Atypical chickenpox

[backtothegrindstone]

My 4 year old has a rather strange rash. It doesn't look like chicken pox as there are no blisters- just lots and lots of red spots, some flat and some with tiny heads but more like tiny pimples than blisters. They aren't scabbing after 4 days. It doesn't itch. He's not ill or even bothered by it. But is all over his torso, bum and tops of his legs. It's been there for a few days. My first thoughts was some sort of allergy or bites and I'd ignored it but got called by school yesterday as they were concerned it might be chicken pox. At their request I went to see the doctor who also thought it was mysterious and also thought it 'probably wasn't chicken pox' but had no idea what it was. But his brother had shingles about 2 weeks ago so he has been exposed to the chicken pox virus recently and he hasn't had it before. Searching online it looks exactly like 'atypical or breakthrough chickenpox' which seems to be something people get when they've been vaccinated against chicken pox. But he hasn't been vaccinated either. His brother had chickenpox when I was pregnant with him so theoretically he has been exposed to the virus when I'm my tummy. Could this be chicken pox? Both his brother and myself had very very mild chickenpox with little itching so we seem predisposed to mild symptoms in the family.

Photo?

Uticaria (hives) can cover the body in a red rash but without pics won't be able to say

I don't think its uticaria - I've had that loads of times myself being a very allergic person, and it looks nothing like any allergic rash I've ever had. If anything, they look more like tiny bites, but there are about 50 of them, they're under where his clothes area and there's no itching at all (for info, we haven't changed anything like washing powder or anything- in fact, still on the same pack I've been using for about a month so I don't think that's the cause). He's asleep at the moment so won't be able to take a pic till tomorrow.

This isn't him, but this photo is something I've found online that looks very similar of 'breakthrough chickenpox' (but breakthrough chickenpox only happens in people who's been vaccinated)

He's got a LOT more spots than this though.

Have you considered measles?
Dc1 has it despite being immunised.
I could only imagine it was some weird form of chickenpox as I hadn't realised that immunisations don't mean that it's not impossible to contract a disease.

Hand, foot and mouth? My DS1 had it badly, and the spots were everywhere.

HFM is my 1st thought. Especially as you mention groin area.

Do you think Shingles rash could have given him CP? It’s Only direct contact. And only if rash is oozing.

I ask because I have child with mild shingles and one who’s not had CP. I would be surprised (although pretty pleased) if he caught cP from Shingles rash.

I think measles is very unlikely- he's had single measles jab aged 1 And MMR when he was 4 so seems highly unlikely. Plus no other symptoms, no fever or illness at all. HFM, hadn't considered it as no spots on hands or feet, only torso. When I had HFM It was very sore but doesn't seem to be bothering him at all. He keeps complaining of itchy feet though but absolutely nothing to see.

A ridiculous amount of googling is making me wonder if it's Pityriasis rosea. Will post pics tomorrow

@Random18 direct contact with ds1's shingles was certainly possible. Only a small patch on his back but my boys are very tactile and cuddle a lot as well as share baths (and both like to be naked as much as possible!!) so contact certainly was possible.

Here's some actual pictures of him

Not great pics I'm afraid as hard to get them in focus

Oh how weird
My dd has the exact same looking thing at the moment but less spots than your little one
She is 3!
She hasn't even noticed them
I noticed first one Thursday and it hasn't blistered or scabbed ... She has about 10 spots now ...

Is it hot where you are ?
I was thinking bedbugs but see no signs of it in her bed or the heat!?

I've no idea if she has been exposed to pox but she's also never had it before

The one on her arm actually looks a bit better today and was the original one
Not a blister though just sticking out ..

Emmabryant are you sure that's not molluscum?

I've no idea
All I know is she isnr currently bothered or irritated by it...

Bedbugs are quite distinctive @Emmabryant123 - we got bitten by them once in India and they always bite in rows of three (don't know why, but they do).

Ours def isn't molloscum - both biys have had that already so know what that looks like. But molloscum are raised and more nobbly.

Ive no idea what it is tbh
Am blaming the heat
27c here outside
30c in the flat