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Original poster

Measles, anyone know how to diagnose? Worried...

86 replies

Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 11:06

Ds2 has had a bad cold, high temp for about 4 days. Yesterday his temp went back down, but last night he was up all night crying and obv in pain. He started pawing at his forehead, top of head like it hurt and then I noticed a rash on his front and back - it fades thank goodness...
Anyway off to a&e for the out of hours doc at 5am, who said his ear was red, throat looked sore too, but rash was just heat rash - he hasn't been hot though.
Have got antibiotics but am afra\id in case it is something else, why would he be touching his head if his ear hurts - the other side ear is the one that was red.
He's had calpol but is still in a lot of distress and crying.
rash is now all over hed and nek, behind ears etc.

I am just scared in case it is a complication or something, the brain can become inflamed can't it with measles?

I can't bear seeing him in pain.
Thanks for any ideas, it was a gp we saw whom I know was disciplined/deregistered a few years back? So unsure if I can trust him iyswim

sorry typing with 1 finger as ds on lap

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hatrick · 23/02/2008 11:10

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belgo · 23/02/2008 11:12

this is what I just got from the BBC website:
'A highly infectious viral illness
Causes a range of symptoms including fever, coughing, and distinctive red-brown spots
Complications include pneumonia, ear and eye infections, and croup (an infection of the lungs and throat)
More serious complications, such as inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), are rarer but can be fatal'

You can alternate calpol and ibruprofen for the pain and temperature, if that doesn't work take him back to the GP.

With antibiotics he should start to improve after 24 hours

belgo · 23/02/2008 11:14

is he well hydrated? dyhydration (dur to high temperature) can cause a headache

Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 11:19

Thanks...he has been feeding all night and on and off all morning, so well hydrated...gp felt his 'soft spot' not sure he even has one now! But said it was fine.

I've got some cuprofen to give soon then more ab at lunch time.

He has a cough, yes...eyes pretty red...I can't see in his mouth. Will try again.

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belgo · 23/02/2008 11:23

hope he gets well soon

hatrick · 23/02/2008 11:25

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hatrick · 23/02/2008 11:26

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Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 11:32

God, how awful...was it dangerous when that happened, Hatrick?
He keeps screaming and pulling at what little hair he has. I just rang the ooh docs again, told them I'm still concerned. Did you have antibiotics? We have some but only just started at 6am. Waiting to give next dose.

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hatrick · 23/02/2008 11:36

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Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 11:39

Yes it's for the ear...I don't think they can treat measles itself as is a virus?
Thanks so much for the help and info, Hatrick and Belgo - can type again now, not just randomly whack the keyboard and hope it makes sense!!

He is sleeping on and off today and still not really got a temp, which is a good sign I suppose. If he had encephalitis it would probably be raging wouldn't it. God I am such a wuss mum, I panic at the slightest thing I can't control - I always want to know if I have done all I should have, that is the hardest thing nest ce pas?

Thanks again x

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belgo · 23/02/2008 11:41

FA - it's sounds like you are definitely doing all you can do! I also panic when my children are ill.

hatrick · 23/02/2008 11:45

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hatrick · 23/02/2008 11:46

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Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 11:47

No that does make a lot of sense actually. Thankyou!

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Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 12:26

Nurse just rang back and went through loads of q's, she said it does sound like measles, if so is the second case today...

Dr is ringing in a bit with an appt. to go back up there and have him looked at again.

Saying that, the nurofen has kicked in...he is much calmer though still not great.

At least ds1 had his mmr!

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annoyingdevil · 23/02/2008 12:35

My 19 mth ds just had this and he was so distressed I nearly phoned 999. The only thing the emergency GP could diagnose was a sore throat - as his throat was red. But he was doing the clawing his face thing. He also had a rash (small pinprick red spots that faded)I was told it was definitely not a measles rash. He was also very drowsy. We kept up the calpol and nurofen and he better within 4 days. (2 weeks later he still has cold and cough though)

Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 12:40

Glad he's better, annoyingdevil...I wonder how many gps know measles these days, it's so unusual.
Ds's started off little dots, then got splodgy and joined up. Just trying to write a medicine plan, he is on abs, calpol, nurofen...!

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yurt1 · 23/02/2008 13:27

If he haan't really got a temp I doubt it;s measles. The temperature associated with measles peaks with the rash and is an is usually very high (40ish). The cough associated with measles is usually barking.

If its more a case of pain I would suspect an ear infection. If the eardrum bursts it will ease the pain. (DS3 had repeated burst ears drums for a while).

Rash with no temperature but a bit snuffly I would consider rubella (so be a bit careful). Rubella looks just like heat rash. The measles rash is more obvious and the child is a lot sicker.

BTW- have just discovered that Kirkmans- who you get get through nutricentre do a liquid vitamin A supplement that can be added to drinks. I've ordered some so can let anyone interested know what its like (if ds1 will take it anyone will).

annoyingdevil · 23/02/2008 13:29

Oh, sorry to hear it's measles. I think (despite the hype) that complications are actually quite rare, so hopefully your ds will be on the mend soon.

Are the spots brown? I think that's one of the signs.

Anyway, hope he feels better soon!

Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 15:04

Thanks - just back from hosp and the Dr confirmed, well he thinks, it is measles...he saw another suspected case earlier today.
He thinks baby will be fine but warned me to watch out for any deterioration, which just freaks the heck out of me as he already has an ear infection with it and can't tell me what hurts...have to watch temp carefully and make sure it doesn't go up again.

Should I be giving Vit A, Yurt? He is fully breastfed pretty much atm, been off his limited food regime for a few days.

Now have the unenviable task of informing our immunocompromised friend that she needs to take immunoglobulin as we saw her last Saturday, which could mean she has been exposed. I just left her a message but haven't heard back yet

I've told the shop we were in this morning though. I think we need to stay away from people for 4 days after the rash, which is about Tuesday next week in that case.

OP posts:
belgo · 23/02/2008 15:18

well done FA with getting him a second appointment. And it's good you've already started the anti biotics.

belgo · 23/02/2008 15:19

article here about measles cases increasing

Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 15:21

Thankyou Belgo, you are always there when I am wavering on the brink of demented panic
I am dreading the next 2 weeks of watching every possible sign of complicatory catastrophe.
I foresee little sleep!

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goingfor3 · 23/02/2008 15:29

Fa I'm so sorry to hear you DS has measles. Me and my girls had it in July and it was awful, dd2 and I both had ear infections with it too. A couple of days after the rash has started he will start to recover. I had seen a few dr's and they all thought the rash was an allergc reaction to antibiotics, when the dds got it a week later I took dd1 to the dr as I tohught it was a throat infection ands the dr gave her atibiotics, dd2 got the rash the next day and it was then that a dr noticed it was measles, we all had swabs and it was confirmed.

Original poster
Flllightattendant · 23/02/2008 15:46

Oh blimey, gf3.
I think I had it when I was 10...not great to get it as a grown up for sure. You must have felt rotten.
Yes the second Dr. thought it might be a reaction to the ab's but luckily he had the rash before those, just not so strongly, ..the first dr said it was heat rash.
We didn't have a swab but he looked very resigned as he showed us out...I guess he doesn't like to see it coming back into 'popularity' again.

Had your dd's been immunised? Ds1 should be Ok I hope, he had his mmr.

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