What do you think this is? *Gross picture, sorry*

[Prusik]

I'll be brief because I'm shattered.
Fever for two days starting last Monday. Two different diagnosis from doctors and a week of antibiotics as it was still spreading. Antibiotics now finished today and this picture was taken this morning. It's now spreading to the other hand since yesterday.

Any ideas?

Ps Ds is 10 months

Thank you all so much for your support this morning. We have a provisional diagnosis of Herpes. All that stress and fuss for just a bloody coldsore virus.

They wanted to re-swab to confirm the diagnosis but that's about it. They've also finally dressed the wound.

It's going to be tricky to get them to join the dots because we were only in the day unit which is pretty much just an emergency unit of sorts. I do have a paediatric referral from my GP to discuss his immune issues but I don't know if it's been superseded by this.

He does certainly seem brighter since we've changed his diet.

This whole week will be tied up with medical appointments. I have the midwife tomorrow and then taking DS back to the dermatologist on Thurs.

Glad you’ve finally got answers!

Please talk to your midwife about this because the herpes virus can be VERY dangerous to newborns - although hopefully by the time your baby is here he’ll be all healed up and there will be no live virus present.

Ok! So it’s been identified and hopefully they will confirm it.

It can sometimes hit kids really hard - a friend’s brother was hospitalised with it waaay back when I was at uni. Same thing, he’d got a cold sore and developed complications. Made a full recovery but there was a flurry of activity while they figured it out and he spent the best part of a week in hospital.

Keep all those photos and push for the referral. You just need the right person to join the dots.

Yep Tedster is right the Herpes family of viruses includes shingles so definitely speak to your midwife but fingers crossed little one will be healed up nicely by then :)

Thanks all, I'll speak to my midwife at my appointment tomorrow

I was in a mess with the herpes virus at about 15. First ever coldsore spread into my mouth, all over my lips, up my face and across my eyes. I was off school 2 weeks and really quite poorly. Poor little man but at least you have a diagnosis.

Please can I reiterate how serious herpes can be to a new born.
Seriously can kill so make Make Make sure you take precautions

No one is going near any new born babies. My brother's baby is a week old now and I have no plans to visit. We are starting to consider spending Christmas on our own as my brother's new born baby will be there and there is nothing I can currently do about my own new born baby arriving in 8 weeks time.

Believe you me, I wouldn't risk my niece. My heart breaks and Christmas will be very lonely but unless ALL skin legions are healed then we won't be going anywhere for Christmas.

It fucking sucks

And I had a cold sore when DS was a week old.... spent the whole entire time freaking out!

Aww bless you. I was more concerned about your baby actually 🙂
Can’t beleieb it’s taken soooo long for them to diagnose your poor boy

Get well wishes coming his way

@QOD do you think Ds might still have the marks on his hands by then? I'm going to be a hermit forever!!!

Herpes isnt just a coldsore virus.

A little boy i know. Had it at 1.
He was very poorly. Had to learn how to talk, walk, and feed himself again and then since then suffers with seizures

The poor baby I'm very thankful that Ds seems to be on the mend. Their only concern appears to be getting the wound to heal with no further infection.

I guess when I said just a cold sore, I couldn't work out why they wouldn't say over the phone. I spent the night dreaming about everything ten times worse!

The virus is not just on his hand it's in his body, his blood. Most of us have herpes but in some with suppressed immune it just comes out on the skin. I find it odd that they don't give him an antiviral like acyclovir which just stops the replication. There is even a related cream. If I were you I'd ask ....

Definitely speak to your MW about this and make sure you request advice from the docs who treated ds on how you should approach the birth /newborn period.

They might give an antiviral when we see the dermatologist tomorrow. Not sure. Equally, it's not really a confirmed diagnosis until results of the swab from yesterday come in.

I'll be able to ask today when I see the midwife. I'm aware about infection controls as I also have herpes. I guess it's most likely that he got it from me, although I haven't had an outbreak in a long time.

There wasn't a doctor available yesterday but the nurses were quite flippant in that as long as his skin were healed they weren't worried about Ds seeing my niece

Er ..If you'd mentioned you had herpes at the start of the thread or even to the doctors then this could have been resolved slightly quicker OP ?

Glad he's on the mend.

There was no inclination that it was relevant at the time as I've had no outbreaks and they diagnosed hfm first

Mw said 7 weeks is still a while away so we'll discuss closer to the time re newborn ds2. I know she wasn't just fobbing me off cuz I had her with Ds and she's an amazing midwife. All good apart from my blood pressure has dropped v low, it's normally low in pregnancy for me but not this.low. explains why I've been feeling crummy thus week.

Time for some recovery for all of us, I think. I shall update final results tomorrow if they come in to finish off the thread and will probably come back to.let you all know if Ds heals in time for Christmas or we end up alone

Thank you all

Lots of luck OP and enjoy your new baby!! xx

Er ..If you'd mentioned you had herpes at the start of the thread or even to the doctors then this could have been resolved slightly quicker OP ?

Given that 2/3 of the world's population is thought to have herpes, I'd say it's safe to assume the doctors would have considered this possibility regardless of whether the OP specifically mentioned it or not.

Glad your little one is on the mend.

I'm pretty sure I did mention it to the pediatrician in a discussion but they weren't sure

We've been discharged. That's it now. Diagnosis confirmed as herpes. I feel very emotional and very drained cant stop crying

Bless you Prusik!
I've just read your story here, and am relieved that things seem to be under control.
One thing that really impresses me, and that is the quality of advice given here by medical people. You guys care enough to help anyone wherever you meet a person in distress.
My hat is doffed to you all.
Prusik, your poor wee lad has been through the mill, hasn't he?
All I can add is to say, have a restful Christmas, and all the best with your pregnancy.

Well said @123MothergotafleA

So glad the diagnosis is confirmed... you will be surprised at how quickly he bounces back, faster than you..