What to Do When Your Child Breaks Out in Hives

Hives (urticaria) are incredibly common, affecting up to 25% of people at some point. However, it can be very concerning when you see angry red splotches all over your child’s body. 

Numerous things can trigger hives, but sometimes it can be impossible to identify the root cause. Thankfully, plenty of treatments that can effectively soothe your child’s irritated skin and prevent it from developing again. 

At the Allergy and Asthma Institute of Southeast Michigan in Farmington Hills, Michigan, our team led by expert allergist Chad W. Mayer, DO, FAAAAI, FAAP, understands how worrisome it can be when your child breaks out in hives. 

Here, we discuss some common triggers for hives and what to do if they affect your child.

Possible causes of your child’s hives

Hives develop when your immune system detects a threat and releases a chemical called histamine, resulting in red, bumpy splotches that appear suddenly. In many cases, the release of histamine is unnecessary since the perceived threat isn’t actually a danger at all. 

Oftentimes, children develop idiopathic hives, meaning there’s no clear reason for their occurrence. However, some commonly reported triggers for hives in children include:

• Viral or bacterial infections
• Food allergies
• Environmental allergies 
• Extreme temperatures
• Tight-fitting clothing
• Exercise 

Hives can also break out because of  chemicals in detergents, or medications. 

How to effectively address your child’s hives

As stated above, you may not always be able to find out what’s causing your child to break out in hives. If you’re able to identify the trigger, avoiding that will help.

In most cases, giving your child an antihistamine is all that’s necessary to treat the hives. If your child’s skin is extremely itchy and irritated, apply an ice pack while the medication kicks in. 

If your child has accompanying symptoms such as trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or vomiting, you should seek care from your nearest emergency room. The hives could be an indicator of a serious allergy. 

After getting emergent care, schedule an appointment with our team so we can identify the allergen and create an effective treatment plan from there. 

If you’re ready to learn more about possible causes of hives or how to treat hives in your child, call our friendly office staff today to schedule an appointment or use our online booking feature any time, day or night.