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What Allergic-Reaction Hives Look Like

November 19, 2013 41 Comments

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Please note that I am not a healthcare provider or a doctor. I am sharing our experiences with hives and our pediatrician.  
 
2013 is the year of the hive.  We have found out that Red is allergic to a bunch of medications…  He was prescribed these certain medications to help alleviate fluid in his ears that were trapped.  Apparently, not many people are allergic to these medications, but with a secondary massive case of hives present, even during a high dose of steroids, Red is one of these folks. 
 
Hives looks like red welts – they can be any size, and appear on any part of the body, although hives in the armpits, torso, groin and other soft tissues can indicate an allergic reaction.  How should you handle the situation if your child has a rash similar to this?
Follow these simple steps: 

Photograph Your Child

Take pictures from all angles.  Hives can come, go, change shape and even color opacity. You will want to document how they change, the places that they appear – it can help indicate if a rash is worsening, or help your healthcare provider identify the rash.   

Make an Allergic Reaction Hives Log

It can help to know what your child has eaten, had on his/her skin or perhaps if they went somewhere new. Write down everything you have eaten, encountered, etc in the last 24 hours.  Every time the rash occurs, consult your log.  Consider lotions, detergents, medications, outdoor substances, animals, etc.

Call your nurse

Call your healthcare providers about OTC medications like Benadryl or Motrin that may help with swelling or histamines.  This can help your child feel more comfortable during the reaction before you get to your provider’s office.  Benadryl can help remedy a small case of hives, which is why it’s so important to take lots of pictures! Plan a visit to your doctor that day if you provider recommends it. Hives can be an initial sign of a worsening reaction.   If you need a list of OTC medications that may be right for your family, these are good options for toddlers. 

Make your child comfortable

Try an oatmeal bath if your child is itchy, apply cool compresses, take it easy and don’t try to go to new places, or over work them by too much activity, etc.  Alternatively, if they hives aren’t bothering your child, simply monitor them for signs of uncomfortability, etc.

Take Notes

Make sure that you write down all your allergies for care providers. If you need an epi pen, make sure that each person that cares for your child (babysitters, nannies, school teachers, family etc) know where it is and how to use it.  Be prepared!
 

Pay Attention

The best thing you can do for your child is to pay attention. Make sure you introduce new foods slowly, that you are monitoring everything they may intake or touch. It’s hard to see such a terrible rash affect your child, but hopefully, some of the above steps can make it a little easier to deal with!
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Filed Under: Parenting

Comments

  1. Lindsey Paris says

    November 19, 2013 at 9:38 pm

    Oh man, poor little dude!

    Reply
  2. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 4:14 am

    What a great idea!

    Reply
  3. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 9:59 am

    Awww poor baby. Mines has that eczema a lot

    Reply
  4. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 10:27 am

    That is such an incredibly generous donation by them, and it looks like you had a lot of fun!

    Reply
  5. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 2:46 pm

    OMG!! I am sorry your son has to go through this, but it looks like you have did your research and now know what to look for!

    Reply
  6. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    What a great trip and such a fun thing for Ford to do!!

    Reply
  7. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 7:26 pm

    And don’t panic. My Mom used to put us in a bath with a little oatmeal – I had to do that when I broke out in the hives after my son was born. Great tips!

    Reply
  8. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 7:48 pm

    Ugh, poor baby. These are some really good tips. My son always gets hives when he has a virus.

    Reply
  9. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 7:58 pm

    My son had hives a lot as a baby – scared me the first time he had an outbreak. He suffers from allergies and ashtma too!

    Reply
  10. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 8:57 pm

    Oh no, that is awful. Thanks for sharing all of these tips, so important!

    Reply
  11. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 9:28 pm

    Poor little Red! Those make me itch all over so bad. I’ve had way too many reactions like that to know how miserable they are. I’m glad you found the culprit.

    Reply
  12. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 10:24 pm

    Poor guy. I know the feeling all too well. Thanks for sharing the information.

    Reply
  13. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 10:33 pm

    I’m really impressed that you thought to start recording it all. That is so helpful for diagnosis. Poor little man.

    Reply
  14. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 10:38 pm

    This is such an important post! First time mamas always go straight to good ol’ google for advice – I know I did and still do! I hope this post is found by those mamas in search of an answer!!

    Reply
  15. Lindsey Paris says

    November 20, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    This is such a great post for those who may at first panic at the first sight of something like that happening to their child. I’m passing it along to my sister-in-law because while she didn’t have anything like this with my niece, my nephew is turning out to be allergic to a lot of things!

    Reply
  16. Lindsey Paris says

    November 21, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    Poor baby 🙁 I hope they don’t make him uncomfortable. Luckily my children have had minimal run ins with any type of allergic reactions this is good information to have.

    Reply
  17. Lindsey Paris says

    November 21, 2013 at 3:47 pm

    Oh poor baby I don’t like hives as an adult, that must be uncomfortable. Thank you for the tips.

    Reply
  18. Lindsey Paris says

    November 21, 2013 at 11:35 pm

    My son broke out in really bad hives twice when he was really little. We took him off of EVERYTHING on the allergy list, since he was too young to do any testing. He’s never had hives again and we never figured out what it was.

    Reply
  19. Lindsey Paris says

    November 22, 2013 at 1:32 am

    Oh my gosh poor thing and thank you for sharing about the best ways to minimize the symptoms.

    Reply
  20. Lindsey Paris says

    November 22, 2013 at 3:24 am

    My daughter had this a few years ago

    Reply
  21. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:05 pm

    It’s scary when it pops up for the first time. I hope you found the culprit!

    Reply
  22. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    you’re welcome – it can be manageable!

    Reply
  23. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    poor fella!

    Reply
  24. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    you’re welcome!

    Reply
  25. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    His don’t bother him, it seems. I count that as lucky.

    Reply
    • Sara Zeiner says

      June 5, 2019 at 7:17 pm

      Did you ever find out what caused his hives. My 7 month old daughter has had hives that look exactly like this for 7 weeks. They don’t seem to bother her at all. She has seen a dermatologist and an allergist. The allergist says it’s not an allergy. I feel so helpless.

      Reply
      • Redhead Baby Mama says

        June 5, 2019 at 7:22 pm

        Yes, 100% did figure it out. It was Amoxicillin, and the rash began appearing the evening of the 3rd dose day. We stopped and at our Pedi’s recommendation, gave liquid Benedryl. He cleared up. There was another OTC medication that caused the same reaction a few years later that we list as an allergen. When he’s 15, we will give an allergy test to see if he has outgrown the allergy or can never have it as an adult. I hope you figure it out. Trust your mom gut and ask for an allergy test!

        Reply
  26. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    yes! it’s funny how much you can forget when you don’t spend time doing it every day.

    Reply
  27. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:15 pm

    Thank you for the share! I wish I had something like this a few months ago when we had out first allergic episode!

    Reply
  28. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:15 pm

    And Dr. Google is a dangerous place to be 😉 Thank you so much!

    Reply
  29. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:16 pm

    Absolutely. Taking a log can be a pain, but well worth it in the end!

    Reply
  30. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:16 pm

    You’re welcome – Red is feeling much better now!

    Reply
  31. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    Oooh I’m glad Red’s don’t itch – I’m so sorry that you are so miserable when you break out! So far, there are 2 culprits.. what’s next?!

    Reply
  32. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    You’re welcome!

    Reply
  33. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    Seriously – the first time I saw hives I got freaked out – this time they were much more severe!

    Reply
  34. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    Poor guy!

    Reply
  35. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    Amen – try not to panic! We always have oatmeal baths on hand, mostly for Poison Ivy, but there are so many uses for it!

    Reply
  36. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    Thank you – It took me a few breakouts to learn!

    Reply
  37. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    How do you care for the eczema? I had that a lot as a child.

    Reply
  38. Lindsey Paris says

    November 23, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    I know, right?! He’s much better now.

    Reply
  39. Lindsey Paris says

    December 2, 2013 at 10:27 pm

    Be careful about giving Motrin for comfort. Motrin (or any ibuprofen) can also trigger hives in an individual with allergies. You might want to suggest Tylenol instead. You could also give a dose of Benadryl and a dose of Zyrtec at the same time for hives. I have a child with Mastocytosis and have unfortunately learned way too much about hives. 🙁

    Reply

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Hey y'all! I'm Lindsey, a southern girl residing in Atlanta. Welcome to my little corner where I share my anecdotes, crafts, recipes, & dose of Disney as I raise my 2 kids! Thanks for following along... I'm so glad you're here! Read More…

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