Chicky Pox AND Hives?!

Poor Baby Clark! He's been breaking out in hives over the past 24 hours. Two itchy, uncomfortable skin problems-- it's not fair!

Yesterday before dinner I noticed that Clark's cheeks looked all red. I thought maybe he was too hot, so I took his shirt off. Then I noticed that his shoulders, arms, and under his chin were BRIGHT red. Sunburned looking. White splotches started to appear in the redness. Hives. I spoke with a nurse (the after hours nurses for my doctor's office are becoming quite familiar with my voice), gave him some Benadryl, wiped his skin down really well and all was fine. I figured that something must have been on the shirt. Problem solved, right?

Wrong. This morning he woke up with hives on his arms again. Then they started to appear on his legs and tummy. More Benadryl and I called his doctor's office. The nurse said that so long as the Benadryl is treating the hives, there isn't much that can be done. Make sure he's breathing okay and keep giving him Benadryl every six hours or so, as needed. The nurse said that sometimes viruses cause hives, so it could be a virus or an allergic reaction. If he's still getting hives after 3 days, I need to call back.

If he's having an allergic reaction, I can't imagine what it is. He hasn't been out of the house, since he has chicken pox. He doesn't eat solid food yet, so he hasn't gotten any new foods recently. He wasn't on any medication. Weird.

This afternoon he got some hives again. First on his ankle, and I watched that spot and it cleared up on his own. I was all happy, thinking that his body was fighting off whatever was causing him to break out. Then BOOM! Hives on his tummy, chest, and shoulders. More Benadryl. My spotty, splotchy little Babu. You don't deserve this.

We'll see what happens tonight.