Purple spots on 10 week old. Any Idea?

[girrafey]

Ok, im getting abit panicy here so im sorry if this is garbled, will try and bullet point it.

my dd2 is 10 weeks old.

She was diagnosed with silent reflux at 3-4 weeks. Being treated and under control. my ds had/ has it severly now 16 months so i am clued up on it. she has it very mild compared to him.

doesnt feed well, has fallen down to 9th centile. i feed her 3 hourly and wake her etc for feeds and she goes longer stretch at night. she takes 2-3 oz a feed. i dont force her more or worry as have been here before.

she had her jabs last monday. slight temp on tuesday and sleepier but that was all. (my dd1 had severe reaction so again this was easier)

We all came down with a cold on thursday, dd2 very mild. occasionly sneezing, bit of a cough but seemed ok.

on monday got bit worse, keeps choking abit, very irratible. (shes placid by nature) keeps making funny noises when breathing etc, little yelps. again put it down to cold, combined with reflux. she has not fed well at all last 2 days.

last night she was violently sick 3 times, and would not sleep, was not screaming, just wasnt sleeping, laying there nodding her head. ( thought sick/ acid bothered her sore throat)

fell into restless sleep at 6.30, we woke her at 8. she took 1.5 oz and seemed ok.

changed her at 9ish as she was very lethargic, she had a red rash on tummy. ok not to worried, then as i lift legs to get nappy on i see purple spots? on her leg.

they look bit like variscose vains just not raised. she has a cluster on the side of one shin, and a few random larger ones over the leg. they do not seem to bother her when pressed.

rung doc, they cant see us till 11! i am abit panicy. ( have pnd since my ds so delicate anyway)

any idea what it is?

spoke to dp and he mentioned that the nurse last week said when she had her jabs if she gets a rash etc a week later then see a doc immediatly. we cant remember this mentioned with other 2 and dont really know why. ( didnt pay much attention as 3rd child and was wrestling out of clothes etc)

got to go and sterilise bottles etc and feed other 2, but please reply if you have any idea. will be back in a bit. x

Personally, I wouldn't wait until 11 to see the gp, i'd got to either a walk in centre or a&e now.

A&E now to be on the safe side.

Have you done a glass test on her spots? Do they fade away when pressed?

I'd be taking the baby to A&E now, to be on the safe side

damn hadn't finished..

... as she has purple spots, is lethargic, is not feeding well, has been sick. Lots of possible meningitis sypmtoms there.

A&E asap, in case.

Am thinking of you, hope she's ok.

A&E without a doubt.

Hi thanks for your replies. the spots do not look like menigitus. ( i have had it)
they pass the glass test.

i would have phoned for an ambulance otherwise. (wouldnt take that risk friend lost her son to it)

is there any other illness that they could appear from? do babies get variscose veins?

Im as sure as can be that it isnt men.

however as soon as my dad gets here i may do a and e as i would rather be safe than sorry.

any idea about the nurses comments after the jabs?

I don't remember being told anything about rashes at the jabs. Dd is very prone to viral rashes although I would never have described any of them as being like varicose veins, to be honest.

yeah i am a very rashy person, e.g now just because i am stressed. my dd gets rashes when ever she is ill and teething.

my ds doesnt get them apart from when he eats food he is intolerant/allergic to.

I have never seen any like this before either.

I'm sure you're right, re meningitis, but also agree A&E for peace of mind would be right course of action. Though the GP should see her straight away, I would think, if you say 'lethargic...rash...'!

I have no idea re nurses comments, but maybe as your other LOs had reactions, they are concerned about allergies?

I had a school friend who had purple spots and it was a platelet disorder, which just went away on its own eventually, but she was monitored for a while. But there's no way of knowing without showing them to a doctor, of course.

Good luck!

Also, does'nt meningitis/septicaemia show up in different ways with different people? I would play safe anyway...

The cold, breathing , sickenss , irritability, funny cry etc remind me of when dd got bronchiolitis at a similar sort of age. Purple colouring may be a sign of dehydration and/or reduced oxygen levels. She does need to be seen by a gp or a and e and to be checked asap.

Yes, was just thinking possibly bronchiolitis. dd2 had it at 4 weeks, but got sicker quicker - maybe because she was so young though.

Any update?

Hope she's ok, amyjo.

Any news?

still no word?

Hi all. Well we got home from hospital about an hour ago. We went straight to docs and got seen asap and she referred us straight to childrens ward at hospital.

they took bloods and tried to get a canula in but after 40 mins and 11 tries! i asked them to stop. They didnt think it was men as she was too well (smiling before they stabbed her!) but they took sample of check. (could barely manage any blood just a few drops each time so prioritised what was being sent where) However once they had settled us in ward they came back and said another child had come in and presented with purple rash so to be on safe side wanted to start anti biotics!

so trundle down to room and wait our turn, then they try again! again 40 mins later i ask them to stop (they only prodded her once this time) They agreed as the other boys sample and charlottes had come back clear of men!! phew.

Anyway we waited bit longer and all the tests came back that she has infection in her (cold) but no obvious cause of rash, by now a couple more purple spots had appeared in same leg.

Charlotte wouldnt feed so they wanted to tube her but i asked to leave it abit as she had been pulled around so much she just wanted to sleep. they agreed and over the next 12 hours she took 4oz. They were not overly happy with this but we comprimised with them giving her higher meds for her reflux and me keeping 24 hour diary of feeds.

The spots are still a mystery and they want to take more blood, however the haemotology pead said to wait a week so infection has cleared so we have to go back in next week to get fresh bloods with an expert there to get them. ( 2 sho, 1 dr and 1 consultant failed) they are thinking it is some sort of clotting issue.

So very relieved to be home, she is going in to be checked on rash and feeding tomorrow and bloods next week if it doesnt get worse before. so now off to google what ever else it could be!!

Thank you for your help and your concern. it is comforting in a strange way that people were worried over her. many thanks again. i will post once we get to the bottem of it. x

amyjo, phew....I'm glad she's home and ok, and not got meningitis (well done your gut intstincts/experience ).

It sounds like a fairly traumatic experience for you and for dd, I've had A&E we-will-get-blood-if-it-takes-all-night experience with dd2, so sympathies - though obviously they had to do it, its horrid.

Good luck with the further tests, it does sound a bit like what my schoolfriend had (platelet disorder = clotting problem) and I hope its easily resolved.

Thanks for updating us, you've been on my mind a lot!

Just a word on the canular situation, the doc always have trouble getting canular in my dd hand, but manage to get it in her arm (where adults usually get blood taken) just a thought x hope shes ok