6 Month Old Breaking Out in Hives

My son has eczema - the thing that helps the most is raw coconut oil (like from a healthfood store). It helps his skin heal faster and keeps his skin moist. Lotions didn't work nearly as well.

I know this is late but wanted to add my two cents also on eczema. My three yr old has a mild case. Has had it since a few months after birth. I use the Renew skin lotion by Meleluca. It makes his skin as soft as a newborns! It is the only thing I have found that helps.
Pls it helps my dry cracked heels! So thats an added bonus!!!

I haven't had this problem with my daughter, but thought maybe I could offer some advice. If it is his eczema flaring up...I know several people who have children with eczema. They were using all kinds of prescription meds to try to keep it under control. They switched the kinds of products they were using in their homes for cleaning and personal care, like laundry soap and lotions with tea tree oil or Melaleuca oil. And the now their kids rarely have problems with eczema if at all. I switched my shopping too and now Emilee isn't breaking out with diaper rashes and skin irratiations like she was. I'm a happy customer I can get you more information about the products if you like. Just let me know. I hope that this helps.-
J.-Mom of Emilee, 8 1/2 Months

Hi D.,
I personally have broken out in hives a few times taking amoxicillin, mostly on my arms, thighs and chest. I've never had to give my 3 year old an antibiotic but if I probably wouldn't use anything in that family just to be safe. If your little one has hives or is still sick I would request a different antibiotic if he needs it and keep him away from that family of drugs. Another thing, my father never had a reaction to that family of meds until he had to take them again recently and this time his throat closed and he had to be rushed to urgent care. From my understanding a severe reaction can develop at any time so I would keep him away from it. Also, Aveeno makes a great baby wash and lotion for eczema that can help with he itch. keep in contact with your doctor and trust your gut.

good luck :)

Hi D.,
Lots of good responses. I agree with the mothers who suggested to change ALL your Laundrey( including softener), and cleaning products. Check out the Shaklee GET CLEAN line. Shaklee is one of the first companies to go Green when Green wasn't popular(1956) . www.shakleegetclean.com/goodhealthconcepts
I also agree that taking (or giving) your baby Omega-3's and pre-and pro-biotics is VERY effective in treating Exzema.
Good luck! You can contact me for more info at ____@____.com.

Michelle

D.,
I saw your posting a little late but I didnt want to pass it up. Eczema is such a widespread issue with not a lot known about it. I know eczema wasn't your original topic but I wanted to pass on a suggestion to you.
I work with a local Colorado company called Bubble Goddess Bath Company. My sister in law started it about three years ago. We make ALL NATURAL and organic bath products and have had so many testimonials from clients and their children about our products clearing up their eczema for good!
Most Doctors recommend Eucerine, Aquaphor, Cetafil even Vaseline all which have mineral oil (a by product of gasoline) that tricks your skin into thinking its moisturized and to stops it from producing it's own natural moisturizers. Essentially it makes our skin even drier, causing eczema to worsen.
Most of our clients see results in three days! If you would like to stop by, we have a new location in the Denver area off County Line Rd. We make all of our products there and have a boutique set up in the front. I would love to show you around if your in the neighborhood! Or if you would like I can send you a sample of our soap and body butter to help clear up your sons eczema.
Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!

T. B.
Team Leader
Bubble Goddess Bath Company
"Natural Bath Products For Your Inner Goddess"
###-###-####
____@____.com

You may also want to check out the website www.solveeczema.org

I have no experience with hives although my son has exczema (and Cetaphil cream seems to work the best for this). I would take him to Dave's Health and Nutrition and see if Dave can recommend something. You will need to call for an appointment. The phone number is: ###-###-#### or check out their web site: http://daveshealth.com/

Best of luck to you!

My initial thought is that it is an allergic reaction to something he is getting through your breastmilk - or even topically. I have a daughter with servere peanut/tree nut allergies and also has eczema. I know it sounds crazy but babies can't break down the peanut protein in their systems when they are little so you shouldn't give certain things, like peanuts, to them until they are three. And I was told to stay away from peanuts while I was pregnant and nursing. Look into what you are eating to see if he is having a reaction to that. Are you eating anything with peanuts. Is he getting any of it on his skin? Anyway, can you give Benadryl? Also, is there something that is rubbing on his skin that might be irritating him? New laundry detergent, etc.? What about wheat products that he's ingesting? I would guess it's an allergy from my experience. National Jewish has been a good place for my daughter and all of her allergies. While my daughter fought off a virus she had cankor (sp) sores in her mouth, but I've never heard of hives from a virus. Are they actually hives or just red, pimply, raised sores? There's a difference. Hope this helps. Sorry it's so choppy.

Hi D.,
The Amoxicillin is probably the culprit. It is horrible stuff for hives. I know adults who break out in hives when they take that anti-bioic. But, the thing that I want to talk to you about is the excema. I finally found out something that works. It will only keep it at bay, it won't take it away because nothing will. Anyway, get some Omega 3 fatty acids. Fish Oil to be exact. Break it open and put 1/2 of the liquid in your baby's bottle.You will notice a hugh difference. 2 babies in my family have it (badly) and this keeps it at bay. Don't use any of the creams your doc might give you. Some of them have steroids in them. But, fish oil is just a natural product and Omega 3's are good for you anyway. Hope this helps.

What you are describing is an Amoxicillin allergy. Doctors are horrible about admitting that someone could be allergic to something if it doesn't involve swelling and even then they don't want to admit it. I am severely allergic to Penicillin and Amoxicillin. When I was 2 I received Penicillin for an ear infection. Hives showed up a few days later. The doctors didn't take my mom seriously. Then right after that my foot and leg swelled. They had my mom rush me to the hospital because of that. I was told that I am allergic to Penicillin and need to be treated for it. Amoxicillin causes a minor reaction compared to Penicillin. If your son is getting hives there is a very good chance he is allergic to Penicillin as well, especially if he is getting the hives because of Amoxicillin in the breast milk. Please take your child into the doctor today. I would never give him Amoxicillin again. I wear a Medic Alert bracelet because of the allergies. My friend's 5 year old daughter just went through this a few months ago. Mild hives and then her throat started swelling, she had to be rushed to the ER. There are other drugs you and your child could take that work just as well as Amoxicillin. I take Keflex when Penicillin or Amoxicillin is recommended, I guess it is listed as something for people allergic to the drugs related to Penicillin. Also, doctors will listen to you if you are strong about it. Doctors seem to think that a little discomfort is ok, but you need to decide if it is ok for your child. When my daughter was 9 months she came down with Pneumonia. I was worried about the Amoxicillin allergy so they gave her something different. It turned out that drug was causing her to throw-up right after taking it and I had to argue that even though it is not technically an allergy I still did not want her taking that drug. It only took a minute on the phone and they phoned in a prescription for Amoxicillin, which it turned out was ok for her. With so many medications out there your child has other options than one that gives him hives.

The first question to ask would be whether this rash is really bothering your son a lot. Of course, if your son develops breathing distress or other symptoms such as vomiting in conjunction with his rash, you should take him for urgent care right away. My children both had eczema, and I understand your concern.

If the rash is indeed bothering him, but there are no other disconcerting symptoms, you can try putting him in an oatmeal bath to reduce inflammation or rubbing coconut oil into his skin to help him feel more comfortable.

It may be hard to tell if his rash is allergen-related until you are finished with your antibiotics. Your doctor will be able to arrange a test to see if he is allergic to amoxicillin later if you decide together that you want to do that.

Results from doing things like changing laundry detergents and/or removing suspected allergens from his diet will also be more clear after the antibiotics are done.

Another thing to consider is that viruses can often cause rashes, and antibiotics won't do a thing to change that. As with most other viruses, the body's immune system can overcome the infection in time and the rash will go away on its own if this is the case. However, it could take some time.

If your son does turn out to be allergic to amoxicillin there are other classes of antibiotics that he will still be able to use, but you will probably want to save them for when he really needs them.

One more thing to note, recent studies have indicated that antibiotics do not help ear infections heal faster, and may actually contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant "super bugs". Check out this link:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/child_hea...

The homeopathic remedies Chamomilla and Belladonna have been extremely helpful for treating acute ear infections and reducing pain. I have used them for myself and my children with terrific results. You can buy them in 6x or 12x easily at any good health food store.

Best of luck and happy healing to you!

Hi D.! You are a very wise mother. Your gut instinct is telling you something is wrong, but you cannot find anyone to confirm your instincts. I, too, had a son who got a "virus" at six months and took an AB for it. He, like your son, got a rash. Let's look at the word AntiBiotic... Anti means against, Bio means life. Like Biology is the study of Life, right? So we have a very interesting word, Against Life. Notice this is not Against Virus, or Against Bacteria, or Against Fungus. Those 3 attack the human body. No, this is Against Life, our life, the life of your son. Anti-biotics attack our immune system and they are VERY, VERY dangerous. They can be very good for someone who needs them, but, not for simple things as an ear infection! In our intestines we have good bacteria and we have bad bacteria often called yeast. AB kill the good bacteria and the yeast overtake the system. I suspect the rash is yeast. Do NOT stop nursing this baby, but DO STOP EATING ALL SUGAR. Have you ever heard of such things as I am talking about? Some people are not open to alternative health, some are very interested. If this interests you, please e-mail me, I can help you to help your son get over this. I support your instinct that you need to do something, indeed, your instinct is sound. Please, seek help for your precious boy elsewhere. Western medicine does not have the answer for THIS problem. May God bless you and give you wisdom to help your baby.
M.
PS. Forgot to mention acidophyllis and bifidus. They make a powder for infants of live cultures that will help to replace the good bacteria and help your sons immune system to fight. This is food, it comes naturally in yogurt, but you cannot get enough to replace the damage from AB in yogurt, have to take a supplement. Like I said, this will give you a start, but if you are interested, message me back.

I don't know if the rash is the same but when my daughter then 2 1/2 years old went almost through the same thing her eyes started first to get a little puffy that how it stated she felt fine but then there came the rash first just on parts of her body I took her to our peditriction first he gave a cream and said the weather change could cause this becase and she did have a bit of exzema and it should clear up within the week needless to say a year later severl more trips to the doctor then the dermatolagist We never found out what it really was no one could give me a real anwser other then some kind of virous so I am hoping this is not the same it's like patches on her face checks legs, arms, stomach, bum, we tried oitment after oitment it wasn't alergies wasnt alergic to something and only on some parts of the body were covered it finally did go away over the couse of that year I would treat it so she can't itch it luke warm bath's sun screan, long sleaved shirts and pants they may be some simalarities I don't know I wish you the best good luck

I'm allergic to amoxacillin, but not Penacillin. I do know that allergic reactions cause rash break-outs in certain parts of body at different times. My husband had an allergic reaction to dye, and it started in the face and worked it's way down to the feet over a period of a week. I wish you the best. It looks like you've gotten lots of great ideas.

He could have a yeast infection. My son had one after antibiotics. It was on his bottom and the rash bled when you wiped it. The Dr. prescribed an ointment (nystatin) and it went away.

My son had an allergic reaction to amoxicillin and he got a full body rash. What our pediatrician told us is that in an allergic reaction you'll see the red spots on the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet. If the hives aren't showing up in those two areas then it probably isn't an allergy.

But, my son also is prone to getting a full body rash when he gets a viral infection. I can't remember what it's called, but it starts with a R. But, basically, when he gets a virus (like the strep throat virus) he doesn't get any cold symptoms and instead breaks out in a rash that looks like chicken pox. It eventually goes away on its own.

He might be having an allergic reaction , but not to a food item. Have you changed anything recently? i.e. laundry soap, shampoo, bath soap, pets allowed in room recently, etc.

We've had this happen before. With us, our doctor switched medications, just to be safe. We switched medications two times. I found out later that there is a sickness that makes children break out in hives --- so it may not have been the medication at all. It's hard to tell. When taking amoxicillan make sure your child gets a lot of yogurt. It helps. Have him ingest it and rub it directly on the skin. See if that helps. Keep your doctor informed. If your child has trouble breathing --- take him to the hospital immediately. Also, is there anything else different that has been introduced to your child? New food? New laundry detergent? New lotion? New shampoo? It's a process of elimination trying to figure out what he is reacting to. Good luck, Sherlock Holmes.

My son, who is now 2 1/2, had eczema from the time he was three months old. Around 6 months, it became worse. It was a head to toe rash. He wouldn't roll over or move. He would sit and scratch all day long. I had him to doctor after doctor and they said it was eczema. Do the daily baths, vaseline head to toe, hydrocortisone cream etc. He was breastfed, and I asked several times if it could be an allergy. I was assured that allergens didn't come through breastmilk. After months of agony, I finally pushed the skin test allergy test. He was allergic to milk, egg, nuts, and soy. It WAS coming through my breastmilk and making him react. Anyways, good luck. There is a reason he is breaking out. Whether it is your milk, or the dust in his room, or the laundry detergent. It's a game of trial and error. If you do have to cut food out, let me know and I can offer you some good recipe ideas that you can eat. I am nursing my second baby and on a milk, egg, and nut free diet. It can be frustrating at times, but the health of your baby is worth it. Good luck finding out what is causing the reactions. You can use Benadryl to treat the hives and rash. Good luck!

It is an allergy to the amoxicillin. When my oldest was 3 he got an ear infection. The DR. put him on erythromycin and in 3 days the poor kid was COVERED in red bumps. I called the Doc & he said get him OFF NOW. I brought him in the next day and they confirmed an allergic reaction, and said it should disappear in a couple more days, and if it didn't, then I needed to bring him in and they would treat it. Well, it was gone by day 4 after stopping, and it's been in his medical file ever since. I would ask your doctor to make a note of the reaction in your sons file. If they don't (because hives is a SEVERE reaction, next time he's on Amoxicillin it could be potentially deadly) change doctors and just fill out the medical history as if he is allergic to amoxicillin. A suggestion for treating the hives while he's got them, soak him in a lukewarm tub with oatmeal and baking soda and use benadryl cream on him, or infant liquid. Good Luck, and I hope you all get better soon.
There is a baby (disease) that I found out about when my youngest was 3. It's called 5th disease, and it's Human Parvovirus 5. It causes red lacy looking rashe ALL over the body, but most apparent on the torso. However it shows up all at once, not over a couple of days. Be careful, it's highly contagious, but there is no illness just the rash. In little ones it causes the rash, but if adults get it, it's like having a sever flu for a week. I got it and it felt like every single joint in my body was swelled up and I ached everywhere every time I moved. Aparrently it doesn't itch either, so benadryl won't help. Our doc told us to keep the kids out of the sun (supposedly it makes the rash flare up), but 3 boys ages 3 and 7, that's hard to do. I did notice, my youngest was outside alot and the rash went away faster....Hope the input helps.

It sounds almost exactly like the experience I had with my daughter and amoxicillin. In our case, the doctor attributed the hives to a drug allergy even though she had been on amoxicillin once before with no effect and didn't break out into hives until she was through the second prescription. Our doctor said that an allergy usually doesn't show itself until the second time a child has the medication. Good luck...hopefully you'll get some answers this morning at your doctor's office.

Our 9 year-old-son had the same symptoms when he was an infant. Our doctor told us that it was an allergy to the medication. Come to find out he is allergic to several antibiotics. The more antibiotic they take the larger chance there is that they will develop an allergy. Being that you checked with your doctor I don't know what to tell you. You may want to double check. Good luck.

My daughter is allergic to amoxicillin it didn't show up until her third time on it and they said it could take 5 days for the hives to completely go away after we stopped using it.

I'm not sure what this could or couldn't be... but I will tell you that when I was breastfeeding my son, I came down with mastitis and they put me on amoxicillin. He was fine for a few days, then broke out in hives. It started a little here and there and it just got worse. The doctor told me if I could, to finish the medicine, so I did. But my little one didn't clear up until 2 or 3 days after I stopped taking it. Allergies to penicillin, and the like, run in the family. Since this happened, my son has been on an antibiotic once (he is 20 months old now), and had the same reaction, but with diarrhea, also. I use herbal remedies now when he gets sick. It seems to work the same, if not better and is much more gentle on their little bodies.

You should start asking yourself what he does or things that have happened before he broke out. Have you changed laundry detergents, or is he crying and upset when it happens, do you have pets he comes into contact with?

Not a good idea to cut out the breast milk, as not to stress the digestive system as well.
Cut out anything with scents - lotions, bath products, and stay away from soap for a few days. Baking soda baths that are warm.

What are you washing the clothes in? Lots of soaps have perfume or scents... go to a gentle detergent w/o scents. So not use the dryer products with scents either.

Sometimes oils made from nuts will do that. If you use a product on the skin have it be simple... for our infant massage classes we use sweet almond oil, yes it is a nut oil, but few baby's react to it.
You can do a patch test on the baby befor using anything, typically apply a little of the lotion or oil on the nap of the neck or the inside of the upper arm and what for 1-8 hours. Check for a reaction.

S. Beck, CIMI, www.lovingtouch.com
____@____.com

Same thing happenend to my youngest. It is most definately an allergice reaction to Amoxicillin!! Your doc needs to put a penicillin allergy in his chart! It can get worse each time he is exposed. Those are the same things that happened to my little one - right down to it being all over her thighs. Do not cut out breastmilk! That's the best thing for him right now. As far as antibiotics - when he's really going to need one, there are other ones he can take. Good luck!

I haven't read all of the responses to your problem, but I thought I would give you a little more food for thought. My daughter (when she was just over 1 years old, now she is 4.5) just started to have these hive type breakouts all over her back. The welts would just all of a sudden appear, we would give her benadryl and they would go away, but I couldn't figure out what was happening. She has some food allergies as well as outdoor allergies and has also had eczema. We finally figured out that it was the new perfume my husband had given me for mother's day that was causing her to break out, so you might look at any new "cosmetics" you might have added. I would never have thought that my perfume would cause her to breakout, but as soon as I stopped wearing it, she stopped having the welts. Good Luck!

Hi D.,
This sounds like classic Penicillin allergy. My daughter has no other allergies but this one so I know it well. Your sweet baby is miserable so I hope you are giving him Benadryl to stop the itching and the severity and also Ibuprofen for the anti-inflammatory effects.
You need a second opinion from a doctor; it doesn't sound like yours is listening.

I think he is definitely allergic to something. Maybe you've done something new with your household chores.
New laundry soap, fabric softener or fabric sheets?
Baby bath, lotion, oil, shampoo?
Air freshener in his room, or carpet freshener on his floor?
Any new food to his diet or yours?
Any new medication for you since you are breast feeding?
Have you eaten any shellfish, peanuts, or milk products that are new to him?
Have you dressed him in new clothes without washing them first? (I am terribly allergic to the sizing that they sometimes put in new clothes. They don't always anymore, but better safe than sorry.)
Have you made up his crib with new sheets that weren't washed out first?
Stuffed animals or toys in his crib that are new?
New perfume for you or cologne for your husband?
Oh, and just for information sake, I became allergic to medication after taking it for 18 days! I developed hives all over my body, and I mean all over! It was awful.

Good luck to you in this, you will have to be a detective to figure it out. I wish you all the best. I hope you figure it out fast.

Have you recently changed laundry detergent? Diaper brand? Bath wash? Anything like that could be the culprit. Even if you are using the same, they can develop allergies to them. I always use liquid laundry detergent because powder can leave a residue. That would be where I would start, tho. Try a different laundry detergent and go from there. Good luck.

I would not completely rule out an allergic reaction to Amoxicillin. My then 8 month old, who also has eczema, had what started out as hives the day after completing a 14 day cycle of the antibiotic. I let it go until the next day when the hives got worse and I took him in to the Dr. She said that the first reaction usually takes 7-14 days or so before hives and such appear. I was told to give him Benadryl and he was also on a steroid for a couple of days. The hives got way, way worse before they got better. Then my son was a bit hyper-sensitive to any allergin and would get hives for a couple of weeks before things finally went back to normal. I could be wrong, but that was my experience.

D., I hope you are able to talk to the doctor today. I used to get hives on my knees and elbows when I got cold. I grew up in Texas, so my body was not used to cold. When I moved to Colorado, I would get hives semi-regularly. It did not have to be very cold, just a little colder than usual. After a few winters, my body adjusted, and I never got them again. The hives were never painful in any way and were never accompanied by any other symptoms like fever. Good luck, hang in there...

L. : )

hi D., looks like you have gotten some good ideas about what is causing the hives, but I thought I'd give you my anecdote on treating the hives.

I personally have battled urticaria for many years. It started out as a response to extreme emotional stress but once my body established this response to stress, that is how my stress manifests itself in response to emotional AND physical stress. Meaning, anytime I was coming down with an illness or exposed to something that was a potential allergen, I would get hives. At first I was given oral steroids to get it under control, but that just suppressed it for a little while until the next time I got sick or stressed out. Then it would start all over again. Eventually I stopped the steroid treatment (because long term that is one of the worst things to put in your body) and started treating homeopathically. Rhus Tox was the best remedy for me, but there are other tablets that Hyland's makes specifically for Hives that work pretty well, too. There are even others that could be more effective for your son. If your son's body is responding with hives to an allergen and/or toxin exposure (by the way, did he get any vaccines recently?) or even a run-of-the-mill virus, this could become one of those things that just happens everytime his body is trying to purge the "invaders." If given the right remedy, Homeopathy will help to retrain his immune system to not respond with hives, but with a more effective immune response. I love homeopathy for myself, a nursing mother, and my babies because of the practically non-existent risk of side effects and the ease of administering them. I use the Hyland's brand because they dissolve immediately on my child's tongue and they taste good, too. You might want to talk to your doctor about using homeopathy. MD's aren't trained in it, but they probably know enough about it to tell you that it can be used in conjunction with conventional medications at little or no risk of interactions.

You can learn more about homeopathy here http://www.1-800homeopathy.com/resources/chapterindex.htm...

I hope your son is feeling better already! Best Wishes, J.

I would definitely think its an allergic reaction to the amoxcillin. I just spent the weekend in the hospital from minocyclin I was taking for some acne (an antiobiotic). Check that his mouth and tongue are not swollen, because his throat could close up and take him to the emergency room if you are the least bit concerned. My skin doctor told me to "take an anti-inflammatory and call him on monday" and thank Gd I went to the emergency room because the flaring up and hives were horrendous and potentially life threatening. You have to take doctoring into your own hands and follow your insincts.Good luck.

You might want to have him tested for allergies specific to penicillian. My daughter had the same thing happen. If he is allergic to penicillian each time he is introduced the reaction is worse. Meaning the 2nd time can be serious. We found out that my daughter was allergic to almost all antibotics. Therefore, we have to be very careful with her. Are you or your husband allergic to penicillian? A good Allergist can do the skin testing specific to pencillian.

Hi! Sorry I'm so late...I didn't get a chance to read many responses.....just wanted to say that 1st---your baby will not catch anything from your breast milk & quite the contrary---you will be giving him/her antibodies to fight whatever you have or anyone in your house for that matter! So whatever you do don't stop nursing!!!
Regarding the hives....my 8 year old just had the same situation & I too thought it could be a reaction to his amoxicillian...however he had "scarlet fever" his only symtom was a rash & red cheeks. Scarlet fever is strep throat with a rash! (You can "google" the symtoms to find out more.) I too would describe it as the hives....I brought him in to the pediatrician & when he saw the rash he did a throat culture. The initial test came back negative so we thought it was a virus, however the 48hour culture came back positive so we started him on the antibiotics. He quite a rash for a good 7-8 days on & off. He also had some swelling of his face, lips, and neck. He was taking Benadryl during these times. Babies don't generally get strep throat---instead they get ear infections. Just some "food for thought!" Good Luck!

Hi D. :)
I just had a similar experience with my 3 yr. old. She was sick and was taking Amoxycilian too, she had a bronchitis and developed a rash while on the antibiotics, i thought it was allergies too, she has peanut allergies so i am always nervous about allergic reactions for her too. I took her to the doctor and they told me she had something called Fifth Disease, it's much like chickenpox, but not the same. Fifth disease is sometimes called "slapped cheeks" cuz the cheeks look like they have been slapped, due to being so red and sore looking. from what my doctor said, Fifth Disease is shared from child to child, which made it weird for my 3 year old to get since she is an only child and we stay at home most days, however, i had been babysitting a nephew for a few days, so i'm sure that's where she got it... i of course can't say if your son has that too, but whatever he has, i sure hope he gets better soon. good luck, C.

I just joined and saw your post. I am suprised the doctor didn't mention that since it wasn't an allergic reaction, it could be that the cold your son had may have developed into a viral skin infection. Instead of the cold being confined to the inside of the body, the cold is moving outside the body to the skin.
I freaked out when this happened to my daughter, because the rash would go away, then come back, then go away and come back worse. It is a simple viral infection on the skin from the cold.

My son is 16 months old and has been experiencing the same symptoms. We were also on a billion drugs and at first I thought that it was hives. I took him to see the Dr and they said that it is just a viral rash. Part of the bug that he has and thatthe rash could last up to 2 weeks. As long as it doesn't seem to bother him I wouldn't worry about it. But I would have him seen just to be sure

Hi there, just wanted to say that i also had a similar experience with my six month old. I took him to the e.r because of a 104 temp that was accompanied with a cold. The attending doctor said he had an ear infection and prescribed him amoxicillin. I started giving it to him, and on his fourth dose he developed a very bad rash on his bottom and very bad diarrhea. It just devastated me .Here I am trying to take care of a fever, cough, congestion and now diarrhea and a terrible rash. I immediately stopped giving it to him. i honestly had a gut feeling not to give it to him. Sometimes we just have to listen to our motherly instincts. I truly hope and pray that your baby is much better.
I know your post is from 2005, but I would really like to know how your son is doing and what methods have you used to treat him?

Hi D.,
Both my son and daughter had the same thing happen to them. My son had red bumps that came from a virus. They weren't huge, and didn't seem to bug him. The dr. said that sometimes the virus actually shows in the skin and it is completely normal.
My daughter last year had to take amoxicillan last year for the first time. The same thing happened to her, she developed welts and red spots over her entire body. It showed up a day or 2 after the last day of taking the medicine. The doctors said it wasn't an "allergic" reaction because her throat didn't swell. Her dr. said that it usually happens with the first treatment of that type of medicine and the next time it is taken, it generally has no side effects. I haven't been brave enough to try it again when we have had ear infections, etc.
Anyhow, I hope some of this helps.
Good luck!

Hi D.,

A few more "2 cents" just so that you stay aware in the future. My daughter broke out in hives over most of her body (they moved around) after a trip when she was about 1. I think she had hives one other time, and neither time could the doctors pin it on anything. However, when she was two she ate her first nut, and it became apparent that she was allergic to tree nuts and to peanuts. Whether the hives before were a reaction to something topical that contained nuts, or something else entirely, I do associate those first outbreaks to her nut allergy. She has also had outbreaks to food items that are in every way "safe", but perhaps someone handled the bag after having touched nuts. My only recommendation, along with all the others you've received, is to delay exposure to nuts as long as possible, and that means reading containers and boxes to make sure. I've heard the longer you can hold off exposure, the less likely an allergy will occur. Just something to be aware of. Good luck!

Hi D.! I apologize for the Oh so delayed responxe and I'm grad to hear the hives are gone. My son also has eczema and and allergies which give hime hives. Regarding the hives, don't rule out the antibiotics; sometimes it can be a cumulative effect. For the eczema, I've been using Eucerin cream (the goopy stuff in the tub) and then cortizone only when it gets real bad. Aveeno products are supposed to be really good but my son's allergic to oatmeal so we don't it since it's oat based. The best barh thing I've found is something called baby eczema wash by gentle naturals -- but it's a little pricey. And fragrance-free and dye-free laundry detergents help.
Good luxk
M. M.
45 year old mom of a 6 and half year old from the Philippines

Dear D. L,
Yes,, My youngest son had these problems, he is now 36, but still has allergies and asthma.
Your baby is allergic to something.
Try washing all of his clothes, sheets etc, in a non allergic laundry soap.
Wipe his crib down with watered down bleach and if he sleeps in a seperate room, wipe his window sill and the wall closest to his crib.
If he is in a high chair, do the same to that and his car seat.
If you have animals keep them away from him for awhile.
Take all stuffed animals out of his room.
I am not trying to scare you at all.
But my sons eczema got so bad, that EVERYDAY this routine had to be done, because the worse his eczema became, the worse his asthma, and the circle was horrendous.
You can find out quicker what he is allergic to than the doctors.
The doctors will put him through some painful tests that just aren't worth it.
Anyway, the above is what I ended up having to do, but I would suggest, you do those things one at a time and your will find what is breaking him out.
And he could be allergic to your breast milk.
You have to do these things for a couple of days, and with what he is allergic to the most, it will make a difference by the second day.
I could make this a mile long with ideas I have learned over the years.
Eczema ran in our family so he really got a double dose, and my heart broke for him as a child.
But respond to this and I will give you my e-mal address, and I can give you as much information as I possibly can to make yours and his lives a little easier.
Beause believe me I know what you are feeling right now.

I have a son who broke out in hives under similar circumstances. At the time, they lasted five days, and before we were done, they had been everywhere on his whole body. He was about 3 at the time. We have avoided amoxicillin since then, but after consulting with an allergist and going through some tests, we think he has a serious reaction to the virus. The quick care doctors (we took him twice!) we saw said it was the worst case of hives they'd ever seen. Basically, it just had to play itself out. This was about 5 years ago, and while he has had hives many times since, they've never been so bad, and they have always been either just before or after a virus of some kid shows up in the house. I hope this helps.

My thought is for him just not to have amoxicillin again and see if it is a reaction to the medication. Viruses can really be the cause with rashes, all sorts of rashes have popped up with our bouts of strep, viruses and so on.
Do the hives itch? Are they causing him discomfort, are they raised? Can you push on them and the redness disappears? These are things you need to tell your Dr. A virus can hang on for several days up to a week or two, or at least symptoms.
Keeping in touch with your Dr is the best bet.
I know my daughter gets bumps on her thighs, back and stomach during the winter if I don't keep her skin really hydrated with lot's of lotion. Have you switched detergents recently? Changed his bath soap?
I hope it is nothing and he is better soon.

the only time my child had any type of hives was when she got Roseola. check his symptoms online http://www.webmd.com/

Hi, It sounds like a "viral xanthem", which is normal and common after being sick for a child. If that is what it is there is nothing to worry about. my kids all got it and it dissapeared within 2 days. I would ask the doctor just to make sure. My kids also have exema and this was different. they are all healthy now.

HI - I know you posted about your son's hives almost a year ago but I was just looking for info. on allergies and saw your post. I just had to send a quick note because my daughter had the same issue at about 9 months of age....on Amoxicillin for an ear infection ....10 days of antibiotics with no problem...had a second ear infection about a week later and the doctor put her on another stronger penicillin based antibioitic. She was fine for the first 6 days of the medicine but then broke out in hives along her bottom, hips and things on day 7. I thought maybe she had slept in a dirty diaper or maybe she was reacting to something in the plastic of the diaper but couldn't quite make any of those theories make sense. I called the doctor and they had my bring her in.....they said it was an allergic reaction to the penicillin/amoxicillin and that some patients can be on it for quite a while before actually reacting. The hives continued for the next few days....got worse and moved around. They were particularly bad on the back of her neck and under her arms although these hives didn't appear until the second day of the reaction. You may have decided that your son's hives were from something else but I thought I'd mention our experience because it sounds so similar. Incidently, the doctor did say that an allergist can test for a penicillin allergy. Since my daughter also has food allergies she sees an allergist already - we'll test for the penicillin allergy at her next appointment in six months. Good luck!

It shouldn't still be the cold or ear infection as neither has bumps associated with it. I would do a quick search on how quickly hives appear on the net. I do know that when I get hives they appear right away, within minutes. Have you changed anything else? Diaper brands, lotion, soap,laundry detergent, anything that might touch him not just be ingested? I would definately call the doctor on Monday just to be on the safe side. Also consider if he appears to be in pain from these bumps when his clothing or diaper rubs. You can also call the hospital at anytime just to ask for advice from a nurse. I know this has helped me just to feel better when I have felt panicked about something with my 3 boys!

Dear D.,

It sounds like an allergic reaction. I would go to a hemopathic Doctor. I did naet treatments with my son, for allergies. You can find the info on my webiste: www.familyworldfun.com

Hope this helps. I know how you feel. I hate it when something happens to my little one.

Wishing you all the best, hope it clears up soon.
C.