Dry Red Rash on Belly

My daughter has had a rash on her chest and back for the last couple of weeks off and on and its small bumps and dry almost like sand paper. I was concerned as well and looked it up on the computer to see the differences in rashes. I treated with Auqaphor and it went away in a couple days of 2-3 times a day treaments. Then it came back so I treated it again and went away. I may just call the Dr is this comintues but for now it seems to be treatable at home.
S.

Take her to the pediatrician as there are so many different kinds of rashes with various causes. Another possibility is seborrhea. It can appear at any time even without previous issues. It is exacerbated with both heat and cold and creates small red itchy bumps. A steroid cream can be prescribed for acute outbreaks but mostly doctors recommend using aquaphor. Congrats on the soon to be newest addition!

fifths disease has a rash, possibly like that but i think there would be other symptoms, and i'm not sure it can be treated with antibiotics anyways.
More likely it is a topical irritant, have you switched fabric softener or laundry detergent?? Or just as you said dry skin. I've heard really good things about Eucerine cream. Push the fluids and watch for any other symptoms, but I don't think this warrants a dr visit yet. just my 2 cents

I am going to add to the previous posters suggestions and say see your ped. There are SO many things that can give a rash...including strep throat. When my son was 3 he had a rash and I took him for it and thats what it turned out to be.

One thing...use an ointment instead of cream until you get a chance to see the doc. Creams can burn. Try Aquaphor or even vaseline.

I agree go see the pediatricain. Could be roseola...not sure if I am spelling that right. It's easy to get just from the grocery cart. My son had that at about the same age. Lasts maybe a week. No treatment other than oatmeal bath...maybe a little Aveno lotion. What else works great for rashes is aveno hydrocrotizone cream it's in a small tube and is 1% hydrocrotizone! Best wishes!

Hi Stephanie,
This sounds exactly like what is going through a local daycare here. My guess is that it's either a viral or bacterial infection of some sort. Since it could be a number of things, please have your little angel checked out by her pediatrician so she can get the proper medication to clear her up.
Best of luck to you!
E. :)

The docotor always tells us that if you can press down on it and it goes away ussually its no big deal, it sounds like shes allergic to the detergent if it stops right where her clothes stop, also, sometimes rashes come out after a very low fever and thats a sign of a virus, my daughter has gotten this, I would take her to the doctor when it's not snowy

I second the poster who thinks it might be an allergic reaction to something that's touching her skin. Are you sure you haven't changed your laundry detergent/fabric softener?

Secondarily, very dry skin can make a mild allergic reaction worse, because it increases itching (and scratching damages the skin barrier, allowing more allergen into the skin). Perhaps one of the nice soothing Aveeno lotions with oat proteins? It would, at worst, be harmless. You could certainly try a little hydrocortisone. But definitely, if it continues to spread, itches more even after hydrocortisone, or she shows other signs of illness, you need to talk to your pediatrician.

My almost 3 year old had a rash consisting of red dots that were flat. It was very mild. The big surprise was it urns out it was Chicken pox- it never progressed beyond her back, side and a few marks on her face.

If it has happened to her before, then it really can't be chicken pox, although it could be a mild case and return. It could be a dry skin issue. It's best to call your pedi. If it's a skin issue they'll send you to a derm. Best of luck!

There a lot of things it could be. An allergic reaction is my first guess. Do you use fabric softener dryer sheets? I got a bad rash when I switched brands. If you haven't switched, but recently bought a new box, the manufacturer may have switched ingredients.

You should take her to the ped to be check out to be sure it's not a virus/bacteria.

Tea tree ointment is good for rashes, also Aveeno Bath and Aveeno Lotion.

My daughter had a rash like that...pediatrician swabbed her for strep-it was positive , so the rash was scarlet fever (but no fever) although I dont remember hers itching...check it out since you are pregnent and need to protect that baby too!

Stephanie,
sounds like chicken pox. They get little blisters that when broken open will form scabs. Keep her warm and you can dust them with cornstarch to stop the itch. Very contagious.
Barbara

Hello! You mentioned your child has dry skin... Well I'm willing to bet she has excema. which my children have have their whole lives. My boys had it worst when they were about your daughter's age, and it has gotten better over time. It is worst during the winter months when the air inside is so dry.

Our doc says to moisturize moisturize moisturize...as a preventive, so we keep them lathered in lotion during the dry seasons. But when the rash appears, we use hydrocortisone cream to get rid of it. When it was particularly bad (about age 3), the doc prescribed elidel, a non-steroidal cream that is better for using over large areas of the body.

And my children always start exactly as you described--on the belly, which then spreads to the arms and sometimes legs and somtimes (not often for them)cheeks. I try to cath the patches before the scratching ing starts, because otherwise the cream burns a little as it is applied on raw skin. It will take several days or more to clear up, especially if it has a foothold.

I would recommmend having the doc look at it to be sure, because there are SO many things that can cause rashes, and because there are so many different treatments, depending on the cause for the rash.

Also, does it tend to get worse and more itchy after baths? For my children it does. Also try using moisturizing soaps and not ones that dry out the skin...and lotion for extremely dry skin.

Let us know what happens! All the other moms had some good suggestions, too, so it will be interesting to see what the rash turns out to be.

Hi, Stephanie:

Sounds like chicken pox. Call your local ped.

Good luck. D.

It sounds like it could be a chemical reaction to your laundry detergent. Here's a link to a company that makes some good organic natural products. http://www.seventhgeneration.com/
You should always use safe products in your household. Even if they don't cause a rash, who knows what the chemicals could do later in life.
If it doesn't clear up after you switch detergent, have her checked for allergies.