Has ds2 actually got chickenpox ? (even though thats what GP has told us)

[runnyhabbit]

On New Years Day ds2 (8mths) had high temperature and spotty rash on tummy. He was a bit grumpy, but awake and alert. By the time we saw the out of hours GP, me and dh suspected chickenpox (ds1 had it just over a year ago)the spotty rash had spread to his back, neck and down his legs. The GP took one look, examined him, and said chickenpox.

But, his spots have already faded, they didn't blister at all. His temp has come right down to normal, and his mood has improved.

I'm wondering if it really is chickenpox? Would it be worth a second opinion?
Or is just that because I'm bf, it hasn't affected him as much?

Any advice would be appreciated

My DS at about 18 months was diagnosed with chickenpox by the out of hours surgery and had it confirmed by our own docs the next day.
It was not chickenpox it was an alergic reaction to something.
At the age of 6 he has now had chickenpox - but was not ill with it at all.

thats what I'm thinking

I know every child is different, but when ds1 had it, he had text book symptoms.

ds2 has had a bit of a cold/cough, so I'm thinking that it might be viral?

It doesn't sound like chickenpox to me if the spots didnt blister at all although I could be wrong.

Does sound like it could be a viral rash, DS1 gets them alot.

Sorry not much help really am I?!

Going to see the my usual GP at 5.30 today. Not sure what they'll be able to do/say if there are no spots to examine

DD had this, she was misdiagnosed. rash, but no blistering , CP very distinctive apparently. She also had a post viral rash. however she has been exposed to CP so many times and has not yet had it, i think she is immune

if it is chicken pox, because he has had it at a young age, it's possible that he may catch it again at a later point.

the only thing that does make me think it might be CP is that his cousin has now got it (and they were in contact on the Sunday before New Years Day)

if he's too young to scratch the spots that I think it's possible they have healed without scabbing.

doesn't sound like cp to me. my dd was also misdiagnosed when 1.5 . At 3.5 she got it with avengence. I felt a bit daft telling work she had it "again" as i had to take another two weeks off work to keep her at home. They were not best pleased!! Sounds like a virus to me.. rashy, temp etc. CP spots are filled with liquid.. you'll never know if it was/is cp... you'll only know if it wasn't when he catches it again in a year or two!

dd had cp a couple of months ago-she didn't scratch but the spots still blistered and scabbed over. This is characteristic of cp- the spots appear over the course of a few days and last quite a while. Some of dd's took a few weeks to disppear completely.

but it is possible to catch CP more then once anyway - especially if he is so young. So if he does catch again, it doesn't mean that he hasn't had it this time. It could just mean he didn't have it enough to become immune.

Some people have it even more times.

GPs should be fairly good at diagnosing CP, as they see it so often.

Both my dds had CP and were fully better with no spots within five days.

We've seen the GP.
He examined ds2 (there are now only a few of spots on his belly, and the rest have disappeared) Asked if he'd been snotty and coughing (which he has)
His opinion was that its a viral rash, and said it was uncommon for an 8mth baby to get CP.

The spots didn't look big enough to be filled with anything iyswim. And as soon as his temp came down (ie the calpol kicked in) the spots started fading.

Will still be cautious until all the spots have cleared, just to be on the safe side

Thanks all

lulumama - don't count your chickens! I said the same about dd, but she has it now, and it's bloody horrible (not helped by dh having it at the same time)!

oh bummer ! but your name is fantastic!!

(It's CantSleepWontSleep in disguise!)