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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think my doctor has got it wrong (with pics)

122 replies

scrolling123 · 20/12/2018 20:16

So, DS 21 months wakes up yesterday morning a bit rashy - nothing crazy - but I suffer with eczema and I thought it looked like that (dry/blotchy) called doc, got him in yesterday PM, by that time it was blistering but I still (first time parent naivety?) thought eczema and kind of guided the GP in that direction.
He prescribes mild steroid, emollient, bath additive.
By bed time last night little fella is beside himself and I send my mum a pic - she says defo chickenpox, no doubt, as does another experienced mum.
I do a bit of googling and it does indeed look like chickenpox to me.
Calls doc this morning, he says bring DS in to see senior doc this afternoon. Senior doc looks at him, says defo chickenpox, then changes mind and says cant be chickenpox as he has none on the back of his neck.
Tells me to carry on treating as eczema.
So I'm all a little bit torn now, because my instincts are telling me chickenpox, calamine and antihistamine, doc is telling me eczema, mild steroid and emollient.
Can you kind, and more experienced people out there tell me if this, in your opinion (I appreciate not medically trained) looks like chickenpox or not.
Thanks in advance.
x
PS - I also feel pretty shit because I put him though a Christmas party, and paraded him round as the star of Bethlehem yesterday and he must have been feeling rough. :(

OP posts:

BeanTownNancy · 20/12/2018 20:38

A day or two after having his MMR vaccinations my son developed a rash all over. Pinprick rash on his torso, spots on his legs, big blisters just on his hands.

Over a couple of days he was looked at by the nursery staff (who obviously aren't medically trained but see a lot of this stuff), a doctor, a health visitor and a dermatologist. (he had at least one medical appointment pre-booked at the time)

I was told variously that it was:

A mild rubella reaction from the MMR jab
Chicken pox
Hand, foot and mouth
Eczema

Never did find out what it was. We soothed him with cool baths, moisturiser, calpol (if he had a fever) and antihistamine. Cleared up in a few days.

HPandBaconSandwiches · 20/12/2018 20:39

Calamine lotion is bad for both eczema and chicken pox.

Original poster

scrolling123 · 20/12/2018 20:39

@BeanTownNancy - complicated this mum stuff isnt it? x

OP posts:

Original poster

scrolling123 · 20/12/2018 20:40

@HPandBaconSandwiches - really? I was under the impression that it is the 'go to' option for chickenpox itch relief.

OP posts:

sproutsandparsnips · 20/12/2018 20:42

I agree it doesn't look like cp. The lesions are not discrete ie they merge together whereas those in the pp pic of cp have normal skin between spots. They are blisters though and it looks nasty. Your poor ds. I don't know what eczema herpeticum is but going by the name this looks like it could be similar.

dementedpixie · 20/12/2018 20:42

Calamine aqueous cream is ok. Calamine lotion can be quite drying

Fresh01 · 20/12/2018 20:43

My youngest DD has recently had guttate psoriasis and it looked a lot like that. Was only on the backs of both her legs and one patch on her back. Varied between individual spots (some red, some like blisters) and the patches. Was doubling in numbers every other day. Took second GP visit to diagnose. First time it was infected so looked very red like your DC but second visit some had a more silver scaly top. More likely in families with eczema.

Bath lotion, cold tar, steroid cream and hydrocortisone cream. Scaling down in usage rather than stopping abruptly worked over about 6 weeks to clear it up.

We have had chicken pox 4 times in the house and it has always had spots over the whole body.

Nat6999 · 20/12/2018 20:45

It looks just like the sores my DS had with impetigo. I've never seen eczema look as scabby & with sores like that. Impetigo is crusty, the sores form crusts around the edges that spread. If he is no better tomorrow, take him to a walk in centre if you can, let someone with a fresh set of eyes look at him.

BeanTownNancy · 20/12/2018 20:45

@scrolling123

It really is! And medicine isn't infallible, it's a guessing game! I don't blame anyone, but it's frustrating and upsetting not knowing what to do.

(Another example: I had stomach pain a few months ago and no one could figure out what it was. Everyone, consultants and surgeons and a whole team of doctors and nurses exhausted their diagnostic tests and gave a best guess of appendicitis and cut me open. Turns out it was something super unusual which none of them had ever seen before. They were very excited - I was miffed after signing up for keyhole surgery and ending up with a 3" scar. 🤣)

ISdads · 20/12/2018 20:46

If a bit ill, maybe just a viral rash. It doesn't look like cpx or hand foot mouth to me, so I would just go with 'random viral rash'

Does eczema cause temperatures? (No idea on this ...)

Sewrainbow · 20/12/2018 20:47

Calamine lotion is drying for skin so not good for cp or eczema.

Fwiw I don't think that looks like cp either especially if not on torso. I don't know enough about eczema but have seen smaller patches of eczema with red spot like that. I wonder if it is a reaction to something either eaten or in contact with skin?

BifsWif · 20/12/2018 20:51

Another one saying not chicken pox.

I hope you get some answers and he’s on the mend soon.

ollhe · 20/12/2018 20:54

I’d pop him over to a pharmacist, or GP again. And I’d definitely try Piriton to relieve any itching.

CJsGoldfish · 20/12/2018 20:55

I was told not to use calamine as it is too drying and can actually increase scarring. I used gel based treatment and none of my 3 ended up with a single scar.

Regardless, that doesn't look like chickenpox.

ItsLikeRainOnYourWeddingDay · 20/12/2018 20:58

Hand foot and mouth I would say esp as not on torso. Absolutely not excema

Redskyandrainbows67 · 20/12/2018 20:59

Just to be clear not upset with the op for not knowing it may have been chicken pox - of course she couldn’t have known. Upset she doesn’t mention any concern at all for other people in her post - only that she dragged her son round all these people and the impact on him. Most people would show more social conscious than that (eg ‘and I’m worried who I exposed to it if it is’ or ‘if it is then I guess I should let the school know so they can warn everyone’)

teenytinypontypine · 20/12/2018 21:00

Could be gianotti crosti. Not serious.

deptfordgirl · 20/12/2018 21:02

Looks like my ds's hand, foot and mouth which took ages to get diagnosed because it was so severe. He had it everywhere apart from torso and back.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 20/12/2018 21:03

I'd say hand, foot and mouth or scabies. Doesn't look like chicken pox.

Original poster

scrolling123 · 20/12/2018 21:04

@Redskyandrainbows67 - sorry but I do need to pipe up here.
1 - I didn't start this thread because I was worried about who my son had or hadn't infected - if that was the case then I would be stressing out every time a toddler sneezed on me, which is often. I took correct precautions and let the people who he had been in contact with know.
2 - I did not 'drag my son round all these people'
3 - please do not comment on my level of social consciousness when I'm asking for advice on a rash, you don't know me, or what I do, or how I conduct myself.
(hope you are comfy up there on that horse - its a long way down)

OP posts:

Soberfutures · 20/12/2018 21:04

A note to say don't give nurophen/ibuprofen incase it is chicken pox as it isn't good recommended. As can make scaring worse.
I wasn't told this and my dd scars from chicken pox ended up quite deep. (Still feel guilty)
Hope he is better soon

Troels · 20/12/2018 21:05

Chicken pox starts on the trunk, even if it's just a few spots, and spreads out. Poor kid. If he is also sick with it, a bit fluish and a temp it may well be hand foot and mouth.

Original poster

scrolling123 · 20/12/2018 21:05

Thanks for all the replies, I will take it all on board and as I said, look again tomorrow.
Want the little dude happy and comfy for Christmas of course.
Thanks for all your advice and knowledge sharing
x

OP posts:

pinkstripeycat · 20/12/2018 21:06

No way is this eczema. I am in my 40s and had different forms of eczema all my life.

Fortybingowings · 20/12/2018 21:07

Looks like Gianotti Crosti to me.

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