Illnesses similar to Measles?

[PavlovtheCat]

DD has a rash that looks pretty much like a mild measles rash. millions of small red raised spots, some of which have little blistery heads, across her torso (started on the front chest, moved down to belly, then onto back), with the odd one or two slightly larger, but not big, spots on her face, ears, neck, buttocks, tops of thighs. Too small and close together and too many to be chicken pox.

She has been grouchy over the weekend in the way i tend to recognise as her becoming unwell. No obvious temp but to be honest I didn't check for it as she just seemed grumpy, then woke yesterday with a dry cough, but largely fine in herself, again just irritable with her brother, quick to get tearful, but it is the end of the school holidays!

Cough a little worse today, but not that bad, no fever or high temp at all, but the spots appeared this afternoon. I noticed a couple on her face earlier in the day but nothing of note (she sometimes gets a spot or two on her face/nose when rundown/has a virus) but DH gave her a bath and didn't notice anything.

DD went diving (DH forgot when she had a bath!) and I didn't notice, but tbh I wasn't paying attention, she got dressed, kissed me, ran off for lesson. When she got out I saw it spread across her upper chest and her diving instructor had noticed and commented on them.

She has in the past had viral rash, but this is more spread across her torso, I am guessing it is probably a viral rash, but any ideas what other things it could be? Mainly as she is due back at school tomorrow and I don't want to send her off to school with something contagious if I can help it! But also, don't want to keep her home either as she is ready to go back

[PavlovtheCat]

oh, and she says they itch, but tbh, that happened after the rash was pointed out to her but she had told DH she had some spots (on her leg) and he was like and they didn't itch then!

[PavlovtheCat]

she is asleep, but has been very very tearful this evening, and clumsy. which is partly why she is tearful! (she broke her favourite china teaset in a wicker basket, which was meant to be away and she had taken it down from up high where she was meant to ask for it, and left it out, and knocked it off the side when she went to get a book, and it fell off the side, onto the floor and most of it has broken, probably be upset even if not under the weather!) but even before that, inconsolable about lots.

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Awww, sounds like she's really in the wars, Is there any chance it could be measles? Don't they say if they've had the MMR they can still get it but more mildly? Stupid question does the rash go if you roll a glass over it? I'm sure it's nothing nasty but always worth checking, even if they don't seem to be really poorly.

[PavlovtheCat]

chocolate I did wonder if it were measles, she has had MMR and up to date with boosters etc (7.5yrs) and have heard those immunised can still get it mildly, but she has had no fever that I have spotted, although, as I said, didn't check at the weekend as she was generally ok, not complaining of being ill just being a pain, which could have been the end of holidays as much as anything but was not surprised when she woke with a cough yesterday as she gets irritable just before she gets sick.

I have not tried the glass test. Do you think I should do that now? She is asleep and I will need to turn the light on to do it and it will wake her up, but her DB will probably not wake, but if I should do it I will do it now.

[Wigeon]

A friend's DD got measles mildly recently, despite being immunised - the doctor said it's growing in prevalence. Even a mild case can be unpleasant.

[Wigeon]

Er, isn't rule number 1 of rashes: does.it blanch with a glass? I would do that even.if it risked her dealing up. And would definitely take to the GP in the morning, even if that just confirms your suspicion of a viral rash. And generally I hardly ever take my DDs to the GP.

[Wigeon]

Can you sneak into her room with a torch.and glass, rather than turning the light on?

[PavlovtheCat]

wigeon I agree about rashes etc, but she is really not hugely poorly and so it didn't cross my mind. I will go take a look now.

[PavlovtheCat]

If it is measles, or a change it is, i don't think I can send her to school tomorrow until I have spoken to doc/school as one of her teachers is pg and I don't know how pregnant she is.

[PavlovtheCat]

ok, checked. Light is not great, but the rash doesn't look as angry as it does in daylight, not sure if that's illusion. She woke a little, as I had to get her chest, she said it was still itchy but appeared to be sleeping well and went back to sleep ok. A little warm to touch but not feverish.

Rash blanches (that I could tell in artificial light) when pressed with a glass (which was not not impressed with as it was cold!).

I am less concerned now, but still a bit puzzled as to what it is. Oh well, kids do get odd viral things don't they? (as do we all). I will give her a thorough once over tomorrow before she gets dressed for school and make a decision about school or docs then.

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Have a quick look with the glass, it's worth waking her just to put your mind at ease. Could it be german measles (rubella) although I don't know if you can get it if you've been vaccinated? DD had it when she was a baby... she wasn't ill with it - just nasty rash & miserable.

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Geman measles looks like this

[PavlovtheCat]

yep similar to that, but possibly smaller spots with tiny little blisters on some of them. I might see if I can get a bigger picture of rubella to look at. But she has had vaccination for rubella. i have read that many viral infections can have rashes that come on suddenly like measles, but that is not measles (or german measles) so I guess it's probably one of those.

Done the glass test, spots disappear with gentle pressure so no concerns there and she appears to be sleeping peacefully and only disturbed a little.

[chocolatecakeystuff]

Awww, there's loads of viral thingys that cause rashes., that like to frighten the life out of us mums! hopefully all will be good tomorrow - if it's still there in the morning I'd probably be tempted to keep her home though, or call the school and ask if they'd want her in, just in case with the teacher being pregnant and all that

[Wigeon]

Glad it's a blanching sort! I think I would definitely take her to the doctors in your situation. Might it be possible to get an early appointment, then she can still be at school for most of the day if the doctor gives her the all clear? Hope she is feeling ok this morning.

[PavlovtheCat]

She slept well, rash is not angry any more but is still there just small spots and skin is normal coloured around them. She has a slight headache and feels a little warm but DH thinks she is fine for school. He is going to take her via reception to check out the pregnant teacher situation as he thinks she is not back after easter hold (not her own teacher, a different year, but it's a small school). She is very very keen to go to school but tbh I was reluctant.

[exexpat]

There is an epidemic of scarlet fever in various parts of the UK at the moment - does it sound at all like this? www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Scarlet-fever/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

[EdithWeston]

It's unlikely to be measles, as the rash very characteristically starts on the neck, behind the ears (a couple of days after a DC starts showing all the non-rash symptoms), then moves to head, down the torso and onto the limbs and the individual spots coalesce (and leave the body in the same order as they arrive).

If your DC have an unexplained (probably) viral illness with rash, then I would keep them off school until the rash has gone and temperature has been totally normal (with no medicines) for at least 12 hours.

[exexpat]

(if it is scarlet fever, it is highly contagious and you should keep her off school www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Scarlet-fever/Pages/Introduction.aspx)

[PavlovtheCat]

exex not scarlet fever, the spots are small, spread more widely apart and not as 'red' and angry around the spots themselves, also they are more raised on her than with scarlet fever, no strawberry tongue or high temp. and I agree not measles as they are not joined/close to joining up.

[Wigeon]

Just wondering if you took her to the doctors in the end, or worked out what it was? Hope she is feeling better.

[PavlovtheCat]

Hi wigeon, sorry didn't post back! Took her to GP as she had cough and didn't want to get up for school next day, rash spread to back but not worse on front. Doc gave her thorough check, confirmed not measles or meningitis, said it was a viral rash. Dd piped up 'that's what mummy said it was!' He said it is common as the virus leaves the body to come out through the skin and cause the rash, it will clear in a few a days and it was a common bug around at the moment, with cough, slightly sore throught and rash. It is now clear and raised rather than red and raised. She still has a cough, bit grumpy but ok.

[PavlovtheCat]

Thank you for asking btw !

[crazykat]

I had rubella (German measles) when I was little even though I'd had two MMR jabs. I've had another two since yet still wasn't immune to rubella and had to have another MMR after I had dc3.

For some people (like me) immunity doesn't last. So its possible to still get any illness that you're vaccinated against but its usually milder than if you'd not had the vaccine.

[Wigeon]

So glad it was just a viral rash! I was all freaked out the first time DD1 had one when she was a baby (I hadn't heard that it was a thing) - rashes still rather worry me, because there are all sorts of things it could be. Glad your instinct was correct and she is on the mend.