Petechiae rash tell me more

[MummaPI]

Whatever it look like?
Is it always a sign of a horrible illness?
Son has a pin prick non blanching rash again after having it 5 weeks ago. There's not many and doctor saw it 5 weeks ago and wasn't concerned.
Any experience of this?

It very much depends on the context. Petechiae are basically tiny bleeds under the skin, and can be caused locally by something as simple as an abrasion or tight clothing. It would be fairly obvious to a doctor, particularly if just isolated to one particular area. Systemic illness petechiae would be accompanied by obvious signs of illness. Our daughter had scepticaemia and as she had high fever and was clearly unwell, the rash was unmistakably a red flag. It started on her feet, and was rapidly advancing when the ambulance was sent.
More recently she had a similar illness, and this resulted in something called purpura, which looks like bruising, they are larger and darker than Petechiae, and can sometimes be associated with low platelets. If your child has no other symptoms and is generally well, it is more likely to be nothing to worry about.

Ok thanks
He's perfectly well, just don't understand why they keep returning. They are tiny, pin prick style spots.

If they are a recurrent thing, and there is nothing obvious causing them, in terms of tight clothing etc, I would go back to the doctor.

I've managed to get an appointment today. Am quite worried about the nasties that it could be but as he's well hoping that's not likely

Good you’ve got an appointment. Hope it all goes well!

Ds used to get that very regularly. Still does occasionally now, but it used to be every couple of weeks, and sometimes quite extensive.

witch for any reason?

My DD has this, no other sign of illness. GP immediately (same day) sent her to a&e for blood tests. He wasn't unduly worried but said it's procedure with all non-blanching rashes in children (she's 5).

A&E doctors seemed most worried about sepsis/meningitis symptoms, which she didn't have.

Her blood test was fine, doctors said it was probably a reaction to a mild virus she had had a while earlier, and it faded a week or so later.

To reassure, they said they get loads of non-blanching rash referrals every week and it is nearly always nothing. But they do have to check.

That’s true askjeeves. It is usually benign. Our daughter has primary immune deficiency, so infections and low platelets which are often associated with petechiae type rashes, are more commonly seen. It’s certainly not the norm.

Usually told viral rash for it.
We got sent regularly to A&E for a few months until we decided it was just one of those things.

Doctor isn't overly concerned but has requested blood tests tomorrow to check his platelets

That’s good to hear, definitely wise that your doc is checking platelets. Hope everything comes back ok.

Thank you

My child was treated with antibiotics and kept in hospital when this first happened.

However for a few years they got it numerous times. Seems to have outgrown it now though.

My son had it when poorly recently. Obviously it was terrifying and I took him to A&E. it didn't spread (thankfully as it was a few hours before we were seen and nobody knew it had stopped spreading) but I was there for 6 hours googling, and was convinced he had leukaemia. He was absolutely fine, just a virus. I've noticed them a couple more times when he's been well. It isn't always bad, step away from Google.

Thanks all
Yes Google hasn't helped at all. I'm guessing the results come through fairly quick?

If they are just checking platelets, then it should be just a routine blood count, in which case it usually comes back to GP quite quick, a day or two in our experience.

Short-lived rashes in well children or with a bit of a viral illness are common, probably triggered by viruses or other mysterious means. Some unfortunately are the petechial type (little pricks, not blanching when pressed) which tends to trigger assessment for the things below:

Most threatening cause would be severe infection is sepsis / meningitis; in these cases the child would look very sick because the rash comes at a late stage in the illness.
Can be due to low platelets or a clotting problem and the bloods to check these are routine and usually straightforward to interpret. If there are abnormalities or other worrying features would trigger further action. Low platelets can be essentially benign, occasionally due to a serious cause.

Thanks all
Really appreciate all your replies

Google itp (idiopathic thrombocytopenia) I was diagnosed with this few years ago, had the h none blanching rash.

Results back all ok. Platelets were 226 which is between the range of 170 and 400 so phew