18m child had previous 3 attacks of urticaria and received oral steroids but not investigated, are there any useful investigation to be advised

Testing options: If hives have been going on longer than 4-6 weeks, there may be usefulness to perform laboratory tests. If the hives have been intermittent, the best approach is a thorough history to try to determine the cause of the hives. If the history gives some ideas, these can help direct an investigation (food allergies for example). It will be important to avoid more oral steroids!

Be vigilant: The triggers for urticarial are often discovered by exposure history. Food allergies can trigger hives within hours of ingestion & persist for a few days until the food is completely processed. Bug bites, ingested liquids, food dyes, chemical exposures, illnesses, are all other potential triggers. Investigation focused by history is more likely to be productive. Many never find a cause.