Anyone Heard of This Before???

It sounds like you may need the advice of a health food store. My daughter feels safer using their products since doctors usually hand out medications that can have lasting side effects. Hope this helps some, L..

H., I have had this before.. my little girl was 5 months at the time. But the Dr. told me that the most common reasons for rash is an allergic reaction, which is usually better within 30 min of benedryl or a rash is the onset of a virus. Which was in my case, within 3 days of her rash (from neck to toes), she had pneumonia (sp). We have found this to be the case with several of my friends as well. If this is the case, then she could be getting ready for a virus. Hope this helps and hope she is feeling better.

IF she is breathing harder, this is NOT hives... it is probaly a serious allergic reaction... get her to an allergy dr quickly... Breathing harder is nothing to play with...

We had something like this and it was hoof (hand)/foot) and mouth disease! They called it 5th disease as well. she had the 100 temp earlier in the week not when the rash came. it came and went just like what you're describing. it wasn't until she actually had the rash and we were able to go to to the doctors office for them to diagnose it.

i think they had her on a medication and it cleared up no problem. good luck

It might be a food allergy. I developed an allergy to milk and milk products about 10 years ago and my only symptom was hives. They would come and go. They also would go away when I took an antihistamine. If it's something that doesn't go away I'd have her checked out by an allergist.

I'm wondering if it could be eczema? My son gets a similar type of "rash" and it shows up later in the afternoon/evening. His is mostly on his knees, backs of knees, lower legs and his arms. Sometimes it itches him and others it doesn't. We use Mustela lotion for eczema prone skin and then put a .5% hydrocortizone cream on top of that on the spots.
It seems to help but we have to do it every afternoon. It has helped somewhat with the spots but this is a skin condition that's probably not going to go away- just have to keep his skin moisturized.
Not sure if this is the same as what your daughter has but I thought I would throw it out there just incase. Good luck!

M.

I have not read the entire responses, but I wanted to share that aveeno products work great. I had a rash due to ?? I was not allergic to anything did not use any new soaps, lotions etc. So after going to the dr. she was also at a loss. She rec. using aveeno products, my rash was gone in less than a day. She also did rec. taking zyrtec, this helped, but I still really believed in aveeno products, I have not had any rashes since then, it has been over a year. Hope this helps, way to be on top of things mom!

Could it be an allergic reaction to latex? I hope your little one feels better soon.
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/latex-allergies?page=2

Once I had something similar. I had hives on my legs for no apparent reason. It came and went for days. I went to the Dr and she told me it was an allergic reaction to something. I started taking Claritin daily and it went away. Never figured out what the cause was, and haven't had a problem since. (this was 8 years ago and I stopped taking the Claritin after awhile. I don't remember how long. Not too long though.)

This happened with my son, or similar when ingredients changed in the food that I often bought. Check labels..and if it is laundry det, I would switch everything to Free & Clear just to rule that out for the time being.. I know that my son's allergist said the allergies come and go and change til about 6 years of age, so it might be good to just ask for a refferal to an allergist and have her tested to see. Also, has she been to any parks lately, or a friends house? Some people use irritating pesticides on lawns etc that she may have come into contact with. I have no idea if this helps, but wish you all the luck in finding out the problem.

Hi H.,
Camera time! If you haven't already, get out your camera and get photos of the rash the next time she breaks out. Especially note where the rash is located. If it is on the feet and/or hands, spread the toes/fingers so you can tell if the rash extends between them, or under the arms or in the groin area. If so, then the rash is probably from something ingested. If not, then from skin exposure, such as from clothing or something in the air.
Allergies come from repeated exposure to something or to related items. Try to think of anything she had within an hour or 2 before she started breaking out, ie.; juices, vitamins, or snacks; but that she wouldnt have had in the mornings. Welps usually makes one think of something that is systemic rather than external exposure. Has she been playing outside?
What you didnt mention is if she has any breathing changes with this and I am sure that is one of the first things the Dr. office asked about. Breathing difficulty with a rash is an emergency !!!!
Keep us posted please and good luck.

dona: mom of 2, g-mom of 4 and former nurse and child birth instructor

It has to be an allergic reaction to food, since she got them around her mouth. I have a friend that is allergic to shell fish. If she eats only a little her lips swell, if she eats more she gets hives all over. Strange I know. I suggest writing down everything she eats and note if she has a reaction. That should help narrow it down. My hubby also gets a rash from laundry soap (Tide is the worst). We love Arm & Hammer Free. I would trust your instincts even with what the Doctor told you. You know your daughter better than he/she does. Hope she gets better!

My son had hives....they're strange things! It would come and go, move around his body, etc. At the time we thought it was an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. Months later I gave him ibuprofen and he broke out again. Looks like he's allergic to ibuprofen! But the reaction can keep getting worse, so do what you can to find out what's causing the problem - food, meds, etc. My doctors tell me that next time I give him ibuprofen I need to do it in the office in case his reaction affects his airway! Good luck!

Our bodies develop new allergies all of the time. I am 30 years old and have had hives like you are talking about a handful of times in the past couple of years. It sounds like your daughter will need a steriod to get completely rid of them, that is the only thing that ever helped me. We already use Tide Free & Clear b/c anything else breaks my husband and daughter out. Make sure you wash all of her sheets, pillows, everything that she comes into contact with. I know how miserable she is.. Hope she gets rid of these soon. I once had them like you are describing for an entire week. Just when I thought they were gone, they would pop up again...
Bless her heart... Keep us posted!

when i was about 8 i developed food allergies. i got big red welps that itched, my face would swell up like i had lost a huge fight, my lips or eyes not usually all at once. like i chewed watermelon flavored bublegum and my top lip swelled up. they can do testing to see if it is food allergies and give her some good meds if it is. you will have to change her diet. good luck hope you get your answer this morning.

hi H.,

I wouldn't discount the possiblity that it is an allergic reaction. My husband gets very strange things that sound a lot like this from time to time and it is always diagnosed as an allergic reaction. Maybe you could take her to an after-hours pedi for a second opinion if your regular doc doesn't have the answers you are looking for.

I hope your baby feels better soon!

Usually if someone breaks out in hives or a rash, it is because their liver is toxic. Your liver processes all of the toxins that enter your body (medications, pesticides on fruits and veggies, pharmaceuticals in the water supply, food colorings, etc). If your liver gets clogged (kind of like an oil filter being clogged) then your body processes the toxins through your skin, resulting in hives or other skin challenges. When my kids or I have had hives in the past, I use a product from Nikken called Liver Support. It comes in capsule form and you can sprinkle it inside applesauce or yogurt and my kids eat it without a problem. I love it because it is natural (artichoke leaf extract & sarsparilla root). Personally, I always try to use natural remedies that have no negative side effects instead of prescriptions or OTC meds that ALWAYS have harmful side effects (even if you can't detect them - they are polluting your body). As Hippocrates said, "Let food be your medicine" Hope this helps. :o)
I am a SAHM with 3 boys ages 9, 7, & 2.

Yes, I had hives. Ughhh, I felt like it took forever to go away. Mine didn't come and go like your daughters, I had a reaction to food or a soap I used at a relative's house and once I broke out in hives, they stayed.

I think it took a good 2 weeks for it all to go away completely. I experienced swelling/bloating as well including my face, torso,arms, etc.

Hives absolutely could be cause by your daughters immune system fighting off some kind of virus, and some viruses do not cause fever so since there were no outside causes to explain it it sounds like your ped cam to the most logical conclusion.

However, it still could be an environmental cause. I would suggest to start using free and clear detergents, and rewash her clothes. Hives are also a result of an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions can be triggered after being repeatedly exposed to something, so not necessarily something new you are using, it could be the old soap, laundry soap etc. You may also want to see what cleaners you are using, carpet freshner, fabreze etc. It could also be caused by a food, nuts, strawberries, wheat products are common allergies that can develope over time.

I have had hives as I have a lot of allergies and very sensitive skin and it can take a week to 10 days to fully clear up, but you should see it improve over a few days. If your daughters rash continues to come and go I would suggest to see a specialist, possibly and allergist or a dermatologist. Listen to your instincts if what you ped says doesn't feel right then definitely seek another opinion because you know your child best!!!

Though you've already been to the doctor, I wanted to share....
What you describe - hives all over the body that would come come and go -- sounds much like our experience with my daughter.
Our pediatrician said that since they weren't constant, that indicated a food allergy/sensitivity.
That turned out to be true. I noted that the hives seemed particularly bad on nights we had tomato products (spaghetti, pizza, etc). Turns out she's allergic to all things with corn...and artificial food dyes.
We've since eliminated both of those from her diet. The hives have not returned and her headaches have disappeared as well.

If you have any questions for me, or if anything I wrote needs clarifying, please email me.

HTH,
K., mama to
Catherine, 5.5y
Samuel, 2.5y
Baby, due 9/09

If it is an allergy reaction and it's still in her system, more than likely the rash will appear after she eats. Lots of water is recommended to flush whatever it's causing this reaction out of her body.

We had something similar (sounding) a few months ago. A red mark near what I though was a cat scratch. Within 20 it was welps all over, benadryl didn't seem to have a huge effect but it seemed to help a bit. Ended up in the ER and it was only a viral rash (kiddo had a low grade fever about 3 days prior). Hopefully yours is the same!

? food sensitivity/allergy. Gluten can be an issue for many as evidenced by rash

I know you've been to the dr but this happened with both of my daughters with food allergy reactions. Depending on the amount given (if it was just a little, they would just have the rash around their mouths; if alot, it would be an entire body rash for the next day or two). It wouldn't hurt to watch what she was eating when she had the reaction. After a while, her body could change its reaction (no more rash) if the food she is allergic to is still being eaten. You just don't know what it doing to her poor tummy and intestines. Good luck!

My younger sister use to get those when she was younger, have her checked for diabetes.

My 4 yr old had this ONCE - turns out it was due to a fire ant bite! He had been bitten before with zero reaction, and for some reason, this one bite caused hives all over the place. 2 days of Benadryl and it cleared up. We just keep Benadryl on hand now and he must wear shoes if he's playing outside. I would keep a diary of the things she ate that day, wore, any insect stings, etc - so if it ever happens again, you can compare notes. Sometimes something that was never a problem before can be a trigger!

S.

I think that you are on the right track, sounds like she is allergic to something that she is having almost everyday. Been there son had an allergy to cold, right sounds strange but there is such a thing. His developed when he was in high school. Start with making a note as to what she is eating and drinking for at least week and see if you can narrow it down. Good luck been there, it took me almost 5 months.

Given that the benadryl seems to work, I would guess it's some sort of allergy however it could be hand foot and mouth disease. My kids have had it a couple of times. The description of the disease will mention other symptoms (fever, sore throat, etc) my kids have not usually experienced this. They have only had the rash, or the other symptoms have been so mild that they do not complain or they go unnoticed by me.

http://children.webmd.com/tc/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease-...

Good luck,
K.

Just to add another responder...my 4 year old son also had red blotches and welts every once in awhile....He seems to get it when he eats an abundant amount of tomatoes. Now, we just limit anything with red sauce to a small amount.

Sounds like it could possibly be Fifth's Disease. Check this out and see if it sounds familiar:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/f...#

Hope you find out something.

Maybe it's Hand, Foot and Mouth disease - it has rashes, and fever and sores in mouth, a virus, and one doesn't have to have all the symptoms so it's a tough one to diagnose.

H.,
I just went through the same exact thing with my son (4yr old) It is an allergic reaction to something they are eating or a medicine they may be taking. Those are hives and there is a reason for it. It usually takes 3 days to come out of their system, whatever it is that is affecting them. If not better after 3 days then definitely take to the doctor. Some allergic reactions to foods can start later in life, so think carefully about what she ate or drank and watch for it to happen again. It scared me because the hives started to move to my son's face and i was worried about restrictive breathing, but apparently that was the last spot for it to go before it disappeared completely. Also, I applied anti-itch cream to the hives because they are uncomfortable.

I hope this helps, but this too shall pass!!! :)
M.

Hi H., I'm doing my post-vacation emails and wanted to respond to yours. One of our daughters developed hives at 18 months when she drank Gatorade that the doctor suggested when she had diarrhea. Half of her body was covered. We stayed away from Gatorade, but about 5 or 6 years later, she ended up with hives again when she had Pedialyte for a high fever. There is something in those products that bothers her and one other woman that we've met since.

I just wanted to pass that along, just in case you run into problems in the future. I'm glad to read that your daughter is doing better now.
D. Council