We finally know! It's dermatographia!

[sparrow]

Dermatographia. It translates as "skin writing".  Since my son was a baby, he would break into hives when he was tired. He would also get itchy, hivey, and welty while doing his school work--particularly math, a subject he is very bright in, but one in which he also has LDs.  After yet another morning of watching him compulsively scratch his arm and back and watching the skin swell,  I finally put the *right* information into Google that gave me a result that explained what doctors couldn't.  We experimented by dragging an object across his arm. Sure enough, in less than 2 minutes, there was a welt. I've now seen pictures where people with dermatograhia draw works of art on their bodies. You can google it :huh: .

 

I read that some have had success taking Zyrtec. We gave him a pill on Monday and he's *still* not itchy! Seriously, this is life changing. He is so relieved.  A few weeks ago his scout leader called to have us pick him up from camp because he was covered in welts on his back. Once he starts scratching, it spreads, and not only is it horribly uncomfortable for him, but those around him! He goes to summer camp on Sunday, so I can't believe my luck in finding that Zyrtec works only a week before.

 

So, I'm sharing. Maybe this will help someone else :) .

[plansrme]

So your kid really is allergic to math??? Don't tell mine that is a real possibility.

 

But congratulations on the diagnosis and the successful treatment!

[sparrow]

So your kid really is allergic to math??? Don't tell mine that is a real possibility.

 

But congratulations on the diagnosis and the successful treatment!

 

:lol: It has certainly seemed like that for years!

[*Lulu*]

My gracious!

 

I am glad you are finally getting answers, though.

[sparrow]

DH has dermatographia, started in his early 30's. He takes Allegra 2x/day plus benadryl at night. For him, over time, the antihistamines have gradually become less effective. Another trick is to keep a bristle brush around and use it to stimulate the skin all over (gently!), which releases a whole pack of histamines at once and gives some temporary relief.

 

Thanks for the tip! That makes a lot of sense. I'll take any other helpful hints you have :) .

 

This has been such a frustrating problem. Fluorescent lighting has always seemed to effect him--so visits to big box stores are akin to torture for all of us :glare: .  He's a healthy kid. There's just always been this underlying, constant itchiness and it drove me crazy that no one could get to the bottom of it!  When the doctors couldn't pin it on allergies they basically threw their hands in the air.

[HSinNH]

Glad you found some answers!

[redsquirrel]

I am glad you found some answers. I hope it calms down a bit as he gets older. I am also very 'welty' and 'hivy' lol. I get hives from water running over my skin, from my own sweat etc. but it has gotten better as an adult. And yes, allergy medication changed my life.

 

I am happy he is less itchy.

[Tammyla]

I'm glad you found some answers.  Therapro.com has brusing tools that are super soft.

[Tiramisu]

I'm going through this right now with my youngest. I never noticed it before this spring. I'm going to have her allergy tested to confirm that there's not something specific triggering it. She has sensory processing disorder which manifests primarily as tactile sensitivity, and that with the dermatographia is really setting her off and can make life miserable for all of us. Claritin helps.

 

[Tiramisu]

Thanks for the tip! That makes a lot of sense. I'll take any other helpful hints you have :) .

 

This has been such a frustrating problem. Fluorescent lighting has always seemed to effect him--so visits to big box stores are akin to torture for all of us :glare: .  He's a healthy kid. There's just always been this underlying, constant itchiness and it drove me crazy that no one could get to the bottom of it!  When the doctors couldn't pin it on allergies they basically threw their hands in the air.

 

I think mast cell activation disorder could be behind it, but not all doctors know about it.

[Amy in NH]

I had that as a child.  I was also affected by extreme temperature changes.  And scratching would spread the hives/itchiness.  I could literally scratch my skin off.

 

I was prescribed Benadryl, and it worked beautifully.  Though it is safe to take long-term, the unfortunate side-effect of drowsiness made it a poor choice for prevention.  I'm glad to know that Zyrtec works, since it doesn't have that side-effect.

 

I was also allergic to plastic/vinyl.  When I was a toddler my mother couldn't figure out what food I was allergic to since I broke out in hives every time we sat down at the kitchen table to eat.  Turned out to be the table cloth.

[Mom0012]

Dermatographia. It translates as "skin writing". Since my son was a baby, he would break into hives when he was tired. He would also get itchy, hivey, and welty while doing his school work--particularly math, a subject he is very bright in, but one in which he also has LDs. After yet another morning of watching him compulsively scratch his arm and back and watching the skin swell, I finally put the *right* information into Google that gave me a result that explained what doctors couldn't. We experimented by dragging an object across his arm. Sure enough, in less than 2 minutes, there was a welt. I've now seen pictures where people with dermatograhia draw works of art on their bodies. You can google it :huh: .

 

I read that some have had success taking Zyrtec. We gave him a pill on Monday and he's *still* not itchy! Seriously, this is life changing. He is so relieved. A few weeks ago his scout leader called to have us pick him up from camp because he was covered in welts on his back. Once he starts scratching, it spreads, and not only is it horribly uncomfortable for him, but those around him! He goes to summer camp on Sunday, so I can't believe my luck in finding that Zyrtec works only a week before.

 

So, I'm sharing. Maybe this will help someone else :) .

How wonderful you were able to figure it out. I'm so glad for you and your son.

[sparrow]

I had that as a child.  I was also affected by extreme temperature changes.  And scratching would spread the hives/itchiness.  I could literally scratch my skin off.

 

I was prescribed Benadryl, and it worked beautifully.  Though it is safe to take long-term, the unfortunate side-effect of drowsiness made it a poor choice for prevention.  I'm glad to know that Zyrtec works, since it doesn't have that side-effect.

 

I was also allergic to plastic/vinyl.  When I was a toddler my mother couldn't figure out what food I was allergic to since I broke out in hives every time we sat down at the kitchen table to eat.  Turned out to be the table cloth.

 

The doctor told me to "just give him Benadryl" when he was about 18 months old.  I asked, "Every day?!" They told me I may have to do that.  We ended up using topical Benadryl when he was very itchy and every now and then, when he was miserable :( , I'd dose him with oral Benadryl, which affected him strongly.  It has been about 36 hours on Zyrtec--one on Monday and a half tablet this afternoon, and not a single hive or itch break-out and no dreaded loopy, drowsiness.

 

It's funny you mention allergies at the kitchen table. I kept looking all around our dining room and dining room table to see if there was something he could be allergic to in that area because while he'd get hives at different times during the day, it ALWAYS happened at the dining room table, during school.  Ds and I have now narrowed it down to the fact that the dining room chairs are wood and the pressure on his back started the cycle :huh: . Crazy.

 

[justamouse]

Dd8 and I have it, but not as strongly. My allergist told me--before I had never known what it was. :D But, like i said, it's mild, though we are prone to hives. If you brush our hair, the bristles will leave red welts on our necks. 

[answerdeskwtm]

zombie thread; please start a new one!