Are hives usually red?

Question

Or can they also be skin color? My 5 yr old son has come down with something suddenly...rash over most of his body, but it's not red. It really itches, and I'm not sure what the cause is. He hasn't eaten anything out of the ordinary or done anything else out of the ordinary. I at first thought that it might be some kind of heat rash, but we live in Utah and it's been cool and rainy lately. Any suggestions? I have given him benedryl type medicine to help with the itch.

Answer 1

Hives – these are welts. They can appear suddenly out of nowhere, and can spread rapidly. They are most common on the trunk, but can also be on the extremities, and rarely on the face. A very distinct characteristic of hives is that each welt will often come and go over a period of 10 to 15 minutes or as long as a few hours. You will see some welts on the tummy, and then look again an hour later and find them gone, only to see new ones on the back. The welts can be small or very large, round or irregularly shaped, single or clustered together and over-lapping. They usually itch, but not always.Hives are caused by the body having an allergic reaction to a variety of things including foods, medications, external irritants such as soap, detergent, clothing material, or grass. Children can also get hives during a normal illness such as a cold or fever. Because this is an allergic reaction, you need to observe your child for other signs of a severe allergic reaction such as throat tightness, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or persistent vomiting. Go to the ER if these happen. For a full discussion click on http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T082400.asp.
The standard treatment for hives is Benadryl. Click on http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T088800.asp for dosing.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Skin conditions are the hardest things to diagnose. Pinkish, raised bumps that itch are usually hives. If the Benadryl provides no relief see a pediatrician. Did you start a new laundry detergent, new medication, a new pet, or introduce a new food? These are all things you need to look at.

Answer 4

I agree with Cheer. Sounds like chicken pox to me. Try oatmeal baths Aveeno makes a good one but kind of pricy. Reg oatmeal works almost as well.

Answer 5

chicken pocks