What causes pin prick like bruising?

[Dumbledoresgirl]

My son has some really odd marks on his shoulder - a bit like bruising or minor burst blood vessels in a patch. It doesn't hurt him and he can't remember bashing his shoulder at all but he is 11 and might not remember every knock.

I really have never seen anything like it and I am wondering if anyone else recognises this condition.

[Yurtgirl]

No I didnt panic
I thought oh look what an interesting bruise

Ds was panicing and creating

I told him that bruises are available in brown, yellow, green, and purple

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Oh Yurtgirl, I hope you didn't panic as much as me! My ds's bruise was fading within a day of posting here and it was completely gone in 2 more days. I still don't know what caused it but I guess it is one of those things.

[Yurtgirl]

Hi Dumble - my ds has red spots within a purple bruise; today!

I thought of your ds straight away - mine is carrying on as if its a major trauma!
Its a bruise

[littleweed]

i have this on my thigh today - no idea how it got there - am wondering if it linked to my anemia?

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

I hope you are all okay now.

Much better to be a worrier than not to be bothered.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Well, after being on here last night, my mil pointed out that ds had actually fallen over at school on Friday and had a grass stain on his shirt to show for it. So I went and looked and saw that the stain was about where his bruising is so that made me feel better as at last we had a reason for bruising to be there.

I then rang my mother this morning (a doctor and the sister of my uncle who died young of leukaemia) and she told me a lot more about the bruising that my uncle used to get and reassured me that it was nothing like what ds has. So that helped to lessen the link in my mind with leukaemia. My mother thinks it is nothing to worry about as ds is otherwise healthy (as PacificDogwood said yesterday). Ds's bruise seems to be fading a bit today so I have decided I am reassured enough not to go to the GP with it this time though obviously I will be on the look-out for any other odd bruising.

Thank you all for answering my thread yesterday and bubbleymummy for asking after me today. I now have another problem with one of my other sons I am worried about (possible depression) if anyone has anything to offer on that subject (in mental health but not receiving much response so far).

How hard it is to be a mother!

[bubbleymummy]

hope your doc appt went ok. Just wanted to tell you that my DS1 (3) had what you described on his lower neck near his shoulder and I freaked out and took him to the doc. Turned out it was from his seatbelt. It was only when I fastened him into his carseat again that I realised the strap was in that exact place. Not sure if it was a sudden stop or if it was from him wrenching around in his seat during a tantrum (more likely!) but it did turn out to be nothing and it went away after a few days. Keep us posted...

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Thanks Yurtgirl and PD (PD, I guessed you were a medical sort, using the language you did, and being the dd of doctors myself, I tend to identify medical types quite easily )

I am almost crying here such is my state but dh and mil who is here too are both telling me to get an appt tomorrow with the GP and not to assume the worst. So I will definitely do that tomorrow, but wish it wasn't necessary. It really wouldn't have been the volleyball as they did not use proper balls and my ds is not a sporty type and quite a wimp so he would have mentioned if he had been bashed by one. But hopefully the cause is something else, like carrying his bag or some other boisterous play.

[PacificDogwood]

I totally understand why you are worried and reassuring a worried person/parent is part of what Drs do, so for that reason alone I'd get him checked out. I am a GP, BTW, and get shown and investigate "funny bruises" all the time. I cannot remember the last time a bruise in a healthy child ment anything much at all .

Also, have you ever been hit by a volley ball?? Ouch, hurts, and is currently my favourite suspect to have caused the bruise.

Let us know what emerged

[Yurtgirl]

I can understand why you are panicing - but try not to
Distract yourself with something
Take a good book to bed
Take ds to gp tomorrow and make sure he gets a referral if gp is at all unsure what he is looking at

Try not to worry

[Dumbledoresgirl]

My mother's brother died of leukaemia when he was 18. The first sign he had of his illness was a "funny" bruise on his leg when he was 15. So I am not convinced that a lack of other symptoms means my son will be ok.

I know I must seem to be over-reacting here, but I have lived with the knowledge of what happened to my uncle all my life.

[bigstripeytiger]

It probably wont be gone by tomorrow regardless of the cause, so if it is still there that is to be expected, and not in itself a bad sign.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Well I can categorically tell you he has not been abusively wacked! If he had, he would have told me, 20 times over.

He was playing volleyball for his school in a districts sports day yesterday but he does not remember getting bashed on the shoulder. The balls were soft anyway.

So PD (you sound very knowledgeable) would you say if the bruising is just in one place, it is unlikely to indicate something serious and is more likely to indicate a whack?

Even the thought of him having a blood test is a scary thought as he is not at all good with needles (he is asthmatic and usually has a flu jab each year, but I just couldn't put him through it last year such is the screaming panic he gets into when he has to have an injection.

[bigstripeytiger]

I always get marks like that on my shoulders if I carry a heavy bag.

The other reason that a lot of my classmates had a rash like that at secondary school was sucking on the skin to cause that sort of mark. Dont ask.

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

If he's playing outside, eating, full of beans then it's really unlikely that it's anything serious. Leukemia has loads of other symptoms and he'd be really unwell and not able to play outside as he'd be too ill. It's worthwhile getting it checked by your GP though, just to stop you worrying!

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Yes I will have to make an appointment with the GP tomorrow now. I won't rest until I know what caused it now I know it could be serious.

If it has gone by tomorrow (clutching at straws) do you suppose that would mean it was nothing significant?

[MrKrabs]

I was ona course that said it was a sign of abusive whacking!

[Doodle2u]

Has he been playing outside - maybe around long grass or trees?

[PacificDogwood]

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

I have little red spots on my arms, I've had them checked and they are nothing so don't panic!!!
I also get little blood spots from my uni bag or if I have carried heavy shopping bags on my arms, they do fade though.

[Doodle2u]

Bloody hell DDG, he's probably banged himself, or it's a sweat rash, or like someone else said, a rash from a heavy school bag, or a mate running up behind him and grabbing his shoulders or....

If he's otherwise well, check it again in the morning and then again after school. If you're still unhappy, make him an appointment.

If he is unwell in any other way, then ring NHS Direct!

[Parmageddon]

I had these (petichiae?) on my ankle for ages after I had sprained it. They did go away eventually, this was many years ago, no ill effects as yet. Perhaps he has had a minor injury which he didn't really register?

I would visit GP if you are worried, there is no harm in getting it checked.

[KirstyJC]

My suggested course of action:

1. Don't panic - lots of things look like that!
   
   
2. Stop googling things or else you'll end up thinking he has everything up to and including cervical cancer!!
   
   
3. Make a Dr appointment tomorrow am so you don't spend too long worrying, and then s/he will put your mind at rest. You will only keep worrying so make it asap - duty doctor or whatever your surgery does.
   
   
4. Don't panic. Honestly - I'm sure it will be fine.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

He is perfectly well in himself I should say.

He does carry a large rucksack to school and back but it is only a 5 minute walk and he is still in primary school so he is not lugging the bag from lesson to lesson all day. I can't believe the rucksack is the cause.

I am trying not to panic, but panic is still there.

[Yurtgirl]

Honestly dumble dont panic just yet - I have looked at those images too
My rash looked very like that - take him to gp tommorrow

[reassuring]