Urticaria

This is a form of skin irritation caused by an allergic reaction, most commonly to certain foods or additives or environmental substances, such as pollen or chemicals (allergies). Known food allergens include shellfish, strawberries and peanuts. Certain drugs, especially antibiotics, can cause urticaria if your child is allergic to them.

Typically, urticaria causes patches of raised skin with blanched centres and redness around the edges that come and go on different parts of the body and are intensely itchy. These weals are caused by the release of the body chemical histamine as an allergic reaction to whatever is irritating the child's body.

In general, if you can't tell what is causing the allergic reaction, there aren't any tests that will allow you to pinpoint exactly what's causing the problem. That's because there are so many possible different triggers. But it's worth keeping a diary to try and identify anything different in his daily routine that may have triggered a particular attack so that you can avoid them in future.

Treatment is with antihistamine tablets, cream or lotion but be guided by your GP as to whether your child is old enough to receive such treatment. If taking tablets, your child will need to take them regularly until symptom free, then stop to see if the urticaria returns. If it does, your child will need to carry on taking antihistamines for a while.

What you can do

• Try to find out what is triggering your child's urticaria by keeping a diary to record anything different about days when your child suffers an attack. Has he eaten anything unusual or been in a different environment, for example, near pollen or in long grass?
• Talk to your GP about whether anti-histamine medication is appropriate for your child's age
• Use soothing calamine lotion to dampen down any itchiness, put your child in long, sleeved cotton clothes to avoid scratching and give warm, rather than hot baths
• For more information about allergies, contact the British Allergy Foundation

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