spots - caused by virus - related to wart virus?

[kmg1]

A couple of months ago ds1 had a couple of raised blister-like spots around his underarm area. The spots slowly increased in number and size. He has loads now on his underarm, and a few on his arms and on his back. They are not itchy, and cause him only a little discomfort. Loving parents that we are we didn't get round to taking him to the GP for about 8 weeks! GP said they are caused by a virus called M* (I sent dh didn't I?!) and it's related to the wart virus. It is only very mildly infectious, can't be treated in any way, and may take up to 2 years to disappear completely.

Does anyone have experience of this? Or know what it's called? I want a bit more information than dh managed to glean - but haven't succeeded in finding anything on web, as I have so little to go on ... "a virus beginning with M"

sorry kmg have no experience of this but have you thought about calling NHS direct. if you explain all to them they will probably tell you what it is. just a thought.

Molluscum contagiosum, by the sounds of it?

crikey that's the beauty of mumsnet - there will always be someone that knows!

Isn't it amazing! Thanks tamum - you guys really are fantastic, an answer to everything. I'm off to google now.

My pleasure! A friend's ds had it recently, and it sounds quite characteristic, this business of taking up to 2 years but not being harmful. Her son's spots went within 6 months if that's any comfort

hi kmg 1, yup they are molluscum. my dd got these earlier this year - February maybe - just a couple in the small of her back for a while, and then about 3 months ago they suddenly spread and she had them all over her back, under her arms and a couple on her neck. was beginning to despair, and then, oh miracle, they ALL (about 40 of them) disappeared last week!! too bizarre. she is left with tiny white patches where they were but these will go apparently.

very very wierd. their disappearance coincided with me starting her on omega 3 and 6 oils (Udo's essential oil which you getfrom health food shops) but this is probably just a complete coincidence....

Thanks pph - I've just been surfing, so now feel much better informed. Very relieved by what I've read - it appears what dh related to me from the GP was actually correct! I can't wait for them to go - they don't look nice at all - but doesn't seem to bother ds1 at all.

ds had these too - molluscum contagiosum - which are benign and sound far worse than they are.(You would probably find more info from those threads on Search) His were behind his knee and then that was where he got chickenpox the worst - knocking some of the scabs off until they bled. However after the chickenpox they started to go quite quickly and he also had them for less than 6 months in total.

I was advised to keep them covered partly to avoid direct contact and partly to protect them from knocks. Didn't bother ds much , could still swim etc. I didn't think it significant enough to visit the dr for about 2 months either if that is any comfort.

hth

Eight weeks?? My dd has had molluscum for the past 8 mths and I still haven't got round to taking her to the dr!! It has spread from her lower arm to the upper arm, where they meet when her elbow is bent. She also has some on her forehead, under her fringe.

She kept 'twiddling' the original one on her arm until the whole arm swelled up and a red line began running from it. However, the chemist (it was a Saturday) didn't think it worth an emergency visit. The next day, it burst and stuff resembling half a pound of cottage cheese extruded itself down her forearm, like a worm!! DD was very amused that her body could make cheese and somewhat disappointed that everything settled down thereafter.

Bleugh Suedonim!

Molluscum, Dd had it, and it took forever to go, but in the end it did. Some sites say you can prick the spots with a pin and get out the cheesey stuff (double yuck), but others tell you to leave well alone. Dd wouldn't let me touch the things, so we left well alone and they went. A year down the line we are still symptom free and she has no scars. None of the rest of us caught it from her.

Oh YUCK Suedonim - that is horrid!

Thanks LIZS - that did reassure me that we weren't the only ones to delay going to drs.

I was advised to 'pop' them with the end of a cocktail stick which I duly did. I love poking at things . Little blobs of jelly like stuff pops out then they go away. You don't need to pop them all but apparently by doing that, the body produces antibodies in greater numbers to get rid of them.

I'm not sure I fancy popping them - am feeling quite squeamish now, esp after suedonim's little gem.

BTW Sorry everyone - have just done a search on here and found LOADS about molluscum on mumsnet ... I normally avoid the HEALTH section for some reason!