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Original poster

Help needed with son’s rash, any ideas?

39 replies

Curlyhairisacurse · 15/02/2019 07:28

My 13 year old Ds is recovering from a virus, cough, nausea, temperature. He’s back at school and feeling much better apart from this rash which has appeared on his hip over the last couple of days. It’s painful and getting bigger. Any ideas what it might be?

Help needed with son’s rash, any ideas?
OP posts:
KingIrving · 15/02/2019 07:41

Is there an infected scratch or crack at the center of the rash? Is it hot to the touch? Draw the border of the rash with a pen so you can judge by how much it gets bigger.

I would have him seen to rule out cellulitis.

Original poster
Curlyhairisacurse · 15/02/2019 07:47

It is warm and painful to touch, I took a picture yesterday so I can see how it’s developed over night.

Help needed with son’s rash, any ideas?
Help needed with son’s rash, any ideas?
OP posts:
Nogodsnomasters · 15/02/2019 07:54

If its warm it definitely indicates a skin infection, he needs a gp appointment to have it looked at.

KingIrving · 15/02/2019 07:57

Warm and painful to touch would be a good reason to give the GP a call, especially after an illness when the immune system might be low.

Better safe than sorry

Foodylicious · 15/02/2019 08:02

If you take a biro and draw around the redness you will be able to see more easily if it it spreading or receding over the next few hours.
I would take ds temperature. Give paracetamol if it us raised and he feels rubbish and get seen by gp today.

Original poster
Curlyhairisacurse · 15/02/2019 14:19

Thank you for all your advice, couldn’t get a GP appointment so took him to our local walk in centre. He saw two nurses, they had no idea what the rash is, they said it looks like a burn so I showed them the picture I took yesterday so they could see the progression of the rash overnight. Best advice they could give was give him pain killers and bring him back if the rash spreads any further. So no clearer on what’s going on unfortunately.

OP posts:
Foodylicious · 15/02/2019 17:10

Has is progressed any OP?
Or stayed the same?

Original poster
Curlyhairisacurse · 15/02/2019 21:29

Foody, it’s much redder, raised and seems to be spreading, albeit slowly. I can’t draw a line around it as it’s too painful to touch.

OP posts:
Random18 · 15/02/2019 21:42

Phone 111.
We’ve been at OOH’s tonight for an infected boil.
Got antibiotics but GP was clear that we go back if it gets worse or he gets a temp.
She was not messing about - and was glad pharmacist had advised us to come tonight

MrsKCastle · 15/02/2019 21:44

If it is getting worse, I would get it looked at again. Did you ask the nurses about the possibility of cellulitis?

CoperCabana · 15/02/2019 21:45

I am a bit worried about that. Did they mention cellulitis?

YouBoggleMyMind · 15/02/2019 21:49

Please get it checked again, cellulitis can cause sepsis if left.

LilQuim · 15/02/2019 21:51

I would call 111 - I had cellulitis a year ago & I would definitely take it seriously in case it is that.

claracluck78 · 15/02/2019 21:53

Head to OOH OP
I have had cellulitis and been hospitalised with it after being sent home by GPs

Hope he gets seen soon

Original poster
Curlyhairisacurse · 15/02/2019 22:08

They didn’t mention cellulitis, they really didn’t have a clue what it could be. If it’s still red raw in the morning I’ll take him back.

OP posts:
Random18 · 15/02/2019 22:08

I wouldn’t wait until the morning....

babysharkah · 15/02/2019 23:18

I'd be concerned about cellulitis and then you're open to sepsis. I'd get advice tonight.

rosablue · 15/02/2019 23:37

Sometimes going and saying you’re worried it is cellulitis (and this could progress to sepsis), then asking why it isn’t cellulitis / sepsis if they say it’s just a rash, can concentrate their mind if they don’t seem to be taking you seriously. Also asking what the risks (and pain implications for your ds are) of ignoring it for a day/2/3 if it is cellulitis given it has x, y and z symptoms as flagged on the nhs website vs treating it as if it was cellulitis when it’s not. And making sure that they record on your ds’s notes that it is something you are worried it is.

If they have to recognise there are several risky symptoms then they should hopefully take it seriously.

In my local hospital there are sepsis protocol reminder posters all over the place, on the basis that it is usually much better to catch anybody who might have it and actively monitor them/start to treat them because it hugely increases the chances of a positive outcome if the do have it, whereas the consequences of treating them if they don’t have it are usually not that big a deal and it might also help what’s making them ill. Occasionally there are exceptional cases where treating regardless isn’t good so they would need to get a more senior consultant to advise but for the most part it’s better to treat - so you want them to be thinking along these lines for your ds. Hope that makes sense and hope your ds is better ver soon.

LilQuim · 16/02/2019 02:49

What @rosablue said! Exactly that.

KingIrving · 16/02/2019 08:31

@Curlyhairisacurse How is he this morning? Is it starting to fade?

Gunpowder · 16/02/2019 08:34

I’d definitely want a doctor to look at it.

CoperCabana · 16/02/2019 08:37

Let us know how things are OP if you get a chance. Am hoping you have either been seen and all is well or the rash has faded. Take care.

Original poster
Curlyhairisacurse · 16/02/2019 10:17

Just back from the walk in centre, we saw a more senior nurse practitioner this time (the GP only sees emergencies). She’s not worried about cellulitis as there is no swelling. She did mull over the possibility of shingles but there are no blisters. So the advice is to try an antihistamine and see what that does. I’ve attached another pic of the rash today, it seems to be made up of tiny tiny spots which are scabbing over. Its still incredibly tender to touch.

Help needed with son’s rash, any ideas?
OP posts:
CoperCabana · 16/02/2019 12:41

Hmmm. I would keep a close eye and see if the antihistamine helps. It looks slightly less angry today? I think if it was cellulitis it would be progressing more rapidly but it is very strange. He hasn’t knocked it has he?

Original poster
Curlyhairisacurse · 17/02/2019 11:56

Rash watch day four! It’s definitely spreading, he’s not ill in himself just uncomfortable with the rash. Could it be shingles?

OP posts:
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