Urticaria in children

Urticaria in children is a common allergic skin disease nowadays, and red patches of varying sizes are often found on the body. These red patches may also be itchy. This skin disease can easily cause red patches to appear all over the body. There are many causes of this disease. For example, like bacteria. Parasites and so on. Any of these may be the cause of urticaria.

Of course, sometimes some foods may also cause urticaria. It can be said that urticaria is now not only a common disease among adults, but children are also prone to it. Moreover, many infants and young children are prone to urticaria as they grow older, from the time they start drinking milk to when they begin to be exposed to various foods. Today I will share with you how to treat children’s urticaria and what dietary considerations to take.

Urticaria in children can be divided into acute and chronic. Acute urticaria is relatively easy to treat, while the treatment time of chronic urticaria needs to be extended.

Acute urticaria in children develops suddenly, and the skin may become abnormally itchy within an instant. With the itching and scratching, red or pale wheals of varying sizes and shapes quickly appear; some are ring-shaped, and some may merge into large pieces. They disappear quickly within 10 minutes to a few hours, leaving no trace. The location of the rash is irregular. For example, if you scratch the child's normal skin with a needle, red bumps consistent with the scratches may appear. Most children have no other discomfort except for severe itching of the skin; a few children have internal organs affected and experience fever, headache, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and other discomforts; in severe cases, there are symptoms of shock such as pale complexion, difficulty breathing, and low blood pressure.

If urticaria in children continues to recur for more than six weeks, it becomes chronic urticaria. The cause of the disease is not necessarily related to food. Many other factors may cause chronic urticaria in children. Such as temperature changes, physical changes (such as scratching), dust, pollen, stockings, etc. causing stimulation to local skin, emotions causing vascular tension, etc. For example, some people may be allergic to cold water, while others may be allergic to hot water, both of which may cause chronic urticaria in children. More than half of the patients may not be able to find an obvious cause of the disease.

There are many causes of chronic urticaria in children, so when doctors encounter such patients, they will ask about the medical history in great detail and ask the patients to avoid possible triggering factors as much as possible. Since the disease may recur, it is recommended not to use injections of drugs as the side effects of long-term use are greater. Instead, oral medications are more appropriate to maintain the concentration of drugs in the blood. However, most children with chronic urticaria will experience drowsiness, general weakness, etc. after using medications. Therefore, it is best for patients to cooperate with trusted doctors for a long time and not change doctors as soon as they feel that the medication is ineffective.

Among food allergens, in addition to common allergenic foods such as fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, eggs, bamboo shoots, etc., vegetables and fruits such as celery, coriander, peppers, strawberries, bananas, etc. can also induce urticaria. Foods such as mud snails, amaranth, chicken greens, and lettuce can also induce this disease. Because urticaria patients have poor resistance to the outside world or have not yet adapted to the environment, they are more likely to be allergic to milk, soybeans, peanuts, eggs, etc.

Treatment is generally based on antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine, phenergan, calcium gluconate, and vitamin C, supplemented by soothing and antipruritic topical medications. For more severe cases, some corticosteroids can be temporarily used under the guidance of a doctor. If there are too many forbidden foods but they are needed by the human body on a daily basis, desensitization can be achieved by gradually increasing the amount consumed in small amounts. Eat more alkaline foods such as: grapes, green tea, kelp, tomatoes, sesame, cucumbers, carrots, bananas, apples, oranges, radishes, mung beans, and pasta.

The above is what I shared with you about how to treat children’s urticaria and the dietary precautions. Parents must pay more attention to their children’s daily physical condition. If there is anything wrong, they must be sent to the hospital immediately, and they should also pay more attention to their children’s diet.