long shot - has anyone's child had to have a skin biopsy?

[imaginaryfriend]

I've posted on here a few times about dd's 'eczema' which it seems is turning out not to be eczema. She's 4.5.

Without running through the facts in too much detail, she's got a nasty rash of red, raised pustules around her mouth, nose and eyes. She also has it on her genitals which is the worst area. She has it nowhere else on her body at all.

It started about 3-6 months ago and gradually got worse despite all the usual eczema treatments from GP, plus antibiotic creams, anti-fungal creams, a 3-week course of oral antibiotics. She saw a dermatologist about a month ago who gave some new non-steroidal cream and more antibiotics. The GP assessed dd last week and thought there was no improvement whatsoever so she spoke to the dermatologist who wants to do a skin biopsy under general anaesthetic.

Now I'm left wondering. What could they possibly be looking for? Is this a tiny procedure that could be done as a day case? Will it leave her very sore (they'll probably take the biopsy from her genitals)?

If anyone has any info or leads to online sites I'd be really grateful.

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Did you have it with a general, Fio? I'm guessing they might just do that with dd as it would be too distressing for her otherwise? And did they find a treatment for you after the biopsy?

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I had a skin biopsy as a preschooler - just had a local and can't actually remember the procedure at all, so it can't have been too bad. The skin was taken from the inside of my elbow - it left a scar that is now the size of 1/3 of a postage stamp.

They wanted to check whether I had skin tuberculosis apparently (I didn't - it was just v. bad eczema).

Good luck to your dd - poor little mite

skin tuberculosis ... hmmm ... You see, there's all these possibilities. I wish I had an idea of what they were looking for.

Thanks for the reassurance by the way. I'm hoping it won't be too horrible for dd.

oh if, I'm sorry to hear this. Was wondering how she was doing.

But in a way, this should be able to give them more of an idea of what it is I would hope.

When they put them under, it's such a short time - really it is. Friend of ours, her little boy has had this done a few times (he had a mole that grew incredibly quickly and spread over a vast area) and they are v good.

v good with children (I should have said!).

I imagine it will hurt about around her genitals though - hopefully, they'll only need to take a tiny patch of it.

in terms of what they are looking for, something like dermatitis herpetiformis (we were talking about that on the other thread) is diagnosed by skin biopsy even though it's not something sinister.

That's what I'm hoping, fox. I'm so keen for her to get this sorted on one hand and on the other I hate the thought of her having to go through this.

Actually I'm not worrying that it's sinister. The only thing I've come across that's worrying is a form of childhood lupus although that seems to be mainly confined to the face.

I feel so sorry for little dd, yesterday her face was red raw all day, you could tell how much it was irritating her all the time. I'm on strict instructions to use absolutely nothing on it between now and the next dermatology appointment so they can see it 'at its worst'. Which is fine for them but very hard for dd.

does she have any other symptoms other than the skin problems?

I'm glad the GP is taking a pro-active role in all of this.

The GP's been fantastic, fox. And very forthright with the dermatologist thank goodness.

Dd's been feeling pretty tired for a long while. And been off her food, lots of 'my tummy hurts' going on. BUT I don't know how much of that has been due to a few nasty tummy bugs and also taking these horrible antibiotics. She's been off the antibiotics since Friday now and definitely ate better all weekend. Although still says her tummy hurts.

She's also quite grumpy because I think she's constantly irritated by these sort parts of her face. She looks thoroughly fed up. Very weepy over nothing.

Thinking about it, dd's been pretty much constantly ill since January. She's had 2 minor tummy bugs, one awful one, bronchitis and chickenpox! So it's hard to see the wood for the trees.

Poor dd - not surprised she's weepy poor child.

Dermatitis Herpetiformis (have you looked at this? - twas the one they initially thought I may have because of the blistering effect of the rash) is often linked with Coeliac disease (so tummy problems can go hand in hand though not always).

I don't know much about it - you'd probably get more info from google!

Not sure if it helps but I had a mole removed for biopsy a few years ago. Just got a local (so a tiny prick when the needle went in - not as bad as getting vaccinations) and the rest of the procedure was totally painless - didn't need painkillers afterwards.

That's interesting, fox, thanks. I'll google it now.

I think the locations on the body of that condition are too dissimilar, it seems to not affect the face or genitals. Although the blisters look very similar to dd's genitals. The rash on her face is slightly different. I don't know if they're even the same thing.

I'm totally confused.

(if you google it with child, it does say with children it can occur on the genitals)

but I didn't mean to confuse you imanginaryfriend - I think the temptation is so strong to google, especially when you've come up against so many brick walls and it never really helps does it but I imagine this is why the derm wants to biopsy it now because they really need to get a proper look at it to see what's going on.

I don't know Fio, I'll ask them if they can avoid a general.

I know Fox. I feel like I could apply for a job as a dermatologist I've done so much research now!

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