yesterday (after the second incident) and didn't bring it into our home until this morning (after the third incident).

We have 2 cats, but there is no sneezing or anything and his reactions didn't occur when he was around them at all. He also reacted at his friend's house last night and they don't have pets.

He did have ibuprofen for the first time in many months, but that was at least a week and a half ago. We did travel during Thanksgiving and were in wooded areas, so a reaction to bite (like a tick?) has crossed my mind, but there is no evidence of a bite or being more itchy in a specific area.

I don't believe it's stress-related -- we've talked and he said he's not anxious or nervous about anything (and I believe him). Also, while it's gotten cold here, it's not too bad yet -- in the 40's/50's.

I'm not ruling out illness yet. I've read that while some people get hives during or at the end of an illness, some people get them days before one starts.

I guess it could be a food/additive or new sensitivity to our detergent. Ugh -- I hate not knowing.

Right now my plan is to give him Allegra in the morning (just because we have it on hand) and Benadryl at night. Hopefully, that will keep them at bay and maybe we can see if he comes down with something in the next couple of days. Then, I guess we'll have to do some elimination of either foods and/or other products.

It does make me feel better to hear your stories, so thanks for sharing!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Chronic Idiopathic Uticaria - that might have been the term I was thinking of. The allergist gave us a pre-printed teaching sheet on it, so apparently it's pretty common for them to see.

 

[Aliceacc]

I would take him to Urgent care, or to his regular doctor first thing in the morning.

 

[MataHari22]

It really can be anything. Think of things he may be wearing, products he may be using or applying topically. I went through a crazy period of constantly getting hives every day and not knowing what the heck was doing it. It turns out, it was my prescription toothpaste. I have special trays and a stronger fluoride toothpaste because when I had radiation to my head/neck/face, it destroyed my salivary gland function and my severe dry mouth is not good for my teeth. There's two Rx, one is a paste that you're supposed to put in the trays and keep them in your mouth for a half an hour. The second is a boost gel, and you're supposed to just brush with it, like a normal tooth paste 1x per day. Well, at one point, I was out of the paste for the trays, and for some reason my pharmacy didn't have it either. Between that, and being busy, it was like three weeks before I got the paste again. I used it that night before bed, and realized the next morning, I had hives again. I realized they had disappeared for those weeks that I didn't use the paste and trays. So, I waited for a couple of days, and used the paste again. Sure enough, hives. Apparently, I am allergic to something in the paste, but I'm still able to use the gel one. The dentist was not happy I was not using the paste, but I told him I was using the gel in the trays instead, and he was ok with it.

Another thing that I have found that gives me hives, is certain sunscreens. If I use paraben free sunscreens I do not have a reaction.

 

[Disney_traveler]

I got them at that age because I was worried about our state mandated tests. If I remember correctly, it was way before or after we actually took them and I don't remember being sick or anything over it. I remember have them all over my legs, having to wear light cotton dresses and staying home from school a couple days during the worst of it because it was severely hot outside and that made them itch worse.