Help for hives

Q: My 14-month-old has had hives on his arms and legs for the past few days. His diet hasn’t changed and I haven’t changed laundry soap either. It doesn’t seem to be bothering him, but I’m worried. What’s going on?

A: Hives are very common and are usually a reaction to chemicals, food, insect bites, medications or viruses — with so many triggers it can be rather difficult to determine what exactly is causing each incident. Since your son is getting hives on his arms and legs, bites, sun exposure or a reaction to sunscreen come to mind as possible causes. A cool compress may be all you need to relieve itching or discomfort if the hives don’t last long. Breakouts of hives rarely last for more than a week; call your doctor if they last longer. And if your son experiences any difficulty breathing associated with his hives, call 911 immediately.