Please help with this rash. Doctors are not interested. Photo included.

[Mountsnowdon]

My son started with a fever Friday night which continued into Saturday. Saturday the rash in the photo stated to develop. It began as what I thought was a nappy rash but soon spread to his legs, all over his bum, in his elbow creases and on his hands, ears and a handful on his face. They are raised to the touch. We’ve been to two urgent care centres who have checked his temperature and dismissed it as nothing. It is now peeling. I’ve no idea what to do now. Should I just accept it’s nothing?

Sorry forgot the photo.

Looks like chicken pox to me.

How is he in himself now?

Sometimes the body responds to a virus with a rash, if two walk in centers are not worried I would follow their lead.

If it gets worse at all I would seek further advice but for now I would watch and wait if it was me.

He’s not happy. But doesn’t appear to be itching them at all. I thought chicken pox were really itchy.

My dd has hand foot and mouth at the moment and it looks exactly the same. Its all over her body but her face and bum are particularly bad. I wouldn't worry about this if you've been to two doctors and they've told you not to worry! (I haven't taken my dd to a doctor at all, but she's my third and I've seen it before)

Peeling is definitely a sign of HF&M too

Does he have tonsillitis? My kids get a rash with a sore throat.

I can’t see the photos very well but it could be chickenpox, sometimes they only get blisters and itchy after a few days.

What are the doctors doing, just shrugging? Is he ok, eating and drinking etc?

And no you shouldn’t accept it’s nothing if you have a feeling that he is very sick, you live with him and know him best.
If you think he is very ill then don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Looks like hand foot and mouth to me, too. My DD had it last month and it started with a fever. Hope it clears up soon.

Looks like hand/foot and mouth

Doesn't look like chickenpox.

Have you been abroad recently?

He’s eating and drinking. Quite grumpy though. He doesn’t have tonsillitis as far as I know but no ones checked his throat. It doesn’t quite look like the chicken pox my daughter had but I guess each case is different. The doctors literally just check his temperature and look at the rash then say it’s nothing. They don’t really give any advice on what to do. Whether to try any creams or anything. I’m trying not to be a neurotic mother but it’s difficult when I feel he’s not being looked at properly.

Did you see a doctor at the urgent care centre? Thought they were usually nurse practitioners that worked at them. Maybe worth seeing your GP?

Looks exactly like my ds's hand,foot and mouth. He had it everywhere so it took a while to be diagnosed but also wasn't itchy. I just had to give Calpol, ibuprofen and piratin for a week before it got better although the rash took ages to go completely. Hope he gets better soon!

The first urgent care centre was definitely a nurse. The second one who we saw yesterday was a registrar. I’m not sure if they’re doctors or nurses. I think as he’s had it for a few days I will try to get an appointment with my gp. Although you can be waiting 2-3 weeks so it might be difficult.

Have you checked his mouth for ulcers? Does the rash hurt him or does he not feel it at all?

He has a few spots on his inside lip but he won’t let me look inside his mouth properly. He doesn’t touch the rash or try to scratch it but he is irritable and grumpy so I suspect it might be bothering him a bit. He doesn’t talk yet so he can’t really tell me.

You could try your local pharmacy if you can't get in to see the doctor for weeks. They may be able to advise on what it is or suggest cream for the rash if appropriate.

It looks like hand foot and mouth to me.

Oat baths, clinpox spray and if he needs pain relief use paracetamol, just in case it is chicken pox (never use ibuprofen for chicken pox.)

Always trust your instinct and if you feel something isn’t right get him seen. Hfm lasts about ten days although the rash can take ages to fade completely. Hopefully you won’t get it (I did when ds had it and man it was really grim!)

Could it be measles?
Sometimes the rash can be raised.

Hand foot and mouth

Thank you for all the advice. I’m not sure about measles. I’d hope the health professionals would have picked up on that but I’ll look it up. I feel very reassured to know that the general consensus is I should not just accept what they say if I’m not happy with it. I hope The rest of us avoid whatever it is but only time will tell I guess.

My little one has had something very similar as a baby- apparently not chicken pox or HFM. Never got an answer - was just told viral. It healed OK in the end.

And yes seen by multiple doctors too. I get why you are concerned but we just had to let it run its course.

I think that’s what we will have to do unless it continues worsening. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to have spread much today so hopefully it won’t spread any further.