Ds has bizarre rash

[Bobsmum]

Hello mumz
Ds (8 months) has suddenly developed a strange rash on his legs which looks like nettle stings. He has patches of red skin with raised white bumps. A small patch appeared yesterday but faded after his bath. He also had a patch along his jawline this afternoon, but that's now gone too. Tonight, however it's far more widespread and all over both legs but nowhere else. It doesn't seem to be bothering him and he's not unwell - any ideas?????

I think it could just possibly be eczema? Or some other kind of allergic reaction? But really I'm not an expert and it's difficult to judge without seeing it, don't want to alarm you. Does his skin feel dry? If he's not ill and not bothered, it's probably nothing too bad, but if it carries on and worries you, maybe you should have it checked by your GP. Sorry, not much help there... Hopefully someone else will have something more useful to add.

allergies?? I'm a big believer in a visit to the doctor for rashes in children, especially babies.

Sounds like an allergy to me. My ds gets a rash exactly like you describe when he has been near dogs. My cousins dd had it all over once and was told by a doc that it was probably an allergy, never did find out what caused it as it never came back. If their is no other sign of illness i would see how it goes and visit the doc if it doesn't go away soon just to be on the safe side. Could it be something eaten?
hope it clears up soon. btw i found that the rash itched and used calamine lotion.

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Bobsmum, my ds2, developed this too, just like nettle rash, not ill, it was diagnosed as urticaria (sp?). When its bad, have a bit of piriton. Its in lots of the childrens health books. Nothing you can do, sometimes food triggers it, real cold triggers my sons.

Sounds like hives (urticaria)to me. My son gets it when exposed to various triggers (often food but not always). I always give Piriton and, if the rash is extensive or my son is distressed I take him to A&E. Allergic reactions can be serious so it is worth keeping a note of any foods he had that may have caused it and then mentioning it to the gp next time you see them. Dont want to sound alarmist as your son doesnt seem to be seriously affected but do tell the doctor.

I think you're right bunny2 and ems. Did a search and found this which seems exactly right. Cheers midears!!!!

My son woke up with the same rash yesterday and was confirmed as 'urticaria or nettle rash'. It went away and has come back twice. I've given him Piriton and it doesn't seem to bother him but I just wondered how long it will last?
Any advice would be helpful.

ds had something diagnosed as urticaria last year. We'd been outside all day, to an arboretum, so may have been unusual plants, or insect bite?? We never found out. He had very big flat (no pointy middle I mean) raised patches (2-3 cm across) with pale outlines. They kept coming up, lasting a few hours and then fading, on his arms and legs. It lasted 2 or 3 days I think, and hasn't happened again. Scary at the time, but no apparent discomfort, no scratching or fever.

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ooh weird. It must be the season. My son came down with the same rash on sunday after we got back from the park. It went away on its own. Never did figure out what caused it.
I used to get a similar type of rash when I was little every time I got a cold.

My ds agd 16mths has had a few episodes of exactly the same thing - big white splodges lasting a few hours then fading, only to appear somewhere else on the body and overall lasting a few days. On the last particularly bad session I took him to the emergency drs and they weren't unduly worried - said it was either a virus (their answer to everything!) or an allergic reaction. I sort of tracked it down to the fact I had changed washing powder (about 2 weeks before! but apparently it takes some time for the body to react!!) so had to rewash everything in the orginal powder and all seemed ok.