Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Desperate about dd1 (5.5) - spots every winter all over her face

34 replies

fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 09:46

I've searched mumsnet and the internet but can't find anyone who has had the same?!

She eats a terrible diet (very picky eater), and last year we took her to a consultant who said she was iron deficient (diet related). Since then she has been on iron supplements every day.

She has beautiful skin, but if she gets a cold - and especially in the winter - she gets spots, which she picks and it looks terrible. Every winter since she was 3 she has had spots for most of the winter. They are like the kind of spots we all get, so I'm guessing it's an immune related thing.

I am often asked if she has just had chicken pox - so now I just say 'yes'! If anyone has had the same - or has any idea why it hapopens, please help me. It makes me cry to look at her beautiful face with these red spots on it (usually about 5 or 6).

She's had blood tests (not for Coeliac) and iron-deficiency was the only thing that came up. Her haemoglobin is now normal, although her iron reserves are still a little low according to tests (not huge around about 11 mg)

OP posts:
purepurple · 04/01/2009 10:01

some children get spots and some don't, as it happens in the winter have you tried putting on vaseline before you go outside?

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 10:05

Thanks purepurple - that's reassuring. I don't see anyone at school the same, but then I notice and magnify hers because she's my child! I guess I'm woried because she's going back on Tuesday and I feel like other parents are looking at her and thinking I feed her on junk!

Have avoided putting anything greasy near them. Hadn't thougt it could be affected by the cold. Worth a try.

I didn't mention she's also getting a multi-vit every day.

OP posts:
purepurple · 04/01/2009 10:08

my daughter is 12 and is a very, very, fussy eater and her skin is very sensitive, even water can make her come out in spots! sounds like you are doing everything you should be. I wouldnt worry too much.

Aitch · 04/01/2009 10:10

is the fussiness relted to food/skin sensitivities? that would nmaybe tie in?

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 10:18

Wow that is a relief purepurple.

I'm thinking her fussiness may be related to some sort of sensitivity. She is very senstive to heat (she eats her dinner about 10 mins after her 2 year old sister becasue 'too hot' and has to have cold water put in the bath AFTER her sister has been in). She is not bothered about cold, and often gets too hot at night.

She had the spots when she was going to the hospital for blood tests, but the consultant just said he didn't know what they were, or why they were there .

She doesn't have any allergies or other skin or repiratory issues (eg excema/asthma)

OP posts:
Aitch · 04/01/2009 10:24

poor wee lass, it does sound like you're being very sensitive about her needs though, so that's good. the only thing i can think of is a star chart for not picking, tbh.

purepurple · 04/01/2009 10:25

my daughter often sleeps with no clothes on cos she is too hot, sounds a bit like yours! she has had spots on her feet and the doc has said she is allergic to her shoes, not much hope for her, is there?

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 10:30

Allergic to her shoes! ROFL

I guess I really noticed things with dd1 after having dd2 who has none of these things. Will eat anything, hardly notices when she has a cold, likes having a blanket etc.

I know it might sound like I'm being a bit PFB about dd1, but honestly in her first 2 years we never even saw the GP.

We try to be relaxed about the whole pickiness (I mean she will only eat about 3 different things, never meat) and to the regular colds, and the spots etc. but it's not easy. Especially when you have another child who has none of these things....

OP posts:
Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 10:33

Aitch - I just wanted to mention that dh puts dd2's non-fussiness all down to the BLW we did with her

OP posts:
purepurple · 04/01/2009 10:36

my older child is totally different to his sister, and that is the whole joy of children they are all different. I have worked with children for nearly 20 years and they are ALL different. My daughter will only eat chicken, tomato soup, bread, long spaghetti and pizza, and cheese. She is a right pain actually, but I have long given up trying to get her to eat anything else. She is at high school and has a cheese panini for lunch, every day! She knows she is missing out but doesn't care, she only eats what she knows.

Aitch · 04/01/2009 10:37

arf. when it's much more likely to be that poor old dd1's been lumbered with some skin sensitivities and dd2 hasn't...

i'm certain you're doing everything you can to help her.

MarmadukeScarlet · 04/01/2009 10:38

My DC have very sensitive skin - DS has ezcema, but DD just sensitive - both to temperature and DS wetness, if he sucks thumb or coat collar he gets spots/rash.

Recently we went to Lapland and I was worried about the cold, after asking advice on here I took both Avent Magic Cream (which I had sucessfully used before) and Weleda Weather Cream/Barrier(?). The weleda one was quite greasy (like vaseline) and the photos I took the day I used that the DC are reflective! But the Avant worked well - sadly forgot to pack it in main bag and they took it away at the airport on the way home.

I only found it on the internet, having searched shops everywhere!

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 10:40

Sounds like a wide range compared to my dd purepurple Nothing tomatoey, and def no meat.

I think she is just not that interested in food (sad for a foodophile like me). Whereas dd2 tries to grab the whole chicken out of the dish!I do wonder if, like Aitch suggested, that underlying sensitivities cause the pickiness (rather than the other way round). But there's not much you can do about it. I just hope as long as we keep having lovely food in front of her, some day she may try something except plain spaghetti.

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 04/01/2009 10:48

You say she has blood tests but not for coeliacs? Do you know why they did not test for coeliacs?

It is a major cause of anaemia in children, and also causes a child to have a very poor appetite too. People with coeliacs can also get a related skin condition. (I have two sons with it).

I would suggest asking the doctor for a blood test just to rule it out-the difference in them after diagnosis, when they are on the gluten-free diet, is amazing.

purepurple · 04/01/2009 10:49

as she has got older she has introduced more foods into her diet. When she was a baby, she ate everything, then when I started to givr her finger food , she would only ear the potato based ones, we called her the potato based kid for a while, when she wa 3 she was living on toast, dry, and crisps and yodhurts, just about. i remember almost crying with joy when she ate a chicken nugget! Now she will eat roast chicken and yorkshire puddings, for years her sunday lunch was a bowl of tomato soup with dry bread. I love my foos and really cannot understand why she doesn't. Hopefully your daughter will try new things as she gets older.

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 11:09

I asked them to do a Coeliac test tiggi - but on the blood test they said they wouldn't do it because she hadn't fasted

I couldn't bear to make dd go thru' another blood test (it was horrible - 2 of them holding her down without any forewarning...)

Plus the consultant didn't mention as a possibility so I thought I might be going over the top a bit!

But I might ask the GP again - just hate having to tell dd she'll need another test!

Thanks purepurple - she sounds exactly like that. She ate a wide range till 2, then her little foot went down. It gets worse when she's ill. She will at least eat the odd prawn - likes chicken nuggets, but not chicken (arrghh).

My dh would despair at tomato soup and dry bread (my dd also won't touch butter or spread) - although we would be grateful if even a hint of tomato (except tomato sauce passed her lips....

OP posts:
Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 11:12

Oh the consultant suggesting hiding stuff in her food - but it's difficult to hide anything in plain boiled pasta or plain boiled rice....

OP posts:
Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 11:14

Aitch - still doesn't hurt to let him think those months of socks covered in rice were worth it {wink}

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 04/01/2009 11:20

You definitely don't need to fast for a coelics test fondant!

I really would insist on getting a blood test done. I know it is not pleasant, but really the diagnosis is so important. So many coeliacs go undiagnosed and the long term effects of not going on a gluten-free diet are awful.

One of my DSs was not diagnosed until he was in his early twenties. He had suffered from anaemia several times in his childhood, but the GP just gave him iron without trying to establish the cause. She just fobbed me off about his being underweight saying he was one of those wiry children! How I wish I had persisted-he ended up with reduced bone density as a result.He has put on three stone since he was diagnosed about 4 years ago.

My DS5 was diagnosed last year-he is 9 now and has a massively improved appetite and has had a big growth spurt!

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 11:23

Thats the thing tiggi - she's bang on for weight. Just a little under for height (I'm 5 foot, dh is 6 foot).

Think that's why they don't suspect Coeliac. I was sure you're not supposed to fast, but it was pointless me arguing with the blood testers....

It keeps niggling at me tho' I've even thought of getting one of those £20 test kits from the internet - but dd would be even less keen about me testing her!

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 04/01/2009 11:32

aThe things is coelics do not always present with all the symptoms.

Although my DS1 was always underweight, DS5 was not-he was tested for coeliacs as a matter or routine by the consultant when he was having a set of blood tests done. (because I already had one DS with coeliacs-it does run in families).

Another interesting thing is that it can develop at any time-my DS5 had been tested a couple of years before and had tested negative. It had developed between the two tests so had not affected his growth too much as yet.

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 11:39

That's interesting tiggi - I think maybe a little trip to the GP next week.....

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 04/01/2009 11:47

I certainly would fondant.

It is such an underdiagnosed condition. I really cannot understand why doctors do not do it as a matter of routine if there are problems such as anaemia and a child is having blood tests done anyway. It does not make sense really does it-the test is not an expensive one for them to run...

Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 11:50

The GP was absolutely for having it done - bless her. Just the blood testers wouldn't do it!

OP posts:
Original poster
fondant4000 · 04/01/2009 11:56

And next time I'll just have to lie and say she has fasted I guess..

OP posts: