QUICK help needed! Ds is covered in a rash...

[CareerConfusion]

He (and I) have been off colour for a few days. He has a slight temperature (37.5) and is hardly eating. When dh and I got him changed this evening we noticed his tummy, back and arms were covered in a tiny spotted rash with a couple of red patches as well on his back. We did the glass test and not all of the spots disappear under pressure. He is fine looking at lights and doesn't seem VERY ill. Any advice?

[CareerConfusion]

Oh and he's 4yrs

[HeadFairy]

Do you have some Piriton? You could try and see if that helps. A couple of weeks ago DS had a very fine rash all over his torso, like little tiny pin pricks, the doc said that sometimes it's a reaction to a virus and not to worry, but call NHS Direct if you're worried.

[CareerConfusion]

I'm pretty sure it's not an allergy as he has those occasionally and it is a very different rash. I think it my be a viral rash too but dh always gets a bit panicy! Ugh...I hate it when dc are ill. My car is still snowed in too so even if we did want to get him checked it's going to be a nightmare!

[CareerConfusion]

what does the doctor say Korma?

[SlightlyMadScotland]

I would say that if not all of the spots are disappearing then you should either take him to walk-in or at least call NHS direct for advice.

My DD gets this onteh hands accasionally - and it is characteristic of meningitis...which should always be ruled out by a medical professional. There are other causes of the rash....but meningitis must be ruled out first.

[believer07]

Ok if the rash is pinprick, does it look like blood leaking under the skin. My son had this and it turned out to be ITP, the pinpricks dont blanch, but there was other bleeds that looked like bruises that did not blanch either.

My son was also not 'ill'. You need to see a doctor anyway, I would go tonight or to walk in centre.

If it is ITP he will need blood tests and poss further treatment.

Has he had a vaccine or any new drugs lately?

ITP is a wrong auto-immune response. Are his ankles or knees swollen?

[believer07]

my son was then diagnosed futher with a disease called HSP, you can get HSP after a viral illness, although my son was not ill before he got it.

[CareerConfusion]

Right, I don't think it is what your son had believer. I've uploaded a picture but it's hard to see very well. Apart from the eating he is his normal self so I think we'll just keep an eye on him for now - oh have also spoken to a friend who is a doctor and she reckons it sounds viral too from how we described it. We will keep a close eye on him though - I'm not ignoring those who said take him to the doctor but the roads are treacherous around here so I think he's safer here for the moment.

[SlightlyMadScotland]

Just keep an eye on the rash as well as him in general (probably obvious I know). If it starts to get worse at all please teake him to be seen.

Although the rash is normally last symptom in meningitis so they are normally pretty poorly when they get it it is not always the case. As has already been said on the thread there is a very narrow window of opportuntity (in hours at most) to treat meningitis.

[CareerConfusion]

I will! We only live a few mins from the hospital so we could get there quickly if necessary. Thanks for the concern

[usedtoreadbooks]

I spent yesterday evening in A+E because of a rash similar to this on DD, 16m. They wanted to rule out meningitis as discussed above - however she had been ill, vomiting all day. Once they got some calpol to stay down her she was fine: "something viral" was all they could say about it. Wouldn't know it had happened today, she is back to normal now. Hope it passes this quickly for you too.