Scarlet fever question.

[toffeeapple]

Hi ds is 2 and he recently had a rash which looked more like what people look like when they come out of a hot bath (only on his back and a bit on his tummy and chest but paler).
I've been to see 2 doctors as he also had a temperature and a sore throat and they said it was probably a viral rash.
My question is: with scarlet fever, does the rash come and go depending on the child's temperature (ie high deperature, redder skin and vice versa) or not?

Yes-with my DS it was certainly more distinct after having a shower for instance-although would not disappear completely.

Have you checked the skin creases? SF rash is often markedly darker in the skin creases (under the arms, in the groin, in the creases of the elbows). This is a feature which can last for a long time after the main rash has faded (although is not always present).

No not really the worst seemed to be on his back, and it's still present on his lower back and all over the nappy area.
When I asked the doctor if it could be scarlet fever he said: "No I don't think so, they tend to get it a lot on their faces and your son hasn't got any on there".
But he didn't check inside his trhoat because I said: "Oh you might have a job trying to open his mouth" so he didn't even try.
However last night I noticed white spots on his tonsils when he opened his mouth and I could have sworn his tongue was on the white side (although DH doesn't seem to think so).
I need to take him back again I think he needs to be on anti biotics.
I'm quite annoyed actually as this would be the THIRD time I'm taking him the the docs since sunday and everyone keeps sending me back "give him calpol". The first docor did look at his tonsils as well.
Plus my DD has got chicken pox so he's bound to catch it in due course so I don't want it to cause complications.

A dead giveaway for scarletina (scarlet fever itself has more or less died out now, apparently) is that their faces are bright red with noticeable white patches around the nose and mouth. Hence the name of the disease. Does he have this?

No.

Sounds viral then, from what the drs say - there are some truly revolting viral things I have seen that present just like you describe.

I see. But I though that when you got white spots on your tonsils it meant that it was a bacterial infection (tonsilitis etc...).
Frankly I'm doubting more and more that it's scarlet fever because his skin is in no way about to peel off or anything like that.
But shouldn't he be on AB with white spots on his tonsils (sorry to sound thick

Scarlet Fever has anything but died out Boffinmum-it is actually becoming much more common again.

Skin peels off a week or so later when the rash is over, as I recall from when I had it.

AB not always routinely given for tonsillitis these days, I understand.

Scarlet fever mutated into a less acute form in developed countries - Scarlatina - some years ago, and that's the infection most commonly seen today in the UK.

Oh I see, well the doctor is due to phone me back so I'll ask her. She might not need to see him (he won't open his mouth anyway).
Basically now his skin is back to normal (rash started on saturday aft) but his back does feel a bit rough (he normally has extremely soft skin).
However his tongue is completely normal I've just checked.
Is the tongue a big givaway?

The namws scarletina and scarlet fever appear to be interchangeable in most of the literature. Scarlatina seems to be an old term not much used now.

His skin looks like he's covered in tiny goosebumps although skin coloured.
He can't possibly be cold all the time?

toffeeapple-with both my DSs you could feel the texture of the rash long after the colour had faded to normal. It was like goosebumps,yes. Did you check the folds of his skin for a more intense rash?

When you say his tongue looks normal, I presume you mean the white coating is no longer there. In SF the whiteness comes off after a day or two to reveal quite a bright red tongue, with darker bits showing through.

With the rash and throat symptoms, I would insist on his being seen again to be honest.

Yeah it's no longer white but not bright red now.
Doctor prescribed some antibiotics for him.
Not worse on the creases of his skin really.
The only place which is slightly red now is inside his nappy at the front.
His bum looks goosebumpy.

My dcs have had scarlatina , their tongue was bright red, it is one of the symptoms that actually got me to realise what it was after GP had missed it!

So what did they do did they give them antibiotics?

Yes, they were prescribed penicilin, sorry, I had forgotten to mention that!

Glad you got some ABs toffeeapple. Did the doctor give 10 days worth-they should for SF. You are usually also advised to take them for a urine test a few weeks later to confirm there have been no kidney complications.

Frankly I'm not sure as I need to pick up the prescription this aft.
But because he's not treating it as scarlet fever I doubt it, it will probably be more like a week.
If I see the tongue thing I will definately go back and mention it though.

how is your ds today?