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General health

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Original poster

Can anyone identify a rash from this description?

25 replies

Hecate · 15/01/2008 18:22

Small, red, slightly raised spots with a pimple-like appearance, having what looks like a dot of pus in the centre. When scratched, the pus is released and the spot is slightly inflamed and looks like a pimple you've squeezed! The spots are itchy but extremely tender to touch and are spread fairly evenly around the torso and legs, maybe 50 or so spots, but none so far on the face or arms.

He has no temperature, is not ill in any way. The last time he was ill was over christmas with that vomiting bug. he's had them a few days, but I thought it was an allergic reaction ???

I have googled chicken pox, measles and rubella and it doesn't look much like any of them, besides which, he's had chicken pox and been vacinated against the other 2!

Any ideas?

OP posts:

evenhope · 15/01/2008 18:28

Does sound like chickenpox to me, despite your last sentence.

jkb · 15/01/2008 18:29

possibly a post viral rash ?? my ds sometimes gets weird rashes after he has recovered or at the end of a virus?

how many spots?

NorthernLurker · 15/01/2008 18:30

how old was he when he had chickn pox before?

jkb · 15/01/2008 18:32

possibly a post viral rash ?? my ds sometimes gets weird rashes after he has recovered or at the end of a virus?

how many spots?

SlightlyMadShrek · 15/01/2008 18:32

chicken pox fluid is normally clear when "squeezed"

imaginaryfriend · 15/01/2008 18:33

Viral rashes don't usually have pus filled centres.

It sounds like Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease except they're usually on the hands, feet and mouth (surprise, surprise) and not the torso.

It could be allergic, hives?

If he's not unwell I wouldn't worry hugely but I'd take him to the gp as they'll probably know immediately.

jkb · 15/01/2008 18:34

(sorry, just red your post again- you said about 50 spots)
did he get chicken pox bad last time?? if it were only mild.. it is possible to get them again..
i suppose time will tell... if it is chicken pox.. they will continue to spread

Original poster

Hecate · 15/01/2008 18:45

Yes, he had REALLY bad chicken pox, he's been left with HUGE scars on his back, poor sod. he was about 4 maybe.

The spots aren't filled with that watery stuff of c pox, it is white and looks like a whitehead, iyswim. Tiny pinprick of white head, surrounded by little red raised bit, hurts him when touched, not isanely itchy, but is itchy.

Not noticed any illness since the sickness bug just before christmas

OP posts:

JFly · 15/01/2008 18:47

Staph (bacterial) infection? A blogger I read took her child to Dr thinking it was chicken pox, but turned out to be Staph. Treatment was antibiotics.

Dr Google also mentions slapped cheek:
"this is a very common virus. It starts out causing bright red cheeks (it looks like your child has been slapped), and sometimes a fever. Then a generic lacy or pimply rash spreads from the trunk to the extremities. There may also be a runny nose and cough."
But you said no other symptoms, so...

Check with GP and mention Staph/bacterial infection....

NorthernLurker · 15/01/2008 19:00

well if it's definately not chicken pox - and it sounds like he had that convincingly enough for it not to be then I would take him to the GP tomorrow.

Milliways · 15/01/2008 19:03

This site helped me define a rash before - might be worth a go?

smartiejake · 15/01/2008 19:32

What about mollscum contagium (can't spell) It's a sort of wart virus thing. Spots tend to come up in clusters and can take a year to completely go. They do have a sort of hard puss core. Totally harmless but can be contagious so need to use separate towels. Would see doc though to confirm.

Look here

CoteDAzur · 15/01/2008 21:30

It certainly does not sound like allergies.

ponto · 15/01/2008 21:41

Sounds like folliculitis.

There are some pictures here (warning, they are not pretty).

The treatment is usually antibiotics by mouth and maybe an antibacterial body wash.

andiemustlosehalfastonemore · 15/01/2008 21:42

another vote for molluscum here

Original poster

Hecate · 16/01/2008 07:36

Ok. Thanks folks.

It looks a bit like molluscom AND folliculitis, but not exactly like either.

The spots are only on his torso and legs - upper legs, not heavily clustered either, and the redness is only on the - perfectly round - spot, not around it, iyswim. The white bit in each spot is smaller than the spot itself, not the whole of the spot, like in the folliculitis pic, but there is no dimple as in the mollusom pic, rather the pimple comes to a point in the middle where the white bit is.

Going to try to get gp appt today. I don't like to be one of those parents who legs it to the doctor for every little blemish, (I have that potential ) but it sounds like there's lots of not nice things it could be!

OP posts:

imaginaryfriend · 16/01/2008 21:16

Did you see the gp Hecate?

Original poster

Hecate · 17/01/2008 07:48

Couldn't get seen! Got appt for this pm. Will update.

OP posts:

FlllightAttendant · 17/01/2008 08:15

Do you have a cat?

WaynettaSlob · 17/01/2008 08:20

I know you've probably considered this already, but I got a similar reaction to washing powder....have you used anything new on his clothes lately?

Original poster

Hecate · 17/01/2008 11:38

I do have a cat, we've always had them. Can kids become allergic when they've been fine before? Not considered the cat!

Yes, we have changed washing powder - but it's one I've used several times before. We've been using Daz for a bit, but I've gone back to Bold. Again, he was fine with it before.

Could someone become allergic to something they were fine with? Bugger.

Ok, well, I am dragging him to gp this pm. Wouldn't you know it though, sod's law, the spots have started to go! The pus filled 'heads' have all gone, and now it looks more like an allergic rash than pus-filled pimples - iyswim

OP posts:

Original poster

Hecate · 17/01/2008 19:00

Went to gp who didn't have a clue! At least he was honest and said he had no idea what it could possibly be.

He said it could be an allergic reaction, or a virus and he mentioned something unpronouncable and said that he would have thought it was that, except that ds has no spots on the scalp or hands - which he has to have for it to be that, apparently.

But he said go back if ds has any other symptoms and they could do a blood test.

OP posts:

SlightlyMadShrek · 17/01/2008 22:04

Problem is to so a blood test you have to have some idea what you think it is so you know what you are looking for/testing .

Unless it is just a generic liver function/cell count/not really going to tell us much but we we might get lucky and find something that happens to mean something type of test.

Original poster

Hecate · 18/01/2008 07:34

Sometimes I think they take blood just to have something to do, iyswim.

However, since by the time we got to gp, the rash was already fading, and ds has no other symptoms of any kind, I don't think I'll need to take him back.

One of life's mysteries! Odd, wasn't it?

OP posts:

imaginaryfriend · 18/01/2008 09:58

These things do come and go mysteriously sometimes. I had some itchy red spots on my neck and the back of my hairline a few months ago. The came and went for about 2 weeks and drove me nuts. then I just noticed the other day that they've gone! I haven't a clue what they were or why I had them there's nothing obvious like a change of shampoo or washing powder.

I'm glad your ds is better anyway, that's the important thing.

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