Chicken pox diagnosed - do you agree?

[EggbertHeartsTina]

I have a 3 year old DS. We were in Lanzarote last week of Oct / first week of Nov. Whilst over there, DS got about 10 small red spots on his hand, arm and torso. A few of them appeared in pairs. They were flat and very small. DH and I had been bit by mosquitos and I thought they were insect bites. They looked like they were fading and I thought nothing of it (although I was massively freaked out about potential bedbugs but there were no other signs of this).

Approximately 10 days after they appeared (by then we’d returned home) they blistered. They are definitely the same spots as they are in the exact same places.

Doctor has diagnosed chicken pox which I would agree with, but what confuses me is that they took 10 days to blister? The doctor said this wouldn’t happen and I must be mistaken, and that they are different spots to the original ones. This is not the case - I know they are the same spots as they appear in the same place (the ones in pairs are particularly easy to see that they are the same spots).

I’ve attached two pictures - one of the original red spots and one of the current blisters. This is just an example, there are about 10 in total.

Today the blisters are still there but flatter - almost like they are fading as opposed to crusting.

We are acting as if they are chicken pox (staying indoors etc and obviously off nursery). I feel awful that we flew home with potential chicken pox that could spread to others - if I’d thought that was a possibility I would have taken appropriate action.

Does anyone have any similar experience of spots taking so long to turn into blisters?

Thanks in advance

Chicken pox tend to blister quickly ie within hours and then end up with quite distinctive black scabs on each spot.
Those spots do look more like bites to me.

That doesn't look like chickenpox to me, but I'm not a doctor. Chickenpox blisters are fluid filled pustules. They're quite distinctive.

When DD1 had chickenpox, I phoned her HT in the morning and said she wouldn't be at school because she just wasn't right. I couldn't put my finger on it, she was whingy, not much appetite, slight temperature but nothing to get excited about. None of it in itself a reason to keep her off, but all together, I just didn't think they would have a good time with her at school (special school).

The HT listened and said "Hmmm... Has she ever had Chickenpox?" "No...." "Keep an eye out for spots, it's going around the school."

Within 45 minutes, DD1 had a few spots behind her ear and on her shoulder, and by mid-morning her whole torso was covered.

Thanks all. When we went to the doctor they were more fluid filled, here’s a better picture. I think that’s what gave the doctor reason to diagnose CP.

But if they are just bites I’m a bit stuck, as the doctor diagnosed CP I have to keep him off nursery until they crust over which might never happen!

Hand foot and mouth?

Exclusion for chicken pox is normally 7 days from the first spots appearing

Molluscum contagiosm??

Sorry can't spell it!!

Doctor wouldn’t say HFM because there’s none on his palms and soles, but it is going round nursery so more likely. He had that once before though and it was nothing like this.

I know what you mean lemsip but it’s fading now and doesn’t look like the MC spots on Dr Google

HFM looks exactly like chicken pox. That doesn't look like either of them, to me.

Has he had any other cp symptoms before the spots appeared ? Runny nose, temp, off form ?

I’m of the opinion they are insect bites. I’ve had bites do that blister thing.

They do look like molluscum contagiosum. Maybe speak to the dr and ask about that?

No he’s been perfectly well. The ‘blisters’ are very flat today as if they are disappearing and the NHS info on MC just doesn’t sound like this.

But I’m going to see if the GP will look again tomorrow and I’ll mention MC. Thanks all for your help!

MC was my thought without even seeing pictures! Ds has t and ally's cake up and down in same place for years months on end.

Wtf is my autocorrect on? 🙄😂

My ds has it and the spots came up and went down in the same place

Thanks @youarenotkiddingme - how did the MC start? This was tiny red dots with no middles

That isn't chicken pox. Not sure what it is though.

I’m thinking the same slapp but I wish I knew what it was! I’m worried the GP will be just as stumped as he thought it was CP on Friday, it’s clearly not today though.

Molluscum I think

NHS says that molluscum spots have characteristic dimples in them, none of these spots are dimpled. There’s also none in the places they’re usually found (neck, armpit, behind knees). So I’m not sure about molluscum.

Given how they started as little red pinpricks abroad in warm weather, I feel like they are bites that have delayed reaction.

I haven’t gone to the GP again today as two of them still look particularly blistery and I don’t think the GP would readily change his mind and say it’s not CP. I’ll see what they look like tomorrow.

In case anyone interested, the spots have flattened and started to fade. Went back to see GP armed with photos of the progression of the spots, and she was confident that it was insect bites from Lanzarote and certainly not chicken pox.

So back to nursery tomorrow!

Thanks everyone for listening to me fretting