Horrible skin rash & high temp in baby

[luvlymum]

My baby is 7 months old and has been poorly since Sunday with a high temp of 39.0 degrees and a horrible skin rash which covers mainly legs, arms and bum, but also a few on face, ears, back and tummy. I've been to the drs who says he has a viral infection, just wondering if anyone else has had anything like this as I'm stilll worried. My baby is really unhappy and has episodes of drowsiness & is more sleepy than usual, and really whingy poor thing, please help if you can.

can you bring her temperature down? Is she drinking?

have you tried the glass test on the rash?

What sort of rash - flat/rashed, blotchy/spotty/pimply? Viral rashes, which may well have a non specific cause, can look horrid but often tend to come out as the other symptoms subside. Is this the first time he has been ill ? ds had Slapped Cheek(5th Disease) at 8 months and was pretty poorly as you describe

"falt/ raised"

Thanks for replies I have done the glass test and the rash blanches so not concerned about meningitis. The rash looks like different sized blotches and some spots, they are pink and slightly raised they seem sore if I've accidently caught them too.

Oh and yes it's the first time he's been ill!

His temp does come down with calpol & ibuprofen but is only staying down for a couple of hours, he's drinking a bit but has been sick too, nappy's are still wet though.

I would alternate paracetamol and junior ibuprofen every three hours to keep her temp down. If you are breastfeeding, carry on breastfeeding on demand. If bottle feeding, give milk if he'll have it, it not water. Fluid intake is very important with a high temperature. Plenty of wet nappies indicate he is getting enough fluids.

ah x posts. also a lukewarm bath for his temp. If you are worried in the night, call your GP.

Thanks Belgo for your quick response, its just really worrying having a poorly baby.

luvlymum - it is very worrying when a baby is ill. I sleep in with my children when they are ill.

If he has a temperature you can't control, or if he is showing signs of dehydration, or you just can't wake him up, them take him to hospital.

but chances are, he'll be fine

Will do thanks again!

Try a soothing cream too - both DDs have had this horrid viral rashes and DD2 got terribly upset with it. Did Calpol / ibuprofen thing, tepid baths with bicarb of soda and Eurax cream / lotion or Lavender / Camomile lotion - all seemed to help and worst over in 2 days. Chin up luvly - tis horrid for baby and for you though.

Thanks will try some soothing cream tonight after his bath

How is he today luvlymum

viral infection causes vomiting high temp etc, has he given you antibiotics as it sounds like tonsillitus but im not medical expert so go back and see gp.

sweetybetty - the gp would have looked in the baby's throat to rule out tonsilitis.

Antibiotics are useless for viral infections.

well i went to my doc and my son had viral infection and in both counts i had to take him back a few days later and he had tonsillitus with the viral and needed antibiotics

belgo im giving advice im not telling her the diagnosis, my son had the same thing twice and i had to take him bk to the doc as he wernt getting better and found he had tonsillitus. You have really put my bk up, im not a child there was no need to talk down to me!

It doesn't sound like anyone is talking down to anyone . Tonsilitis is caused by bacteria, so atibiotics would work for that but Belgo's right, they wouldn't do anything for a viral infection. Verysweatybetty is also right in that if there is no improvement, you take them back. There - everyone is right! How splendid .

missed this totally last night - sorry for putting your back up sweatybetty - and thanks putitinyourpipe

and again for luvlumum - hope your ds is getting better!

Hi, thanks everyone, just to let you know ds is much better although went back to Drs on Fri and was sent to hospital, he was kept in over the weekend but they say he's had a bad viral infection, much better now though, thanks again