Would you take your child to the GP if they had an unexplained rash?

[DumbledoreWithBoughsOfHolly]

Dd has one. She has small raised red spots all over her chest and back. She has had it since the weekend and has been fine throughout. She is just getting over a bit of a cough but that is nearly gone now and I assumed the rash was just some additional manifestation of the virus that caused the cough. But, the rash persists and it occurred to me this morning that I could not let her go swimming tonight as the rash might alarm other people. So then I thought, if something is so bad she can't go swimming, should she be seeing the doctor instead?

Oh, she also had another funny skin thing a couple of weeks ago. She suddenly got one large red spot on her chest that looked a bit like a boil. It quickly gave way to a huge patch (well about the size of a 2p piece) which looks like a burn but obviously isn't. I have tried hydrocortisone on that to no effect. I don't know if that is related to anything else or separate, but all in all, she would look a mess in her swimming costume right now.

So, what would you do? I never have a very good idea of when to contact the doctor as I never saw one myself as a child (both parents are doctors).

[wardrobemistressakasugarfree]

I think I would get it checked out tbh.

[yurt1]

I wouldn't unless she was ill or it went on for a very long time.

[yurt1]

(I'd be more likely to go about the burn patch thing (yeast infection? canesten can sometimes be good on skin patches) than the raised spots.)

I rarely go to the doctors though. If she had the rashes this time next week then I probably would go then, or if she got ill with it Id go then iyswim.

[ConnorTraceptive]

Would phone NHS direct first they are very good and will tell you if you should go. DS always gets a rash when he comes down with a cold.

[amidaiwish]

i would get it checked as it's now wednesday, but if she hasn't got a temperature and isn't otherwise ill they will just tell you it is a "viral rash". but worth checking if it is bad enough you think people at swimming will notice.

[DumbledoreWithBoughsOfHolly]

Hmmm, a complete mix of answers!

You see, I feel that she is not ill so there is no need to bother the doctor, but OTOH, it is all very odd (and yes, I mean the rash and the patch on her skin). BUt then, she has had odd spots before that have caused her no trouble and have eventually gone....

And then there is the issue of getting an appointment. You can sacrifice your entire life trying to get an appt at our surgery...

Oh damn, I guess I am going to have to at least ring up.

[saggarmakersbottomknocker]

I'd probably see the nurse pratitioner with a rash.

DG - ds2 had a rash a while ago that began with a 'herald' patch. Can't remember the name of it.....will go Google.

[saggarmakersbottomknocker]

It was this. Although it says that the rash itself is more patchy, it does say further down that in young children it can be papular. HTH

[seeker]

Could you not ring your mum and dad?

[DumbledoreWithBoughsOfHolly]

Saggar, OMG, that fits in so many ways! I have never heard of that so thank you for mentioning it.

Seeker - my dad would tell me to ask my mum who was a child specialist but my mum had a major stroke last year and is less reliable in what she says these days otherwise I would have rung them straightaway.

Anyway, I have had a doctor ring me back and I have an appt for tomorrow morning as she said it is important to look at the rash seeing as it is not making my dd unwell. I am going to write down the name from Saggar's link as it does fit in many ways.

Thanks again.

[wardrobemistressakasugarfree]

Ooooh,I had that as a teenager! No treatment and it just worked it's way out in a few weeeks.

[DumbledoreWithBoughsOfHolly]

Yes, I think dd is prone to this kind of thing (by which I mean skin conditions). She had some huge spots on her arms for about a year which I did nothing about and they eventually went. I do hope this rash is pityriasis rosea (what a mouthful!) as it does seem likely and it is harmless. I am glad now that I am going to the GP. I definite diagnosis would be nice.

[Hennipenniinapeartree]

My DD1 had PR a couple of years ago, it took hers about 12 weeks to clear and did cause her a little itchyness.

[DumbledoreWithBoughsOfHolly]

Saggar, you are a clever girl! I have just got back from the GP and dd does indeed have pityriasis rosea.

I also found out that the spots she had for about a year a year ago were molluscum.

It never fails to fascinate me all the new things you learn when you have children!

[IdrisYouaMerryChristmas]

I was wondering about pityriasis rosea - I had that a few years ago and it just went away.

[DumbledoreWithBoughsOfHolly]

Yes, the GP said it would just go and there is no treatment. Trouble is, she is covered in spots all over her chest and back and I could just imagine how the school would react (rightly so) if they saw her when she was having a swimming lesson or getting changed for PE. They have twice sent her home when she felt ill and all she needed was her lunch! So I had to get the diagnosis from the doctor so I could go to the school and let them know this is what she had, otherwise I don't think I would get to the end of the week before getting a phone call from the school!

[mummytheresa]

Dumbledore, have I read that right, the molluscum lasted a year?
DS has this at the moment and I was getting worried as it has been about 6 weeks so far.

[saggarmakersbottomknocker]

It's what 3 older kids and too much time in hospital does for you.

[saggarmakersbottomknocker]

MT my ds's molloscum lasted well over 2 years.

Hope the PR doesn't take too long to clear up DG - ds2's was relatively shortlived.

[DumbledoreWithBoughsOfHolly]

Mummytheresa, I could be out by a month or two either way, but yes, I would estimate at about a year.

Interestingly enough, I had a quick chat with the GP about the molluscum too and he said it is a wart like thing that will go on its own, but trauma helps it to go faster. I was thinking along the lines of subjecting the child to a parental divorce or make them watch scary movies (!) but what he meant was that if you scratch at the spots or rub them or irritate the area in some way, that helps them to go. Which is interesting as that is exactly what my dd did after a while: she scrached and picked at the spots (I think because they were so unsightly and I suspect she was even getting some horrid comments from classmates although she never admitted to this) and soon after, they went.

So..... if you want to give it a try with your sons molluscum.... But do bear in mind it will go by itself eventually.

Saggar, I am still impressed. As the mother of four and the daughter of two doctors, it is rare for me to come across something I have never even heard of.

[seeker]

My dd had mulluscum that lasted about a year or so. There's nothing you can do, unless they get infected (which a couple of dd's did) Then they look very dramatic and disgusting and red and pus-filled - but the good thing about this is when the infection goes (and Bactroban cream is very good) so does the molluscum. Bizarre things they are.