Help! My 1 year old son has eczema herpeticum

[raepri89]

My DS was diagnosed with Eczema Herpeticum on Friday night. We were told this was as a result of his 1 year immunisations the day before?
Having read ALOT over the weekend it appears it is more likely to have been caused by contact with a cold sore or the virus that it carries?!
My DS has moderate eczema but it was being treated quite well by the time he went for his immunisations. I asked the nurse if they could have any affect on his eczema and she said no.
Has anyone ever had any experience with this condition? We have been told very little at A&E & naturally with it being the weekend we have been unable to contact his dermatologist (I plan to do so tomorrow)
Would really like to hear if anyone else has had the same unfortunate experience? He is currently taking antibiotics and aciclovir for 5 days?

@raepri89 - You are right, your DS's skin infection, if Eczema Herpeticum (EH), is usually caused by the herpes simplex virus. The clinician may have been unsure if the infection was bacterial (impetigo) or viral (EH) so prescribed both antibiotics & antivirals, or they thought the infection was most likely EH, but with features of bacterial skin infection. Either way your DS has been prescribed the safest treatment(s).

Regular calpol & nurofen (ibuprofen), if DS can take them, will help him be more comfortable - www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/

This sepsis advice pdf for parents can help to put things into perspective
www.coastalwestsussexccg.nhs.uk/domains/coastal-west-sussex-ccg.org.uk/local/media/documents/misc/Sepsis_ParentAdviceSheet_Dec_16_FINAL_VS.pdf

These web pages are also very good for EH information until you can speak with his dermatologist tomorrow
www.dermnetnz.org/topics/eczema-herpeticum/ & www.bad.org.uk/shared/get-file.ashx id=197&itemtype=document.

& for impetigo patient.info/health/impetigo-leaflet

Try not to worry too much

My daughter had this at the beginning of last month. She was 9months at the time. Luckily we caught it early enough so we were given oral anti-virals and anti-biotics as the doctor thought she had a mild bacterial infection of the eczema on her face. The oral medications helped within 2days but kept giving her calpol and loads of walks in the fresh air. It was nearly cleared up by the end of the course, 5 days. I was glad they didn't admit her which I thought would happen. So it's positive you've been sent home with the meds.

The doctor just said she has picked up the cold sore virus somewhere in passing we would never know where. She had a cold a few days before so I think her immune system was a little bit weakened and it just went from there.

I hope your little one feels better soon and the meds kick in.

Herpeticum is not caused by vaccines! As above, it is related to the cold sore virus but can also be trigged by other viruses.

My 5 year old has had it 2 or 3 times. Take the antibiotics and anti virals and if it is causing him to scratch then the pharmacy should be able to advise you on piriton doseage. I believe it is 1ml but my dd suffers with horrific non specific itching so is on elephant doses!

Thank you so much for your responses. It has been a very rough few days and I have felt so helpless for him.
Thanks for the advice re calpol as I had no idea whether I could give him any!
Just hope it clears quickly but by the sounds of it it is recurring and will come back. Just rubbish for our poor babies!