DS recurrent petechial rashes.

[Beeloux]

Hi all,
Currently in hospital with ds (16mo) due to tonsillitis and a petechial rash which appeared yesterday and started spreading. He also had a fever of 39.2 and has been admitted for IV antibiotics. He was very unsettled yesterday but seems to have chirped up a lot a few new petachial dots have appeared. Bloods show raised crp (19) and raised white blood cell count.

Less than 2 months ago, he was in A&E for a petechial rash across his body and a slight cough. Blood test showed signs of infection and an ultrasound confirmed chest infection. The rash disappeared shortly after his oral antibiotics finished.

Has anyone else experienced recurring petechiae in their dc or themselves? Ds1 got it once as a newborn after bronchiolitis but only a few dots.

I’m quite concerned how ds2 has had it twice in such a short space of time aswell as two bacterial infections close together. Ds1 (3) has not caught any of these despite being in nursery full time and was very rarely ill at the same age. Ds2 is a more sensitive baby in general and has cmpa and other allergies.

Waiting for the paediatrician to come around but any advice greatly appreciated!

Is the rash all over his body or more on the lower half? My son had a virus when he was 5 years old and had just started school. It led to the same looking rash - on his feet, legs, bottom and boy bits. After numerous visits to our GP, he was seen by the hospital who diagnosed him with Vasculitis. My son last year (at the time he was 13) had a reactivated Epstein-Barr Virus (it's a virus all children generally contracted before the age of 5, with little to no symptoms), which lays dormant in the body. When the child becomes run-down the virus can reactivate itself. My son had Glandular Fever symptoms but also a form of Vasculitis with it (mainly on his feet/legs). Vasculitis doesn't usually spread to the upper body, but of course it's always possible. Depending on where the rash is on your child, it may be worth asking the hospital if it's possible it could be Vasculitis. My son has always been prone to viral rashes ever since he's been a baby, and often now at 14, with still get them if he's been unwell.

Thanks so much for your reply @Sassybooklover 😊 So sorry to hear your son was struggling with vasculitis .
😔

The rash was mostly on his arms chest back and bottom, he had a few on his legs. This time they were very small and barely noticeable but spreading fast where as last time they were much more prominent and more of them.

He was discharged yesterday afternoon and switched to oral antibiotics but they said we may need to go back today once his swabs and blood cultures are back. He seems to have perked up a lot and much happier. He’s very happy to be home.

It just worries me if it’s a clotting problem as he’s had many colds/infections before and never had the petechiae before the last few months. My biggest worry was leukaemia as he does have night sweats and very pale but I would imagine this would have shown on his blood tests. Just praying his blood culture results come back ok.

Thanks so much again 😊

If its any reassurance, I get petechial rashes very easily - sometimes from pressure (like carrying a heavy bag or a bra strap), from the sun (this is really annoying), or no apparent reason. I've had lots of tests over the years as they get excited by the bleeds under my nails, and the more recent sun thing, and there is nothing apparently wrong with me and certainly nothing serious