DS has been diagnosed with chicken pox but I'm fairly sure they're wrong. What else could ít be?

[ShowOfHands]

10mo DS was off colour for a couple of days, feverish, off his food and sleepy but nothing specific. No cold symptoms, no cough etc and then yesterday around lunchtime I noticed a couple of spots appearing on his arms and legs. A couple of hours later there were lots more. I initially thought chicken pox as dd had it in the same way last year (feverish and cross for a few days and then spots suddenly appearing and lots of them within hours) BUT...

We have seen nobody in the last few weeks with chicken pox or who has come out with it subsequently. Of course it could have been a chance encounter but normally it takes close contact (he clings to me, occasionally goes to dh but goes near nobody else) and we haven't been anywhere or seen anybody outside of family and close friends. Not even heard of a case of the pox locally since easter and when dd had it last year it was all over the place.

It's only on his groin, legs and arms really. Odd spot on his torso and neck, but really only a couple, hundreds on his legs and quite a few on his arms. His knees and elbows seem to have the most spots.

It doesn't really look like chicken pox. They started off small and smooth and most are now raised and look like they have a head to them but they haven't got bigger like dd's did, they aren't as dark as chicken pox, as angry looking or itchy.

So what else? I've googled images of rubella, measles, roseola, hand foot and mouth etc etc but nothing fits.

So high temp, off colour and slightly red throat according to the GP and then lots of spots mainly on legs and arms and bottom. Not much on torso at all, nothing on his face. Raised, developing a head, some in clusters but look nothing like chicken pox.

I'm not sure what to think tbh. I'm keeping him in quarantine to be on the safe side but it makes no sense. Both MIL and my Mum remarked that they don't look like chicken pox but they don't know what they do look like.

She was leaning in seriously trying to look at him and do her professional pharmacist bit, ds kept nicking her glasses in protest at being examined.

It still doesn't look like cp. Oh I hope if it is it's the only time he gets it. DD had it when I was pg with ds and she was covered. Had well over 150 just on her head, was in her ears, eyes, bottom, genitals, throat etc. She still has bad scarring.

Milder due to bfing? My DS3 got it at 6 weeks old and had it horrendously - and he was ebf. Mind, that was 3 weeks after he'd been in hospital with an infection. Maybe it was that. He was so poorly :( I hope he's OK, treacle.

Stop it, stop planting doubts woman. I have to believe they've got it right. Last time they got it wrong he was rushed into hospital and diagnosed with double pneumonia.

Apparently they shouldn't get it at all in the first 12 months if you're bfing and if they do it should be milder.

It is cp, it is it is it is.

still don't believe it

DD3 got cp at 11.5 months, still bfed at that point . I was just glad that I was still on mat leave to look after her and DD2 (who was the infection vector).

Well I guess there is always a variant, in amongst all these rules.

DS3 was hideously covered in pox and like I say was very definitely ebf.

You know what to do, lovely - just keep your eye on him (like you have a choice!) and if in any doubt at all, go to your nearest Walk-In centre or A&E.

I am an epic Dr-botherer, ever since DS3 was so ill. I have no shame either - nowt more important that babes health.

Yeah still keep an eye on it especially with that history, even if it is cp you can get pneumonia as a complication, and not sure it is correlated to the number of spots. Girl next door recovering from chest infection after cp and she certainly didn't look smothered in spots.

You will no doubt find out in the coming years when it goes around his school and preschool, meanwhile be thankful he isn't scratching and really miserable.

He's started to look more poxy all of a sudden tbh. And I've just stripped him for bath/bed and he has spots on his shoulders, ear and neck now. Ooh 2 on his forehead too. It's almost possible to see spots popping up. Older spots blistering rapidly too.

That's more poxy right?

I'm keeping such a close eye.

It's unuusal that his torso is the least affected area. Usually with CP that's covered. I know a lot of dcs who've had it under 12 months btw. All breast fed - made bugger all difference.
From your photos I would have said viral rash. Dd3 had a fab one last autumn. The blistering does sound like hfm or CP though.

As he has a history of pneumonia I would watch him very carefully and get him seen by the GP tomorrow in any case. Don't worry about taking him out. Just ask the surgery for somewhere away from the other patients to wait and if they don't somewhere wait outside.

Why do you recommend seeing another gp Northern, out of interest? They put us in a sideroom yesterday with no problems. He's unchanged in terms of how he is, bit cross but otherwise smiling/playing and even ate dinner this evening.

I think the bfing thing just is that they get some immunity and some antibodies from bm. It's no guarantee, merely an aid.

I would just want a close medical eye kept on him given he must have had pneumonia relatively recently as he's only 10 months. That plus his young age and the fact that if it is CP it can make them vulnerable to infection. Most likely he'll be fine but I would play very safe.

DD2 was fully breast fed at 7 months when she got it. Dd1 had it mildly and kindly passed it down to dd2. Dd2 was covered, we gave up counting at 500 spots (dd1 had about 50), there were places you couldn't put a grain of rice between the spots.

Breast feeding does not always mean immune/mild case.

Oh crap- think I've jinxed myself by mentioning HFM. DS (2) has a temp and I know HFM is going round again as had email from his playgroup (don't live in the UK so don't worry).

I guess better now than in 3 weeks when I'll have a newborn to look after as well. Sigh.

Sorry RichMan.

I'm going back to the GP. I don't care what they say. This is NOT chicken pox. No scabbing, still bugger all on his body, ones on his face have completely disappeared and there were only 2 to start with. Shoulder and neck ones gone. He's crabby and hot again and his legs are absolutely covered. WTF is it?

Scarlet fever?

I'm really bloody scared it's measles or something. I did ask the gp and she said 'she'd never seen it and wouldn't recognise it'. She then googled it and started asking if he'd had his mmr yet.

It's not measles is it?

ds had scarlet fever at a similar age but now he's nearly 6 I can't remember if he blistered.

Can you see a different doc? That one sounds a bit pants.

Ask your GP for a swab stick and root around in one of the blisters, then send it to Polendra for analysis if they won't do it at the local NHS lab

I think it's the only way you will be sure!

If it is measles.... don't stress too much. I had it as a baby before my jab and am still alive.

Poledra, sorry.

I think they should swap him tbh. Are there any white spots in his mouth? That's one of the measles symptoms. Ask for the opinion of the oldest member of the practice - doctor or nurse or frankly even receptionist - they'll be most likely to have seen chicken pox.

I'm convinced dd1 has had whooping cough but it was very clear our young GP wouldn't know it if it coughed all over her! Not their fault, shows how effective the vaccination campaign is.

If it is measles - don't panic. Lots of children have it without any complications at all. It would just be a case of symptom management and keeping a very firm eye on him.

Do you live in a city? Measles is more likely in that sort of setting than if you live in a Dales village for example.

Ok that's supposed to be 'SWAB' not swap I'm not suggesting exchanging you ds for a lesser spotted version!

and the 'likely to have seen chicken pox' should be likely to have seen measles! I'm obviously not awake yet.

Showy, don't panic. Promise me you're keeping calm.

He needs to see a different GP, an older GP, and put your foot down and get some swabs taken.

Text me if you start panicking so I can talk you down, OK? x

I cannot believe the GP said that re not recognising measles _ Ive never seen it but I reckon Id recognise it because Ive googled it in the past when paranoid.

I had measles at his age btw, and I have asthma and suffered from febrile convulsions badly - but with measles was 'fine'

my mum says measles are blotchy and pink to start with and then get redder and redder and join together.

Oh I wish I'd seen all this before I left. I had to take dd to school before the appointment. No swabs taken.

I've seen no less than 3 doctors this morning. A locum who was very, very, very thorough and honest. She said she didn't know what it was but would be wholly shocked if it was chicken pox given its appearance and presentation. She called a colleague in who looked him over thoroughly and agreed that it's not chicken pox (or if it is it's presenting very oddly) but she also didn't know. So the senior partner came in to have a look and said 'er.... I don't think it's measles, I've only seen it once on a very, very poorly child'. That's the problem, he's not very poorly. He's unwell and off colour but not of immediate concern.

So as of today he has very, very spotty legs still, with a few blisters though not many. His arms are quite spotty, as is his bottom. He has the odd spot on his stomach and back though not many and he has a few on his ears and some on the roof of his mouth. His throat is still slightly sore. No ear, chest, nose problems. No photophobia, no temperature. Bit cranky but nothing remarkable.

They said they just do not know and in that case it's probably just viral and to keep an eye on him. HFM is going round apparently and it could be that but it's not really looking like it though it can present differently in different children.

Who knows.