Is this scarlet fever?

[LackaDAISYcal]

DS has a horrible cough that has kept us all awake for the last few nights, he was vomiting on Sunday and his temp was spiking up to 40. This morning has woken up covered in a red blotchy rash which he says is very itchy and his skin looks very dry and sore.

He doesn't have the classic strawberry tongue though. Waiting to get through to the doctor now.

Does the rash feel like sandpaper to touch? I think that's a sign of scarlet fever.

sore throat ?

It is very dry feeling to the touch. His throat isn't sore now and he seems quite perky, but he spent two days out of it with the vomiting and fever and has hardly eaten since Saturday.

I've got him in at 9.20 so not long to wait.

The doctor isn't sure what it is; much consulting of books and the computer went on!

Upshot is, she took a throat swab as the rash looks like scarlet fever, and his earlier symptoms fit too, but his throat isn't sore (although he has a couple of little mouth ulcers) and he has no joint pains. She gave us a prescription for penicillin, which we are to start if he develops a sore throat or joints in the next few days and he is off school at least this week.

And there was I looking for a bit of P&Q and crap daytime TV after the Easter holidays

Hope he feels better soon

The plot thickens! I gave him some benadryl to stop the iching and the rash has almost gone! The doctor said it was "most definitely Not an allergic reaction type of rash"

It doesn't sound like scarlet fever without a sore throat. My DS has just had it - back to school today - he vomited twice and had a high temp. Very red cheeks and red torso but also a sore throat, headache and basically slept a lot. Once he had been on penicillin for a day he was much better.

Have there been cases in your area?

she said there has been a "scarlet fever like illness" doing the rounds.

We've had everything apart from the sore throat.

It could just be a random virus with a post-viral rash which the anti-histamine has helped to clear up. Hope he gets better soon! Have you picked up your prescription from the chemist? I would get it and keep it in the fridge in case he develops a sore throat.

Well it's all gone now, so looks like it was some sort of reaction. He ate some mixed fruit and nuts yesterday, though nothing he hasn;t had before, and we were at a garden centre on Monday and did a bit of gardening so maybe he came into contact with something that he has reacted to. Very strange!

Random question did you give calpol for the temp after he was sick? Might sound stupid but have come across about 15 kids in the space of a year that have reacted to paractamol after having a tummy bug

We did choc. Interesting. The rash has gone as quickly as it appeared and looked very much like the images of urticaria which would fit with the allergic reaction.

Sent him off to bed with some more benadryl though, just in case!

Could it be hand foot and mouth? Our dd had it a few weeks ago and it started with a sore throat and a rash which the doc thought was scarlet fever but then the rash disappeared over a couple of days but then she developed into small blisters on her hands and her throat was really sore.

He's hand HFM before. Can you get it again? No sign of any blisters on hands or feet, but will keep an eye out, thanks.