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What the heck is this rash? DD throwing me for a loop again

17 replies

CBear6 · 04/07/2012 21:13

DD is almost 10mo and is supposed to be my 'easy' second child. Easy. Yeah. :o

From her birth right up to date every time I think I have her figured out she gives me that cheeky little grin of hers and then completely throws me for a loop. From nappies full of blood to a cold that was actually bronchiolitis to teething troubles that were actually a pretty serious kidney infection, she keeps me on my toes.

We're at hospital tomorrow with her to see the paediatrician in relation to ongoing tests on her kidneys and bladder (after her infection they wanted to check there are no underlying issues) and to get some follow-up blood tests done as her last two have shown that she's anaemic.

I plan to ask the doctor about this rash but in the meantime I'm trying to figure out some possible causes and I'm wondering if anyone else has seen similar with their own DC?

She has a rash up both arms with a smaller amount of spots on her legs and trunk. The rash looks just like insect bites, an intensely red centre with a milder red patch around it. I've looked at them really closely and cannot see any bite mark. We don't have any pets who could have fleas and with the weather we've been having her arms and legs are usually covered up outdoors. I thought maybe chickenpox but they're definitely not blisters and they don't have a head on them like a spot would.

They appear over the space of a day and by the next day they fade to the colour of bruises, a brownish red colour (which is the bit that worries me most for some reason). When they fade to the bruise-like colour it looks exactly like finger marks on her arms and I've actually had comments about the 'bruises' on her arms.

I haven't changed my laundry products, soap, shampoo, etc and nothing in her diet has changed.

I'm completely stumped as DS has never had anything like this, I'm hoping the doctor can shed some light tomorrow. In the meantime though, has anyone had anything similar?

OP posts:
eastendywendy · 05/07/2012 01:32

Does it fade under pressure? If not call NHS.

Otherwise I'm not sure, sorry.

CBear6 · 05/07/2012 07:29

Fades under pressure, that was one of the first things I checked. She's woken up this morning covered head to toe in it, all over her legs and body plus she's hot and refusing to eat. I had a few moments wonder about whether it's chickenpox but she's had the same rash come and go plus it's not blisters like I would expect pox to be. Hope the doctor has some answers! Poor baby :(

OP posts:
MonaLotte · 05/07/2012 07:33

Slapped cheek has been going round our school. Could it be that?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/07/2012 07:46

Have you heard of Henoch-Schonlein purpura? Classic sign of that is a rash which fades to bruising, children are unwell with it too with mild fever etc.
It could also explain the blood in nappy etc.

Maybe Google that and see if symptoms.match up, then you could mention it to Dr?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/07/2012 07:53

Sorry, link didn't work on my phone but you can copy and paste it :)

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/07/2012 08:00

Thanks :)

CBear6 · 05/07/2012 10:01

That actually seems to fit, thank you so much, I'm going to mention it to the doctor and see what he thinks. On our way there now so hopefully will get some answers

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/07/2012 10:41

Hope it goes well and she is better soon!

CBear6 · 05/07/2012 14:18

Paediatrician was less than helpful Hmm Looked at her chart, said her catheter test results were normal, still anaemic but adopting a watch and wait approach, got appointment for her isotope test. Asked him about the rash, 'nothing to do with me'.

Seeing our GP this afternoon about it instead.

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/07/2012 14:29

How unhelpful, hope you get on better at GP

Seeline · 05/07/2012 14:40

I had a rash like that a couple of years ago and it itched like crazy. I do suffer with allergies but hadn't changed any products, eaten anything unusual etc. Like you, when the bruising started I went to the GP who said it was an allergy - but she didn't know to what, and added that we would probably never know! She gave me antihistimine tablets to take 4x day which seemed to help. THe other strange thing was the way the rash moved - started on my head (thought I'd got nits at first Blush ) and gradually moved down my body over the course of several days. Never happened again though....

CBear6 · 05/07/2012 18:41

The GP thinks its very possibly a different rash to the ones she's been getting and that this one is chickenpox. She's said we'll know by morning as they'll blister, if they don't blister then we've to take her back.

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 05/07/2012 20:05

Oh no, poor wee thing. Hope they don't blister.

sneezecakesmum · 05/07/2012 20:52

btw Henoch Schonlein purpura rash doesnt fade, its bleeding under the skin. We are currently chickenpoxy so stock up on virasoothe, piriton and calpol!

CBear6 · 06/07/2012 17:53

I'm not fully convinced its chickenpox. Only 4-5 spots have blistered, the rest are still just red patches, she's really grotty and has a temp of 38.6 which we're trying to bring down. DH is thinking viral rather than CP Hmm

OP posts:
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