If swelling develops in your mouth or throat or you have or difficulty breathing, get immediate medical care or go to the nearest emergency room. 2019;81(1):129-135. As hives in infants are most often caused by a virus, this may not be necessary or possible. Since the cause of many cases of baby hives arent identified, it is not always possible to prevent the next occurrence of them, if that happens at all. For the most part, though, these medications arent meant to relieve the uncomfortable symptoms of hives, like the incessant itching. But then pink patches may develop in a lacy pattern on your childs arms and legs. For an individual affected by hives, the rash can occur in localized areas or over many areas such as the chest, back, and extremities. Hives cause a raised, itchy rash. No, meaning you won't develop them on your skin by touching hives on another person. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/hives-overview [Accessed February 2021], Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. You can treat your childs symptoms with antihistamines and acetaminophen. varying sizes of raised bumps or patches on the skin that may be red or pink in color with white centers, called wheals. Acute hives can last anywhere from a few hours to weeks. https://www.texaschildrens.org/blog/hives-hives-and-more-hives [Accessed February 2021]. Urticaria and angioedema. In: Kang S, et al. (Can make your child sleepy.). However, the causes of this skin reaction can be contagious. Are hives contagious? While uncommon in babies, anaphylactic shock is a very severe reaction and may result in your infant having breathing difficulties, throat swelling, and loss of consciousness, among other symptoms. However, sometimes even less serious cases do cause itchiness and discomfort. "You can have a vasculitis-like eruption or coagulopathy-like eruption with COVID. If your baby appears to be experiencing hives, it's natural for you to feel shocked and worried. On children with lighter skin, the spots might look red or white. Its a skin condition that looks like yellow scaly patches often surrounded by a red rash on your babys scalp. 7,752,060 and 8,719,052. Your infant may have developed bumps on their skin for no apparent reason. Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information. The infection causes hard bumps to form on your childs skin. An underlying disease or condition. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. You may not find out what's causing your baby's hives. The Johns Hopkins University Press. They may also go away on their own. Coming to a Cleveland Clinic location?Hillcrest Cancer Center check-in changesCole Eye entrance closingVisitation and COVID-19 information. Eczema makes your childs skin itchy and then it gets red, irritated and dry. After a few days, the facial rash will fade. Treatment can help relieve the discomfort. Learn how to recognize, treat, and prevent allergic reactions. But theyre deeper in your childs skin and often darker in color. Symptoms include swelling and clusters of red, irritated skin. If hives last longer than days or weeks, they may be termed chronic urticaria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) haveconfirmedreports of West Nile virus in 10 states. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. They tend to develop within two hours of exposure to an irritant. Here are the most common triggers: Hives often clear up on their own within a few days. Your doctor may prescribe medications, such as antibiotics or antiviral drugs, depending on the cause of your hives. For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. (PDF) https://pedsderm.net/site/assets/files/1028/spd_hives_color_web.pdf [Accessed February 2021], Texas Childrens Hospital. Grattan CEH and Saini SS. If someone with hives has a contagious disease, you can catch the contagious disease but not hives. They may also: In some children, hives cause no discomfort. Hives in babies are very common, they are usually not an emergency, and they usually go away on their own. (2017). Scarlet fever usually starts with a fever, sore throat and headache, but the key symptom is a raised, red rash on your childs neck and upper chest. Are these hives? Symptoms: Some rashes . These raised patches of skin may be red and swollen and disappear within hours, days, or weeks. As the Academy Of American Pediatrics (AAP) notes, a cause cant be identified in up to a third of all cases of hives in young children. Last updated 9/16/2020. Your doctor may recommend you treat your infants hives at home. Mongolian spots are seen most often in babies with darker skin. Hives may cause discomfort, but theyre temporary and should leave no scars or bruising. Food allergies in kids can be life-threatening. Terms of Use. When this happens, its easy for new parents to feel nervous, but most of the time it really is nothing to worry about. Contact dermatitis: Contact dermatitis can occur when kids have a reaction to an allergen or an irritant. No, hives themselves are not contagious and cannot be transmitted from person to person through contact. These may be hives, called urticaria in the medical world. Ask your doctor about how long that should take. Hives are a common symptom of an allergic reaction but they can also be caused by viral infections. Are Hives Contagious? - Just Health Care Tips The content on Healthgrades does not provide medical advice. Itchy bumps. Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying. Learn more about baby face scratch prevention. Although their appearance can be concerning, hives typically are not a sign of a serious medical issue. Hives in babies are most often caused by viruses and resolve without any treatment. Children with chronic hives or acute hives and bothersome symptoms may need treatment. Your doctor may not prescribe any medication for your baby if the hives are mild and not particularly bothering them. Is your baby in danger? Common skin rashes seen in babies, toddlers and children can also include fungal infections such as ringworm. Sometimes baby acne is seen on your babys chest or neck. Hives affects around 20% of people at some time in their lives. Hives (urticaria) are common in children and often have no known cause. Triggers such as bacterial infections, viruses, strep throat, and the common cold are some causes of Hives that can be contagious. They look like reddish-blue spongy masses of tissue filled with blood. Heres what to look out for and common food triggers. Some hives join together to form large patches called plaques. Call 911 immediately if your baby has wheezing or shortness of breath, swelling in the face or tongue, or if he passes out. But perhaps the most baffling aspect of hivesand one that frustrates worried parentsis that in the majority of cases, the cause of hives cant be identified. They're common in children and usually form on their chest, stomach or back. Are Hives Contagious? | Dr. Tiffany Young Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. It can be caused due to a number of reasons, such as insect bite, allergies, infections, chemicals, viruses, bacteria, fungus, etc. In rare instances, hives cause a life-threatening allergic reaction. Allergy, asthma & immunology research, 9(3), 189190. Don't attempt to drive to the hospital. You can also apply an ointment or cream that contains zinc oxide or petroleum jelly to protect your babys skin in the diaper. 1996-2023 MedicineNet, Inc. An Internet Brands company. Our favorite remedy for relieving the symptoms of hives is a natural remedy calledOxyHives,which we prefer to antihistamines because it doesnt cause drowsiness. It isn't very harmful, and . Check if it's hives The main symptom of hives is an itchy rash. Image What is causing these? The wheals may be anywhere between a half an inch or a few inches in size. Turning on a fan or exposing your child to cool air. This may occur as the patient gets older or by desensitization procedures by a specialty physician (immunologist or dermatologist). The bumps are usually flesh-colored, pink or pearly white with indentations in the center. Finding a rash, bump, mark or other skin condition on your childs body may be scary. Dara Spearman, MD, FAAD, Dermatologists team up to improve patient care, JAK inhibitors: A newer type of medication, Free materials to help raise skin cancer awareness, Dermatologist-approved lesson plans, activities you can use. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. There are two types of urticaria: They are usually red, pink, or flesh-colored, and sometimes they sting or hurt. "By the time we grow into adulthood, our immune systems have had the opportunity to see many viral, bacterial and miscellaneous infections, and grow immunity such that if you get exposed again, you hopefully will not have a true infection," says Dr. Overproduction of the oil-producing sebaceous glands on your babys scalp may cause cradle cap. The good news is that with increased COVID-19 vaccination, the incidence of severe rash is decreasing, says Dr. Davis. If you have a contagious condition that is causing hives, you should see your doctor for treatment. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Along with hives, some people develop swelling deep in their skin or the moist tissue that lines the mouth/lip, eyelids, or other areas. Its important to understand that some conditions that cause hives are more contagious than others and that they are not all spread in the same way. An overactive immune system. What Are the Symptoms of a Nut Allergy in Kids? These conditions may be caused by dermatitis, viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections or other diseases. Hives are usually harmless and temporary. They can usually easily diagnose the skin condition and get your child started on any treatment, if necessary. Your infant may experience hives for different amounts of time. Salmon patches: Salmon patches are also called stork bites or angels kisses. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Hives occur when babys body is exposed to something it doesnt like. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date. Hives may cause discomfort, but they're temporary and should leave no scars or bruising. Are hives contagious? If you have hives as a result of something thats not contagious, there is no need to isolate yourself or to miss school or work, but be prepared for some people you encounter to express concern that your condition might be contagious. 2023 Healthline Media LLC.