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Original poster

Rash with swine flu?

21 replies

WreckOfTheHesperus · 12/08/2009 11:07

Poor DD (18 months) had very high temps (41.5 degrees c), cough, runny nose, general malaise, sleeping loads, and generally v unhappy bunny symptoms for 4 days.

Her temp then came down again, and at the same time she developed a flat red rash of smallish spots all over her body and on her face 2 days ago, which is beginning to fade today.

Doc has said swine flu or scarlet fever; has anyone else's DC had a rash with SF, or is it more likely to be scarlet fever?

(And therefore do we have the SF fun still to come...?)

OP posts:
dikkertjedap · 12/08/2009 11:58

I am not a doctor,but have not heard of a rash with swine flu. So possibly not swine flu but something else. Surely the doctor should be able to diagnose what it is???

DeathbyDora · 12/08/2009 12:00

Has the doc actually LOOKED at her or did you have to diagnose over the phone because of the SF risk?

PerfectPrefect · 12/08/2009 12:02

scarlet fever rash tends to be localised in the armpits, nappy area and hot folds of the body. It looks very much like sunburn - with a goosebumpy texture. So it doesn't sound particularly like scarlet fever. Besides if the GP really thougt it was scarlet fever he would have prescribed anti-biotics (as thery are quite impportant to prevent complications)

I assume the rash fade(d) under presuure. There have been a couple of cases of meningitis which have been mis-diagnosed as swine flu. Although it sounds like you DD is on hte mend so unlikely.

Original poster
WreckOfTheHesperus · 12/08/2009 16:51

The GP did actually check her out properly - we went in to the surgery through a special door for the infectious, the doc wore a mask, and DD was given infectious clinic toys to play with

We were prescribed anti-biotics to be on the safe side, re scarlet fever, as the doc said that she just couldn't tell, as all the other symptoms pointed to SF.

The rash was everywhere, but mainly on torso, and did fade under pressure, but wasn't bumpy.

Perhaps poor DD had both...?

OP posts:
grin · 14/08/2009 14:27

Hiya

Well a friend's son had diagnosed SF and had two sorts of rash - one as the start as the result of the v high temp and one at the 'end' of the flu. She described it as lots of little red spots. My own son (2.5) has been ill all week - the classic symptoms - two calls to drs but no visits and they said 'could be but might not be SF' so not a specific diagnosis, but he too has a little dotty red rash on back of his neck, top of chest and shoulders. So perhaps it is part of SF or maybe there's a v similar virus doing the rounds? Hope your wee one much improved now - mine on the mend thankfully!

Original poster
WreckOfTheHesperus · 14/08/2009 15:09

Thanks very much grin; it's good to hear that it might well have been swine flu, as I'd really like to think that we've been there, done that....

DD is much better now, just weak and tired through lack of grub; glad your DC is on the mend too

OP posts:
grin · 14/08/2009 15:36

Yes I know what you mean about being able to tick it off the list! Glad to hear your DD much better. My DS napping at the mo and it's the first all week where he hasn't woken up 80 times. Hooray for improvement...

Gibbspercival · 16/08/2009 10:06

Firstly go to :
www.uktabloid.co.uk/MainNews.html
scroll down and learn the truth about this dreaded abuse of the public!

FrameyMcFrame · 16/08/2009 11:58

my DD had SF with a rash as well. 18 kids in her class came down with it before the end of term and 2 had the rash.

The doctor explained that children often get rashes as an immune response to many viuses and swine flu, being a virus, is no exception.

If it is any help, the night the rash got really bad and her temp was highest I rang nhs direct and the lovely doctor I (eventually) spoke to said that this was likely to be her bodies 'final battle' with the virus. he expected her to be better by the morning.

He was right and she recovered the next day

Original poster
WreckOfTheHesperus · 16/08/2009 20:35

That's interesting, Framey McFrame; DD got the rash just as her high fever broke; someone said that is not uncommon for a rash to be a sign of the body expelling the virus.

OP posts:
Kookyk99 · 16/11/2009 17:23

My son has just had a confirmed diagnosis of Swine Flu through swab test in hospital. Posting to raise awareness of Rash in conjunction with Swine Flu in children.

3.5 year old boy. Rash came on very suddenly ? child did not complain of feeling unwell. Fever over 40 ? 22 hours after rash appeared.

Severe rash, swelling of eyes and lips (had to take steroids to reduce the swelling)? no other flu-like symptoms. With hindsight he was not interested in drinking.

Rash started out small blisters like chicken pox, then merged into one and grew across his chest, migrated around his arm pits and groin, very bad on face and back. The rash ?bruised? after 2.5 days. Rash disappeared after 4.5 days.

Medics were unsure as to cause of rash ranging from change in laundry powder, to food allergy, blood clotting issues to Kawasaki disease and foot and mouth?. Son was relatively sprightly thoughout which also confused drs. Not once during 3 nights in A&E was Swine Flu mentioned.

He is totally well now 8 days after the initial spots.

joochiat · 05/01/2010 13:13

Thanks for all this information. We just had a family load of H1N1 whilst on hols in Bali, Indonesia. What a miserable week that was. At the end of it my 3 year old, whose temp got to 40.5 C which was higher than the rest of us, got two types of rash. During the fever he got a sort of flea bite rash in his arm pits and groin and face. These went as the fever dropped. Then in the final days of low-grade fever he has got the silightly raised red rash on his arms and legs which looked allarming. Doctors in this part of the world don't seem to buy into the post viral rash thing and want to test him for all sorts...malaria, dengue etc. But I put a stop to that for the meantime and am glad to read others have seen a rash at the end of SF in young kids. However we still all have the worse phlemy coughs ever. How long does that go on for - I've had mine for a week now.

demjess · 25/01/2010 09:59

my baby is 10mths old she has wat looks like spotty rash on her nose ,forhead she also has runny nose and is a bit chesty no temp

demjess · 25/01/2010 10:04

hi im new to the site so hello to all.i just sent a message about my 10mths little girl and wonder does any of you know wat it might be?? ( spotty rash on nose and forhead )

raq75 · 26/12/2010 19:59

RAISING AWARENESS OF RASH ASSOCIATED WITH SWINE FLU DEC 2010
My son is 4.5. Started feeling unwell, coughing and got a rash last saturday on arms spreading over whole body by monday - tuesday it was gone - fever went mad wednesday night - doctor prescribed tamiflu thursday and friday the rash came back - today is sunday (boxing day) and his rash is awful - really red - looks raised but its not when you touch it and doesnt itch - large red blotchy looking areas - all over his trunk, arms and groin area. I am praying that the persons comment about the bodys last big battle with the virus is happening and he will look better in the morning because its actually scaring me to death - it looks really bad. Done the glass test, controlling fever with paracetamol. Yes had some talking gibberish at times but they do that when they are poorly. See how he is in the monring - but definitely get a rash with swine flu in children. I have read a few articles - not many but they are there and I have seen it for myself. Poor kids x

pinkstarlight · 28/12/2010 05:12

my daughter has swine flu but no rash ,but when she was younger she always got rashes with high tempertures.

Nerdella · 15/02/2011 19:28

Hi
I am in my forties, but I also had 2 kinds of rash with the swine flu!! I got a kind of blistery rash on torso and legs mainly at the height of it, it looked a bit like small chicken pox. Then in the later stages I got a more widespread rash all over my arms, more on my chest and a bit on torso and legs, but this time it was really itchy and was driving me mad every night. I showed the gp who didn't seem too concerned and linked it to the general flu reaction going on. It is still recurring every so often, I suddenly notice that I've got it back, I think it's post-viral rash now. Are there any other adults who have had this, or am I the only one!

peppapighastakenovermylife · 15/02/2011 19:35

Nerdella - I think I might have! I originally posted a message on here asking if it was mild shingles as it looked like chicken pox. I had really sore throat, temperature, exhaustion, general ill feeling for a few days before it appeared. It was hot and sun burn like but no pain like in shingles so dismissed that.

Nerdella · 17/02/2011 14:28

It's a relief that another adult has had this rash! I am still getting recurrences, I think it's if your immune system has had a real battle, it seems to not want to switch off I think! Hopefully over time it will reduce back to nothing again, it's not sore or itchy, just unsightly.

bruffin · 17/02/2011 14:58

I had a rash with sf but it was mainly on my arms and legs. This was the first outbreak in july 09.

FortunateHamster · 25/02/2011 18:19

Am wondering if I could have swine flu now. I definitely have 'a' flu. High fever, chills, aching, some nausea, sore throat, exhausted. Today I came out in an all-over-body rash while in the middle of a fever. I suppose it mostly looks like a heat rash. I kind of thought this might be normal for flu but can't seem to read much online about it?

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