Urticaria is also referred to as ‘nettle rash’ or ‘hives’, and is a red, itchy and bumpy rash that can appear anywhere on the body. It is a common condition and is thought that affect around 20% of people at some point in their lives,  with children tending to receive a single episode that lasts for a few days. However, children can also receive several episodes of urticaria over the space of a 4-6 weeks period before it settles down.

In some patients, urticaria can come back months and even years later, although taking antihistamines tends to help relieve the symptoms.

What causes the condition?

There are a number of things that can cause hives in children, including the common causes listed below:

• Peanuts
• Eggs
• Shellfish
• Penicillin
• Sulfa
• Anticonvulsant medicines
• Phenobarbital
• Aspirin

What are the symptoms?

The common symptoms of urticaria in children include:

• Itchy, pink or red swollen areas on the skin
• Hives can appear alone, in a group, or over a large area of the body
• The swollen areas can disappear over a 24 hour period, but can come back in another spot on the child’s body

Please feel free to contact us regarding the treatment for urticaria available at Paediatric Diagnostics, and we will be happy to see your child at the earliest opportunity.

We have clinics based in Dorking, Surrey and Wimbledon, London, meaning we are ideally placed to provide treatment for urticaria in children living in Croydon, Leatherhead, Kingston-upon-Thames, Tonbridge, Maidstone, North and South Kensington, Hammersmith, Twickenham, Camden Town, Wandsworth, and all nearby areas.