Is this hives? 4 month baby with 'cigarette burn' marks on legs

[Umlellala]

My little baby has had the odd red dry patch for about a week? on tummy and legs and elsewhere. Mentioned to nurse when he had jabs on weds, she said try e45 and see GP, might be eczema.

Noticed today in the bath he has marks all over his legs! They are red and raised, look like cigarette burns!, don't seem itchy, he is happy though more grizzly than usual. Been googling - does it sound like hives? Should I see GP or just try to change washing powder etc? He is bfed so hasn't eaten anything - could he be allergic to something I have eaten?!

Thanks so much for any advice.

Are they raised red patches with a white raised centre? If so, that sounds like hives.

Breastfed babies can react to things in your breastmilk but I have never heard of a hives type reaction this way. Maybe someone else will be along in a minute to contradict me, but that seems unlikely to me.

Hives can be caused by all sorts of allergens but can also occur in response to changes in temperature (esp. cold) and also after a viral infection. Has he had a cold recently?

Does it look likethis?

Hmmm, not sure now.
It doesn't look like the kind of heatrash raised red.

A couple of the marks looked alarmingly like those ringworm pics but it seems to have faded to barely noticeable dry patches. So prob eczema. Just looked v scary in bath! He is asleep now but will have closer look soon and prob go to GP - he does have a cold (again - has had two bouts of bronchiolitis already ) and had a cold, miserable night in a crappy B&B last night...

Also his face is quite red too? (teething looking cheeks)

Have you been using the E45 on him? It can cause an allergic reaction in babies with eczema (to the lanolin it contains) so is not usually recommended. I would stop using it and see the GP, there are lots of emollients that are more likely to help (Epaderm, Doublebase, Diprobase etc etc).

No, I haven't, because tbh she sounded like she didn't really know what she was talking about!

It could be impetigo. My DD2 just had it and it's really easy to pick up - she got it from nursery and lots of kids carry it. She's not long turned 1 btw. Hers started off where she got a scratch on her leg from crawling and it seemed to get infected really quickly. (I put various creams on it to try and help, which it didn't) and then a few days later I noticed two separate round blister type marks on her other leg, started off as if she'd been bitten by something and then got more inflamed. Took her to the doctor and she diagnosed impetigo. Sometimes they will give you a antibiotic cream to see if that helps, if not they may prescribe a course of Antibiotics, which is what DD had. She seemed absolutely fine in herself, but it is very contagious and you have to wash all your towels and use a separate one for your child, etc etc. It might not be that. But it might be, so worth checking out perhaps?

ohhh, it might be. He is a second child so yes, gets dragged along everywhere (and dd just started playgroup)... will book appt with GP! Thanks

my son is 4 months and has exactly the same thing. It started with a small dry patch on his cheek but now has then all over his legs and trunk. It looks like just dry patches until i put him in the bath and then he is covered. We have been to gp twice and they are not sure what it is. But it has been two weeks now so i am taking him back this week. They first thought it was something he caught in hospital as we have been in twice with bronchillitus too.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

That's exactly the same - very weird! Will def book GP appointment then. Where are you? Hope your little boy is ok, mine is fast asleep in my arms (haven't got round to putting him to bed in his cot yet ).

my friends ds has these....they do look like cigarette burns - a new GP almost reported her to SS because he thought the boy was a victim of abuse!

I cant remember what it was though but definately a skin condition...cleared up though....

we are in guildford. He seems fine in himself now he has got over all the coughs and colds etc. He is currently in his cot asleep. He also has very dry skin all over his scalp but its not cradle cap. They put him on anti biotics for his skin as they thought it was a bacterial infection but that did nothing. It really comes and goes sometimes he looks fine and then the next day his cheeks are bright red and his body is covered!! I will have to let you how i get on once i take him to the doctors.

Oh, that's interesting about the scalp. Mine has cradle cap and the dry skin too. Yes, keep me posted... best wishes.

Hey, we have been given diprobase cream and some emollient for bath. Hopefully will clear up soon...

i am going to doctors tommorrow afternoon so i will let you know!!

Not sure if babies/children can get it, but could it be psoriasis? Only because my friend has this (in her 30s) and it looks like cigarette burns.

This could be discoid eczema - a type of eczema that you get in pinky, rough patches. DD has the odd circular patch of this, although yours sounds more widespread. If you google it you may find a pic.

Hope you find the solution!