Oh, Torrie. I'm sorry for you and Wiila. Maybe you can find a way to bring outside in? Thinking of you, wishing I could help in some way. Hugs.

Kids outgrow all sorts of crazy shit. My best friend growing up had HORRIBLE skin rashes that she outgrew in her teens. Don't think about all of the stuff that she *can't* or *won't* do, just think positive. That's the only thing you can do right now. Well, that and eat chocolate. I'm all for that too.

wow how random!! I hope she grows out of it eventually :( Try not to dwell on the stuff she may or may not be able to do (though I know it's tough) The one good thing like you mentioned- at least she's not miserable with it. It doesn't itch or anything?

I would cry. You have been through SO MUCH and NOW THIS???! Karma needs to whip its ass into shape.

I have a friend who breaks into hives if she gets too much sun. It's worse if it's hot outside, too.

All of this is to say, at least Willa isn't allergic to the sun! She can still play outside when it's nice out, which is when most playing outside is done anyway. And, she probably will grow out of it.

Awww...I'm sorry! Fingers crossed that she'll grow out of it.

Any idea why it suddenly appeared? Is there an underlying reason for it to just start? (Mostly I want to know so it doesn't happen to me!)

I HAVE/HAD THIS! willa is the first person i've ever heard of who had it too. feel free to email me if you have any questions about what it's like (for me it started around age 9 right after a particularly bad fever and lasted until mid-high school).

Awe man -- I really hope she grows out of it :D Or maybe just move somewhere nice and warm -- you have a fabulous excuse now :D

My son had this when he was younger and has luckily outgrown it. It was especially hard because he also has a condition called ectodermal dysplasia and cannot sweat. That meant no playing outside when it was hot or too cold. It was especially bad in cold water. He did fine at our Y because they keep their pool at levels that are good for people with arthritis.

u can move here to florida :)

Oh man Torrie, I have the exact same thing except that I started having cold urtica when I was 12 (I'm now 38). the doctor told me that it would go away as I grew up but it never did for me. I felt like crying when I read your post because I've never seen or heard of anyone else having this. It's a real pain in the behind sometimes. I'm so sorry your little sweetheart has this. Hopefully, it will go away for Willa.

My now 5 year-old had the same symptoms/diagnosis the winter he was 3, but it went away by the next winter. So hopefully Willa's will come and go just as quickly! It's possible, at least. We did claritin every morning all winter, then benedryl if the hives still came. Both helped. Good luck!

yes, agreed, good excuse to move somewhere warm. who needs it!

My middle daughter had very sensitive skin until she was about 4, so here is hoping she will grow out of it quickly.

i'm so sorry about this, Torrie. the good thing is it isn't life-threatening, though i know you want your baby to be healthy and free of this kind of discomfort. i don't blame you for being upset.

i, too, hope this will be a very temporary condition!

I would be careful with the Zyrtec. Most people are ok on it but I had a horrible time coming off of it. I have found that some people have withdrawal symptoms after being on Zyrtec. I was really itchy all over my body for a couple of weeks. It was awful. It may never been an issue with Willa but I just wanted to give you a warning. I wish someone had for me.

Oh Man that totally sucks.

Crap on a crap cracker. Wishing for her to grow out of it as soon as possible. I've known other kids with it and they grew out of it as they got older.

I have it - I am 29 years old, and I used to ski professionally. I must have a mild case though - it only is on my cheeks, and it goes away after about a day. I have just learned to live with it. I never let it stop me from "playing" outside. I've never taken medicine for it, and I do make sure to wear a ton of lotion on my face before and after I go outside in the cold. After longer exposures it tends to "sting" a bit - but never bad enough to stop me from going outside.

Good luck!

That sounds pretty awful. I grew up in NYC and had bad eczema growing up and I didn't get relief until I started making my own balms (I still do). Now I make my own soaps and they make a huge difference. May I suggest you find a handmade soap maker to buy from? All of the ones from the supermarket are filled with junk and detergents and can agitate already agitated sad skin. I am in the body biz and I am not writing to sell you stuff, but if you need any advice, you can use me as a resource for dry, needy skin. Aldo, I moved to South Florida from NY 5 years ago and I have been sick (head cold) MAYBE two or three times. NY I was sick at least once a month. I am a new woman down here physically.

:) Joanna
thesoapbar.blogspot.com

so sorry! that sounds rough. For what it's worth, both my boys use zyrtec when they need it, with no side effects whatsoever... in fact, during cold season, we have used it for the past 3 years, and they have not been sick at all during the entire 3 years - a record for us...

I am not for using drugs just for the hell of it either, but... my boys were in the doctors office pretty often before... and now are hardly ever there.

Just my humble 2 cents...
discard at will...

i have chronic urtacaria, not brought on by anything. it's awful (im a 16 year old girl btw).
i take zyrtec and it has been working wonders for me! the hives are almost always gone, i still have contact dermatitis, but the itching is pretty much gone.
i recommend that your daughter take it, although i understand why you would be careful with medications.
good luck!

Hi Torrie,

I'm so sorry Willa is going through this!

If this helps, my son and daughter both take Zyrtec and have since they were Willa's age. We've had no side effects at all.

My son takes it for environmental allergies, and my 5 y/o daughter takes it for outside allergies, asthma, eczema, and food allergies.

My daughter also takes chewable Singular (prescription) for asthma, and I think that has helped her skin and allergies, as well. Again, no side effects.

I am concerned with overmedication of children, too, but I would seriously consider Zyrtec, especially if Willa feels itchy and uncomfortable.

that's terrible. i would just have to move. go to florida? california? that is just awful. i couldn't even imagine it for a kid.
good luck with it though. can she bundle up in bunches of clothes and get by with it??