Does this look like chicken pox?

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16mo DS has CP vaccination 2 months ago. A few weeks ago a couple of babies got CP at nursery. Another is suspected with hand foot and mouth.

Thursday night DS had a high fever and was quite unwell. Last night this red rash appeared (see photos), mostly on his legs, a few in his arms, mostly red spots, some that are shiny. They
haven't changed overnight and don't appear to be bothering him. His fever's gone and he seems really well now.

Obviously I can't diagnose this on the internet, we'll see how it looks and try to see a GP on Monday and keep him off nursery until then. But I was wondering if we were being over/undercautious. DS had been on/off sick with cold/fever/d&v throughout October and we've missed about 4 weeks of work - I'm considering trying to find an out of hours GP in the hope we get the all clear, can salvage it weekend and go back to nursery/work on Monday.

Or maybe out of hours care shouldn't be used this way - website says it's for urgent care.

It's probably hand, foot and mouth, the fever the night before the rash is a characteristic of HFM. If it is the spots will break out around the hands and feet and in the mouth by tomorrow probably and he might go off his food.

And I don't think you're being under cautious, I don't think a doctor would do much at this stage. Obviously make sure to get medical help if you are worried

the spots for both are similar, but with them not appearing on the torso first and hes already had the cp vaccine the likelihood is HFM.

Thanks. Is it likely DH and I will get it then? I have a sore throat too 😥

NHS says with HFM if they are otherwise well they can go into nursery. But what about DH and me - should we stay home out of courtesy to others at work? We can work from home.

I actually don't think that looks like either chicken pox or hand foot and mouth.
Chicken pox don't look like that and if it was hand foot and mouth it would be angrier looking, and have spread all over the body very quickly. With my kids it took about 20 -40 mins for them to be covered in a really angry looking rash.

It looks more viral/allergic to me.

I wasn't sure about HFW either because it looks milder than pictures I've been looking at! Aargh, I think we'll have to take the morning off on Monday to get a GP appointment. I just don't want to take another week off work to look after him at home when we might not have to.

Agree with others looks like viral or allergy- I wouldn’t bother with gp there’s nothing they can do. (Unless he was to become acutely unwell obviously) if he’s fit and well should be fine for nursery.

No as long as he is well in himself he can go to nursery, I think the spots look very much like HFM. Does he have spots in his nappy?

No spots in his nappy, maybe a few under his stomach.

Thanks for the opinions - I hope it's not CP or HFM! I'm not sure nursery will have him given the outbreak of chicken pox and I didn't want to seem irresponsible by going out without knowing what it is - I thought having the all clear from the GP might be worth getting. I guess we'll see how it develops.

Looks like hfm. I got it only on hands and a few ulcers in mouth one or two on my toes. Looked just like that. Baby got it in nappy area and a few on hands.

For those that have an hfm like DS, did it stay mild or does it always get worse?

I don't think it's pox. Hope it goes away soon whatever it is.

Any spots behind the ears? That’s classic of CP.

DD has had both. CP started 2 weeks after exposure (she’d spent the day with her cousin then he came out in spots!). She started with a few behind her ears, then it spread across her torso, by the next day she was covered! HFM started with mouth ulcers in the morning. I got a GP appt for the afternoon and by the time we arrived spots came out on her hands and feet. It’ll be a wait and see to see how the spots progress in the next day or so.

NHS says with HFM if they are otherwise well they can go into nursery. But what about DH and me - should we stay home out of courtesy to others at work? We can work from home

Don't bother staying home - the reason that there's no school or nursery exclusion for HFM is that it can be contagious for up to 6 weeks, so unless you can work for home for that long, it won't achieve anything.

There are definitely different severities of HFM, yes. I hope that (if he has it at all), your DS has a mild case.

Could you take him to a pharmacy? My dds HFM was a few spots on her leg and that was all.

Could be HFM, my DS came out with HFM as small spots on back, stomach first and hands and feet later. Also all over the back of his legs. Looked a bit like CP but hands and feet were characteristic of HFM. Also a month or two later he lost some finger and toe nails (also characteristic of HFM). DH and I didn’t get it.

DS felt quite unwell for about a day or two with HFM. Unfortunately, despite NHS / Public Health England advising that quarantine not necessary, my nursery policy was to stay off with HFM until spots cleared as some kids got quite unwell with it. We’re in a new nursery now and they have the same policy . And the spots lasted a whole week AND turned into impetigo on his face so we did end up taking some time off work. Hopefully you won’t have the same experience, or it will be viral and clear up over the weekend.

Adults are less likely to get HFM. I wouldn’t about yourselves, unless you know anyone who is immunocompromised?

When my little boy had HFM it was very bad, he was actually admitted to hospital. He wouldn't eat or drink for days, wouldn't stop screaming. I really hope your little boy doesn't get a dose like mine did.

I know you will read scare stories and always hear of an awful case, but can I just say unless your child is unwell and by unwell I mean temp not coming down with calpol or other really worrying symptoms (not just usual viral symptoms) please don't visit your gp with this!

I work in a gp surgery and unless there are complications our gps say they have no need to see chickenpox or hfm to confirm it, there's nothing they will actually be able to do for you but you would have to be isolated on arrival at your gp surgery incase there were pregnant women ect in the waiting room. We have an awful lot of poorly cancer patients ect in over the winter and the last thing people need is people bringing in unnecessary germs when they don't actually need to be seen.
Obviously if there are worrying symptoms with it then book an appointment and make sure you are isolated but I wouldn't recommend an apt just for hfm or chicken pox, I would just give calpol and watch symptoms and be aware of glass test.

CP spits usually start on the torso.

HFM my DS just had it. His spots are now fading. Fever and vomiting the night before the rash appeared. 24hrs later spots everywhere from the waist down and a few on his hands and mouth. Soles of his feet were covered as were his legs and nappy area. Also his throat and mouth.

Stock up on calpil, calprofen and icelollies, yogurts, pouches ❤ it's a horrid few days for them.

My ds's peaked around this level of distribution (but across his whole legs and feet) but a lot of the spots then turn in to blisters too so they have to be careful not to burst them.

Advise is to just clean them and put antiseptic on if they do pop.

Both of ours stayed mild. I had a very sore throat and thought it was a cold until the spots appeared on my fingers. They were mildly painful.