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Children's health

DD has been unwell for days and suddenly has an almost all over rash. Any guesses?

14 replies

ShowOfHands · 29/04/2013 10:15

She's nearly 6yo and started with general viral symptoms on Friday morning. She has a runny nose, ear pain, temperature, no appetite, general aches and pains.

Last night she started developing a rash on her arms, legs, stomach and back. Today it's nearly everywhere except on her face or in her mouth. It's mainly a pin prick type rash on her torso but on her extremities the spots are slightly more raised, more in clusters and have a little more colour to them. She says they are a bit itchy but not noticeably so, just the odd patch is a bit itchy here and there.

She's had chicken pox and it's nothing like it. HFM she had a couple of months ago and again, nowt like it. Measles she's vaccinated against and she has no spots in her mouth or on her face. None of google's other suggestions look likely.

Her brother has a cold and temperature too and both DH and I have felt lousy for a few days.

Could it just be a non-specific viral rash? She isn't prone to them, whereas her brother is. It's not like her to be spotty without good reason.

Doc can't see us until this evening and I have real anxiety where the dc and illness are concerned.

Best guesses?

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ChunkyPickle · 29/04/2013 10:21

Roseola? DS had it, but the rash wasn't itchy (very spectacular though) kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/roseola.html

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ShowOfHands · 29/04/2013 10:27

It's a possibility though she's the wrong age and I don't know of any other children with it (highly infectious apparently). The spots everywhere but the face thing is true though.

I get v panicky about unexplained illness.

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ChunkyPickle · 29/04/2013 10:32

She is the wrong age, yes... but DS caught it having not been near another child in weeks (well, perhaps walking down the street, but we'd just moved country and hadn't figured out any toddler activities yet)..

Rashes and fevers always worry me too.. (unhelpful)

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LEMisdisappointed · 29/04/2013 10:35

My DD had similar when she was a baby - when i FINALLY got her seen by OOH the doctor made a Hmmface and said "its a post viral rash what are you worried about" - the doctor was a twat of course!

What i am trying to say is i think these sorts of rashes are quite common, dd's went within a day or so. If you are worried give the GP a call. So long as it blanches when you do the glass test, i bet it does, then there is no immediate worry x

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gazzalw · 29/04/2013 10:49

Yes, I was going to say that both DCs had similar rashes which were proclaimed to be 'post-viral' by the Dr. However I would say that it's worth getting it checked out by your GP, just to be on the safe side!

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BeaWheesht · 29/04/2013 11:21

If she's alert and drinking them don't be overly worried so long as the rash Blanches under pressure. What about scarlet fever though doesn't sound typical?

Doc will no doubt say viral.

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ShowOfHands · 29/04/2013 12:08

Definitely doesn't look like scarlet fever. It also definitely blanches. She has an appointment at 5.20pm because she's got ear pain too and has had since Friday and we're only 5 weeks since a really nasty perforated ear drum so I want to check it hasn't reinfected as part of starting swimming again.

She's drinking, not really eating but she's hot and snotty so I'm not surprised and she's reading Harry Potter quietly in the corner so not of immediate concern. Just a spotty miserable child today it seems.

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nannyof3 · 29/04/2013 12:20

Shingles? Or a viral rash most likely

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ShowOfHands · 29/04/2013 13:03

Nothing like shingles. I've seen it a couple of times and it's totally different. She doesn't have the localised rash, pain or characteristic spots either.

I'm sure it's probably viral, just surprising as she's not a rashy child really and it's appeared from nowhere. I don't like going to the doctor for 'just a rash' and they've asked that she come after hours (small child, rash, poss infection risk) so am already putting them all out.

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ShowOfHands · 29/04/2013 19:06

And the verdict is....

tonsillitis! Hadn't even crossed my mind. She has a sore throat but she has a cold so I was just putting it down to that. Doc said her throat is v bad, swollen to the point of obstructing her airways. Poor girl is a miserable ball of ouch. Got double dose of penicillin for today and a course for 10 days after today.

Boooooooo. Poor dd.

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gazzalw · 01/05/2013 07:49

At least she's on the road to recovery though - hopefully the antibiotics will have started to have a positive impact now??

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ShowOfHands · 01/05/2013 11:19

Yesterday afternoon after her 4th/5th dose of antibiotics she suddenly perked up. She went from lying on the sofa, pale, feverish and glassy eyed to sitting on the floor playing with lego and actually smiling.

Today she's eaten for the first time in days and while she's still pale, a bit subdued and not quite her usual self, she has asked for food a couple of times and her rash has disappeared overnight. Her temp is nearer normal too.

Back to school tomorrow if she continues to improve.

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larrygrylls · 01/05/2013 13:19

Surely the poor girl should have at least one completely fever free day at home to recuperate? Sounds like she has been through the wringer and, although children recover quickly, I suspect she is still vulnerable to new infections as well as being far from 100%.

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ShowOfHands · 01/05/2013 15:09

Please don't worry that I'd send an ill child to school. She's had no meds since yesterday morning and her temp has been 37 consistently which is fever free. Her normal temp is 36.7 and this afternoon it's 36.8. Again, meds free. She's eating normally again and has spent this afternoon dancing and playing. There's no way I'd send her back unless I was sure she was ready. She got up this morning and tried to put her uniform on. She's desperate to go back.

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