Red tongue, yellow spots, what can it be?

[moosma]

DD2 has had a niggly cough for quite a while after we all had colds/coughs. She's been a bit unsettled at night and has been a bit dribbly and chewing her hands, I put it down to teething.

Today I've noticed she has a slightly swollen red tongue with lots of yellow spots on the front half. I think I'll take her to the Dr tomorrow if it's still there, but in the mean time, any ideas?

that sounds like strawberry tongue and could be scarlet fever better check it out

Eek, that doesn't sound good! She only has a very slight temperature, 37.7.

my ds is older and had it last year with a throat infection and needed anti biotics but not sure in a baby Maybe ring nhs direct

Sounds like scarletina to me. DS had it earlier this year. He wasn't poorly with it apart from a sore throat, just needed antibiotics.

Thanks you two, that doesn't sound too bad now I'll take her to the doctor tomorrow and see what they say.

My dd1 had scarlet fever, check out strawberry tongue on google images to be sure. She was really poorly before getting the tongue (by that I mean off nursery for a week - not blue lights to the hospital poorly) but no abx as she recovered herself. the GP may take a swab to confirm as it is a notifiable disease.

Best to have the antibiotics if it is as scarlet fever can have effects after the illness itself has cleared which are more serious

Best to have the antibiotics if it is as scarlet fever can have effects after the illness itself has cleared which are more serious

Have been to see another GP today as the one we saw on Friday was just useless ("Oh she's 16 months, is she weaned? I can't be bothered to keep up with all the stipulations these days" ). Today we are told it's hand foot and mouth and it will go by itself after about 7 days.

I forgot to ask her how contagious it is, do I have to keep her away from other children?

oh poor thing! hope she is feeling ok.

It is very infectious, mainly in the first week of the illness and spreads by the air (coughs and sneezes) and fecal/orally (not washign hands after the toilet).

it is not a notifiable disease and the HPA doesn't receommend school/nursery exclusion (see www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1194947358374) under rashes on page 2.

If she was mine I would keep her away from other children (ie no nursery of toddler groups) for the first week but if friends wanted to visit I would let them but tell them she had it so they can make their own minds up. I would be ULTRA careful about hygiene for several weeks afterwards as the viruses that cause it can lurk for a bit. I would tell anyone that I knew who was pregnant or had young children that had been in contact with them in the incubation period (4-6 days) although the risk in pregnancy is very low.

hope she is better soon

Oh great, now DD1 says she has a sore mouth and has spots on her tongue

aw poor thing - not much of a surprise but still annoying - hope they are both better soon. If the mouths get too sore to eat (as they occasionally do with this ) then ice pops are a great soother and good way to get fluids in