Urticaria is a common condition in both adults and also children. The exact cause often remains unclear and antihistamines remain the mainstay of current treatment in most cases. Acute spontaneous urticaria is more common in children, being of short duration (less than 6 weeks) and usually caused by an underlying viral infection and not due to food allergies as is commonly suspected on initial presentation. While chronic spontaneous urticaria (lasting more than 6 weeks) is very often due to an underlying auto-immune condition mediated by functional autoantibodies, these may be difficult to identify on testing. The authors acknowledge the urgent need for more effective treatment for chronic urticaria.
Childhood urticaria. Current Opinion Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012 Jul 20
