Weird rash - what could it be? Quick Please

[Pagan]

DS (1) had a funny ring on his shoulder the night before but I thought it was just where he'd got the plug chain round his arm and it faded and had disappeared by this morning. However tonight I noticed a weird circle his bum when I took his nappy off for bath time - like a fairy ring type thing. Then when I plopped him in the bath he got two massive rashes round both wrists then all up and down his legs. He doesn't seem ill at all and I did the glass test. Going to call docs first thing tomorrow but feeling a bit anxious - any clues? He's had a bit of a cold

does it look like nettle rash?
the ring like rash would be suggestive of ring worm which is actually a fungal infection of the skin...

not uncommon for children to get viral rashes that look like nettle rash...
obvious questions though, have you changed your soap washing powder hair shampoo fabric softner etc...?

Dd had ringworm, and your description sounds like that. How big a circle? Dd's was about the size of a 2p, reddish outer and smooth pale centre. She just got an antifungal cream from docs and it cleared up pretty quick.

It's like two different rashes - the rings in some places and then 'normal' rashes on his legs. They were calming down by the time I put him to bed

DD had spots earlier this week and I thought it might have been chicken pox but the doc said impetigo - they are clearing up now but Ds's rash is totally different to her spots

The big one on his bum was about the size of an apple!!! the ones on his wrist like inch thick bracelets

My immediate thpoughts are the same as chapsmum's: possibly \link{http://images.google.co.uk/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=ringworm\ringworm} or \link{http://images.google.co.uk/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=urticaria\urticaria} (often known as nettle rash). Uritcaria can flare up very quickly. It's extremely itchy.

If the rash is vanishing again so quickly it is unlikely to be ring worm.

Sounds to me like viral urticaria. Starts like a mild attack of hives (nettle rash) but can quickly blend into larger singled raised bumps that can look quite alarming. They vanish as quickly as they appear.

The wrists and legs are for some reason more prone I think - my ds2 regularly has viral urticaria and his always comes up as you describe when he gets in the bath.

Crikey - anything I can do meantime and what will the doc prescribe?

If it is bothering him, have you any medised (assuming he is old enough)?

It has antihistimine in it.

Agree, prob viral uritcaria.
Questions about changes to washng powder etc still stand, could be a localised allergy...
He is old enough for piriton, the pharmisist may be able to have a look and dispence if he is really bothered with it, or medised,or really just keep his skin as cool as you can. Without freezing his danglies off of course!

Sorry, was typing in my links when you were posting about the rash disappearing. That's typical of urticaria - it can flare up and then disappear very quickly. Urticaria isn't serious, it just looks alarming and is uncomfortable. If he's very itchy you can put a cooling cream on it (e.g. calamine, E45 itch relief cream). And I think he can have Piriton at 1 but check the instructions. Or you could try Medised. Hope he's OK.

I had to dash to our local A&E once as the staff at DS1's nursery had insisted on taking him in when a rash flared up. Apparently he looked like a raspberry, with barely an inch of skin clear.

I was at the hospital within 20 minutes - and he didn't have a spot on him.

Blummin' viral sodding urticaria.

Thanks gals - he doesn't seem too uncomfortable or itchy and is fast asleep. Mumsnet is better than the NHS website for stuff like this - thank you thankyou - my DH is stuck in Saudi, everyone is away on holiday and I've a stinking cold too so feel a bit better now