To refuse antiobitoics for my DS?

[Charlotteap]

Will try to make this has short as possible.

some may have seen the thread I had about my son with awful blisters all over his body on holiday , the Spanish hospital said it was hand foot mouth that got infected and spread like wildlife. UK hospital said we will never know if an infection started it or if it’s just infected eczema.

anyway yesterday, a few weeks after the hospital stay I noticed a couple of my sons nails started to come away at the cuticle? And thought oh I wonder if it was hfm after all and the Spanish hospital were right! Thought I would of course send a picture to my dr, the only good picture I could get was on a sore finger. This finger has been on and off since about 4 month, he has it constantly in his mouth and it’s constantly rough and red but then in the night seems to get better. The dermatologist says to just put cream on when I can overnight.

so anyway the dr reception rings saying the dr wants him to take 10 days of antibiotics for the infected finger, I explain the photo was about the fingernail not the finger ? She says (news to me) that the dr doesn’t read the message I send just the photo! I explain he’s only just been on antibiotics, super strong strength and took at least a week for him to trust food again after being worried about everything near his mouth.

also I have no info from the dr about the nails 🙄 so haven’t really got anywhere. I really don’t think the finger is infected as many times it’s been like that. I will attach a photo that I sent to the dr from yesterday and a photo of it now ( looks a lot better)

also seems two nails in total seem to be doing this so I’m not sure if I need to see the dr and it was hfm or if it’s something else and I need to worry ?

@Moonshine160 thank you I do appreciate that, he has just had an ointment wrap on for an hour and some steroid cream and look at the difference.

I am definitely keeping the gp appointment anyway for the nails but I will definitely keep an eye he’s still got patches on his body that we’re struggling to shift

@Moonshine160 i agree I think youve had it tough in here op, MN can be like that sometimes just take it with a pinch of salt. I also remember your posts when he was really poorly in hospital and how worried you was with his infection spreadingI agree with the other commenter you was asking about the fingernails and everyone has focused on the finger which is clearly ok now I did mention in your other thread my nephew lost all his nails a few weeks after hand foot and mouth so I wouldn’t be surprised if he loses some more Glad to see he is okay and recovering

Some of my sons finger and toe nails came off after HFM, they looked similar to the first photo you posted but without the sore finger. So could be from that as well as the eczema

Could be Beaus line on his nails as a result of being unwell. It's where the nail stops growing or something that interferes with its usual growth. I have had one on my thumb and one on my big toe on 2 separate occasions of being quite ill

Why are people so quick to attack an OP without properly reading the original post? It was very clear that OP was hesitant about starting a new course of antibiotics without her son being properly examined.
OP am glad that you are taking son to see GP on Wednesday. His finger certainly looks improved and agree his nails do need looking at .

@Lauren0401 aww thank you so much, he was very poorly at the time but he is definitely on the mend now just a few patches left.

@Roseandrose20 thank you that is good to know, they seem to slowly be coming away from the cuticle further and further. Can I ask did they fall off quick or take time ?

@dylanschicken thank you the gp did say that when I mentioned hfm , that it can be any infection and sometimes that can happen.

@Itsbecauseiamamumandlovethem thank you for that, it is much appreciated

Im with you OP it doesn’t look infected and from what you say the gp didn’t read your concerns. From what you say the redness comes and goes, and it’s not obviously infected. Diagnosis are made from 75% history and the rest examination. I would deffo ask for further review.

I commented on your original post about my little boy having something in 2020 that looks identical to your son’s. He had those scabs around his wrists, ankles, back of his knees and around his mouth. Also a prickly viral rash all over his body. He was also very unwell with a temp of 39, vomiting, didn’t want to eat/drink and very lethargic. I caught HFM about a week later so I assumed it was that but all medical professionals we saw didn’t know what it was, some said possibly HFM but hospital were adamant it was a nasty case of impetigo. Did the hospital confirm with you that it was HFM then? Just asking out of curiosity.

They took a bit of time after he had recovered from HFM and sort of peeled off. Not lasting effects once they had grown back though

@Wishiwasatailor i will definitely keep the appt on Wednesday and hopefully get some answers

@Moonshine160 i remember your original comment and the similarities! Basically the same experience and the same confusion around what it was. The Spanish hospital put on our discharge form , hand foot and mouth and infected impetigo - they were adamant it was hand foot and mouth as he had lots of sores in his throat and tongue.

The English hospital basically said ‘ it could well have been hand foot and mouth or any other infection that’s lowered his immune system and infected his eczema’ but we have had no definite. I was convinced due to his sore throat for days first then his face rash that’s what started. My mum and husband (was on holiday with us) were very very ill when we got home with a really bad sore throat bad flu like symptoms but no spots on the hand or feets.

i really wish I could know as it would make the finger nails make more sense!

@Roseandrose20 thank you , that’s helps. His seems to be peeling off too

My toddler’s preferred finger for gnawing on looks exactly like that. Not infected, and doesn’t hurt. Glad you got it sorted out with the dr. Antibiotics are so hard on their belly, would definitely not do another round now unless demonstrably necessary.

@TMess thank you, good to know there is other finger gnawers out there 😂 he’s done it for months if he hasn’t got a toy in his hand , that finger is shoved to the side of the mouth.

@Moonshine160 his face was like this, was yours similar ? This was when he was poorly in hospital bless

OP I just want to go against the grain and say I think you did the right thing by questioning the Dr's initial recommendation for ABX. I did the same when DD was a baby - she developed a head to toe rash overnight and was prescribed flucloxacillin "in case it was starting to get infected", despite having no other signs of infection like a raised temp or heart rate. I'm as pro-modern-medicine as they come, but there are very well-documented long term effects of having antibiotics early in childhood. You're getting a hard time on here but I think you're right to be cautious with giving ABX willy-nilly.

@Charlotteap yes! On that second photo with the sores around his mouth is just how my little boy was. Exactly the same. Started with a small patch then it just got worse and worse. The doctors were baffled by it though. And whenever I’ve seen other babies with HFM they don’t look like my DS did so I’ve always wondered what it was that he actually had

Fingernails going manky and dropping off is something that occurred in quite a few of my friends toddlers after having HFM. So I think you could be right that it possibly was in fact HFM when you were in Spain - and sounds like you've just been sensible re the antibiotics due to the fact he's just been on some and has already been looked at and had advice on the finger!
Hopefully the nails are just an after effect of the HFM and nothing to worry about but glad the GP will look at them and rule out anything else, and maybe they can double check the finger too.
Hope he's on the mend xxx

@FunCatSunPat aw thank you, appreciate your comment

@Moonshine160 can’t believe the similarities but also don’t think we will ever know for certain what it actually was. Nhs hospital thought infected eczema but his eczema was totally under control on holiday he didn’t even have a patch. So who knows.

@Fummymummy thank you for your comment, appreciate it xx . Good to know re the finger nails hopefully the dr can confirm more when he sees it in person.