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Original poster

Sore throat, temperature, really unwell, covered in a rash, now also impetigo

32 replies

Wallace · 10/03/2008 15:24

Ds1 (8) Was really unwell on thursday and friday with a sore throat with really dark red swollen tonsils with whitish patches, headache, and very lethargic, and very swollen glands. He was also vomiting on Friday night.

He got a lot better over the weekend, but came out all over with a rash. Woke up this morning with impetigo round his mouth (he had one spot yesterday).

Took him to doc who has given him cream for the impetigo, and says the rest is just a virus.

I'm sure() the doctor knows best, but I have been wondering about scarlet fever? The combination of sore throat and rash, along with impetigo (same bacteria?) seems a bit of a coincidence

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 10/03/2008 16:42

Sounds like it could be scarlet fever. It is going around ATM. The classic sign is strawberry tongue. Does his tongue look normal? If you are worried I would take him back.

Califrau · 10/03/2008 16:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Wallace · 10/03/2008 17:53

tongue is coated with white

OP posts:
TeaAndBiscuit · 10/03/2008 17:57

definatly sf, strawberry tongue a classic sign

you need antibiotics

Original poster
Wallace · 10/03/2008 18:15

He is so much better than he was, but still not well. He is eating now, but not much. His throat is a lot better.

OP posts:
SpacePuppy · 10/03/2008 18:17

Is it not strep throat? He'll need ab's though!

SpacePuppy · 10/03/2008 18:17

ds had tonsillitis caused by strep throat and came out with a rash under the soles of his feet!

3littlefrogs · 10/03/2008 18:41

GP ought to take a throat swab.

Original poster
Wallace · 10/03/2008 20:25

I was going to mention it to the doc, but didn't want to sound daft

I wasn't sure as his rash wasn't bright red, but I just googled and it isn't so much the colour of the rash that matters, but the sandpaper texture.

His looks like the third pic here

OP posts:
ItsPotatoesForYouMyLad · 10/03/2008 22:24

can i ask,
a friend we played with last friday has texted me to say her ds has scarlet fever. her gp told her to 'notify' everyone he had been in contact with. my dd is 2yo and didn't really have any physical contact with the sf child. she is absolutely fine. should i be worried? or looking out for anything in particular?
tia

Tiggiwinkle · 10/03/2008 23:39

wallace-it definitely sounds like scarlet fever (two of my Dss have had it at various times). Some doctors don't seem to recognise it-when my DS3 had it some years ago I was initially told it was just a virus. I had to take him back as I was sure it was scarlet fever, and indeed it was. Even if he seems better it is vital your DS has ABs to prevent the complications that can follow (problems with the kidneys and rheumatic fever).

Tiggiwinkle · 10/03/2008 23:44

Itspotatoes-Scarlet Fever is basically a reaction in some people to the bugs which cause strep throat. Some people will just get the sore throat, others will get scarlet fever. Both need treatment with antibiotics as both can have compilcations afterwards. Children are usually quite unwell with scarlet fever-high temp, very sore throat, sometimes vomiting and a characteristis white coating on the tongue which later becomes bright red.

SpacePuppy · 11/03/2008 09:27

Could be glandular fever. If its a virus.

Original poster
Wallace · 11/03/2008 20:42

His tongue isn't so white now, and it hasn't gone red. Does that mean it probably isn't SF?

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 11/03/2008 23:06

How does the rash feel? Scarlet Fever rash is very much a sandpaper rash, as you mentioned above. My two had that feel to the affected skin for quite a few days, even when the redness had faded a bit.

Original poster
Wallace · 12/03/2008 20:31

His skin is still a bit rough. I have decided it probably was a virus, even though he was very unwell for a couple of days, I think he got better too quickly for it to have been SF.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wallace · 22/03/2008 21:36

DD has also jsut had the same "virus". She has also come down with impetigo on the 4th day of being unwell just as ds did Her tongue is red. I will be taking her to the doctor on Monday and suggesting that theyu have had scarlet fever, even if I do sound nuts because by then her rash will have faded.

Does anyone know if they can still tell if it was SF when the symptoms have gone?

OP posts:
Original poster
Wallace · 22/03/2008 22:28

bump

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 22/03/2008 22:48

Sometimes the skin can peel after the rash fades.
The main thing to watch out for are the complications which can develop a couple of weeks after scarlet fever, namely problems with the kidneys and rheumatic fever. These are the reason it is so important to get antibiotics for SF. Your GP should do a urine test to rule out the kidney complications.
Ironically, after I posted on this thread, my DS5 has come down with Scarlet Fever again-the second time in a year. He had a sore throat and white tongue, plus temp of over 40 deg. He is now on 10 day course of antibiotics.

QuintessentiallyAnEmptyCave · 22/03/2008 23:03

The tongue would be quite bright red with lumps exactly like a strawberry. My son had this a while back. The only antibiotic that works is apparently penicillin V, so if he was given something else for his tonsillitis, it might not have worked.

Tiggiwinkle · 22/03/2008 23:08

The tongue starts off with a thick white coating for the first couple of days of the illness, with red bits showing through; it then turns bright red as the illness progresses.

Original poster
Wallace · 23/03/2008 08:42

OH No tiggiwinkle your poor ds!

dd's tongue is def red and lumpy

OP posts:
Original poster
Wallace · 23/03/2008 08:43

didn't get any antibiotics at all because his throat was getting better by the time we went to the doctor.

I wonder if they will take me seriously!

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QuintessentiallyAnEmptyCave · 23/03/2008 09:40

When my son was ill, the doctor did not notice his tongue, and gave him amoxiciclin or something, which did not work, and when I came back to the doctors they noticed the tongue and gave him penicillin V.

I am sure they will. Good Luck, and poor your dcs!

Tiggiwinkle · 23/03/2008 09:45

I hope they do Wallace! Some doctors just don't seem to recognise it-when one of my older sons had it some years ago, we were initially told it was "just a virus" despite all the classic signs beling there. I had to take him back a few days later to get a proper diagnosis, and the antibiotics.
The collection of symptoms you describe sound exacly like SF so be persistant-if nothing else the GP should check their urine and advise you to watch out for any problems in the next few weeks.