Unexplained Spots! What do I do? Quick answer needed

[ScummyMummy]

One of my boys has about 7 mystery spots- and no other symptoms. Glass test makes them disappear. Don't look like chicken pox, though he hasn't had it. More like small insect bites... Perhaps he has fleas! What do I do? Obviously he'd better not go to nursery, I suppose. Am I allowed to take him to the Docs or is that contra-indicated with potentially infectious things in case of infecting people in the waiting room? Enlighten me! Have somehow managed to avoid all the infectious/spotty type stuff in the past 3 1/2 years.

Don't panic ScummyMummy! They could just be small insect bites and if he has no other symptoms then relax and just stroll down to the doctors for them to check him out. We've had lots of rashy stuff and anything viral has tended to come out after some signs of illness. HTH

Scummy, I think a lot of the people in waiting rooms have infectious/contagious thingies!!! (Remember the smallpox thing in ER?) (Not that I think yours has got smallpox of course )

Does your HC allow you to speak to GP by appt? If so could you describe what DS has got and get his advice? They'll probably tell you to bring him down anyway....

Thanks Lois and Janh! They have indeed asked us to stroll down- as soon as I posted I thought "doh! why not ring GP and ask?" Funny how these obvious things to do never occur to me in moments of panic!

scummymummy, dd's chickenpox (almost a year ago) were misdiagnosed (by me and the GP!) as flea bites as we have 2 cats! so we promptly infected the whole nursery...but at least it was all over before Christmas

Are they all in the same place? Flea bites tend to be concentrated in one area.

I took dd1 to the docs because of this when she was younger and was v embarrassed to hear it was flea bites...

We thought ds' chickenpox was just zits and nearly sent him to nursery with it. Trust me - if it is cp, they will be pinging out all over as I type. I think GPs will often arrange for suspected cp cases to be hidden in the nurse's room rather than left exuding virus in the main waiting room.
Good luck and let us all know what transpires. Ds was quite poorly with his but at least we got it over with.

Doc reckons it could be early chicken pox but isn't sure... did say it isn't flea bites tho which is a relief on the parental embarrassment front, Enid! You were right- we did get hidden in the nurses room, Marina. Not much happening on the spots pinging up front as yet and he's full of beans, so don't know what to conclude really.

scummy, just a quick one as shouldn't be here, sd be working but ds sailed thru cp - he was just fascinated by the spots and why I was so keen for him to get it! So your ds might be the same, it isn't always a nightmare.

As a discussion point, I believe that in Canada, they now do NOT recommend that children stay away from nursery/childcare when they have chickenpox, on the basis that once the spots have come up, the main infectious period has passed. Apparently they have done research that showed that keeping children away once they had the spots had no appreciable difference on transmission rates.

What do others think?

Janz. I think I'd agree with that, unless the child is unwell as some are with a temperature etc. then they need to be at home with a parent. Some children sail through chickenpox, my son did, but daughter was awfully unwell for 10 days. In theory, yes, depending on the individual child, but some parents would abuse it I'm sure!

Update and more advice needed... Didn't seem to be cp- no more spots appeared, no illness, no itching, spots didn't fill with fluid, was planning to send him into nursery today... BUT today one spot is fluid filled, tho the rest are the same or fading. (He must KNOW I need to do an essay today, the wee sod). What shall I do? Would it be bad to send him into nursery? It's probably not cp and if it is it's the mildest case on record and he must be almost or wholely past the infectious point. What do y'all think?

I'd send him. Dr has said prob not cp, only one spot, wouldn't keep him off myself for that! Get on with your essay!!!!

I'd risk it scummy, but if they rumble you, they'll ask you to pick him up anyway, I suppose, so get scribbling! I remember when I was at college and got cp, I had to ask to be put somewhere other than waiting room..the receptionist looked confused when I rang up, politely to reduce the risk of infecting vulnerable people

I did- went the selfish route as couldn't bear the thought of another day at home with him, much as I lurve the brat. Off to pick him up now... hope he hasn't spread a lurgy epidemic all over Victoria or I'll feel guilty for life!

p.s. mumsnet has seen rather more of me than my essay has today so have no leg to stand on on the "small child cannot be allowed to interrupt the great work" front! Looks like an all nighter tonight. Ah me! It's like being a proper student again!

lol, Scummy! if you have infected the whole of your postcode, don't worry, it'll all be over for Christmas

Scummy,

GET ON WITH YOUR ESSAY and stop pencil-balancing, I need a drinking partner for Saturday night and don't want you falling asleep in your dinner from burning the midnight oil !