Horrible Rash on Tummy and Back~UPDATED

Poor baby.
If he's had a fever in the previous 1-3 days, it could be roseolla. If it is, the worst is over, just keep him comfortable and give lots of TLC.
If you've changed detergent, fabric softener, etc. it could be a topical allergic reaction.
In either case, there are medical clinics in the area that do treat non-emergency cases, and some do have emergency facilities as well, if you are concerned and he shows signs of distress - breathing problems, high temp, etc.
Best of luck.

Nia

My daughter had something similar last spring (3 yrs old at the time). I took her to the hospital and they said it was hives due to the sudden change in weather. The doctor himself had them. I still think that diagnosis is a bit odd, but she has never had them again. I have horrible food allergies and asthma but my daughter, so far, does not. Still, the doctor thought that since I was such an allergic person that she could be sensitive to climate change. Unless she starts wheezing, next time I will wait to take her in to her regular doctor rather than pay the emergency room bill.

The rash sounds similar to what my daughter has had for awhile -- it was very bumpy and red but dry, and she seemed completely oblivious to it except when I called attention to it, although I noticed that she scratched herself a lot at night. What finally helped her rash was bath oil meant to sooth skin irritations including excema -- I'd been putting cream, ointments and sprays on it with no results, but the soothing bath oil really helped.

Good luck!
M.

My name is K. and I am an allergy nurse as well as a mother of two boys with allergies, asthma, and ezcema. We look at rashes two ways. If it looks like hives, (small raised bumps like mosquitoe bites) then it is an internal reaction to something that was either injested, inhaled, or exposed to. If it like a red rash that is somewhat smooth, then it is a contact reaction to something that touches the skin. We ask patients if anything was different within the last 3 days. Contact rash can be caused from detergents, dryer sheets, lotions, soaps, perfumes, etc. Anything that touched the skin. Hives are caused by foods, drinks, inhaled allergens (pollens, dust, perfumes, etc). They can stay in the system for days. As far as treatment if it is a contact rash which it sounds like it is, then we give triamcinolone cream which has a steroid in it. If you done have that, then over the counter cortisone cream would help. Try to think about what was different the last 3 days before the rash appeared. Skin precautions we tell are, use dye free detergents, do not use dryer sheets, take short, WARM, baths and within 3 minutes of getting out, pat skin dry and apply a dye free, frangrance free lotion for sensitive skin. If the rash becomes itchy and bothersome, then benadryl would help.
Ezcema is more prevalent in the creases of the body. A steroid cream will help it, but also follow the skin precautions until healed. I hope this helps! Good luck and God Bless! K.

It could be roseola. i always look everything up on the computer. web md is a good site to use.

i do know of a rash breaking out from a virus called fifth disease. if your baby had a cold before, this could be it and if it is, theres really nothing you can do, it'll go away on its own. BUT since he does have asthma and ezcema, you should probably talk to a dr or maybe just take him to the er just to be on the safe side. i would. it wouldnt hurt any. ((good luck))

I would venture to guess that it's roseola. Has he had a fever lately? My daughter did the same thing. I thought it was just heat rash and then it exploded to all over her body. I ended up taking her to Driscoll Urgent Care and they said that that is was roseola. It's a form of chicken pox that produces after a high fever. They told me to give her some benedryl for a few days and it just cleared up. But it was nasty looking and I had no idea what she had been exposed to. But it's nothing bad a lot of kids get it. Hope this helps.

It sounds to me like it may be the fifths disease. But dont let the name scare you. It is just a rash type virus. Is it a little pinhead type of rash? My daughter had it when she was little.if i remember right it only affects children under the age of five. I am a firm believer if you think it is bad enough take him to the emergency room. It is always better to be safe than sorry especially when it comes to something as precious and irreplacable as your children. Google the fifths disease and check out the signs and symptoms and see if it relates. I dont remember elizabeth having a fever or anything like that before hand. It just appeared overnight. To my recolection it lasted about 4-7 days. And i dont believe there was anything meds to help it, but that was 8 years ago. Good luck and have a blessed easter.

The constant change in weather is starting to aggrevate those with eczema. I know because my sister has started lathering up the steroid cream on both of my nephews, and my own eczema is acting up.

I would definitely check in with the doctor soon. Does your doctor have an 24 hour line? It might be worth calling, especially if your baby develops a fever.

My 18 month old breaks out in rashes now and then and he also has eczema, every time it has been a virus, and it goes away, it is like the virus needs a way to escape the body. If it is not bothering him, and would just keep an eye on it and him. As long he doesn't run fever or act sick, I would just wait it out. And if the rash begins to bother him try 1% hydrocortisone cream that will help stop the itching. but only 1% anything stronger can burn.

hope this helps

You might try calling the doctors office. My dr has an answering service that will help. Or I know the methodist hospital has an ask a nurse number that you can call and they are pretty good. I think the number is in the book. If you have insurance sometimes they have a number for some kind of ask a nurse too. Good luck.

A heat rash can make ezcema spread fast, and it will look like you described. As long as there is no fever, I would use the ezcema lotion you have (it can't hurt it) and if it doesn't go down by Monday make an appointment. Most areas of the U.S. have had high pollen counts this season, so even with you not introducing anything new it could happen. My son and I both have ezcema and have had similar experiences when allergens are high in the area. Look up your zipcode on the Weatherchannel.com to see allergy ratings in your area.

Hi A.,

Did your son have a fever a few days before? He could have Roseola which looks awful, but is nothing to worry about. My first child had it. Just in case you should take him in on monday if he still has the rash.

Happy Easter!

Even if he seems to be in no discomfort, I would suggest seeing his doctor, or at least calling the doctor's office and explaining what is going on with your precious baby.
Good Luck.
P. :0)

Hi A., what a scary experience. I don't know where you live but some of the super HEBs have a clinic (Redi clinic) that is open on weekends. I have had really good experiences there. The cost is only about 20$ and for most things they get you right in and out. They are generally run by a nurse or PA. They should at least tell be able to tell you if you need to take him in right away or if he can wait till monday.

My son had the same symptoms when he was about 6 months old...turned out it was yeast infection (which, at the time, I had no clue boys or babies could get)...try feeding him some yogurt and see if this helps. Good Luck

If, when you receive this, the rash is the same or not dramatically improved, you and your loving husband/father of this child 1.) call the pediatrician office for the on-call physician & 2.) locate an Urgent Care Clinic today (Saturday) and take your son. Don't mess around with his well-being another moment. An "awful rash all over..." is not normal.
Take action for his sake.

If it persists or you can see it spreading, going to the pedi seems like a good idea. If there's no fever present, it could be a food reaction, even with no new foods.

An overwhelming amount of the time, eczema is caused by a food allergy. Although treating topically with a steroid or some other cream may help, it is only treating symptoms.
Dairy is the #1 cause (followed by yeast and gluten). However, it can take up to 30 days for dairy to completely get out of the body's systems. I would suggest eliminating all dairy from her diet for 30dys and see if it clears up.
Also, seeing a homeopathic-minded MD might help. Some are more willing to explore the reasons, while others just write an Rx for topical steroid to relieve itching, etc.
Just a thought.

Last fall we started a food elimination diet to discover the cause(s) of my dd's frequent headaches. We eliminated all dairy, corn and artificial food dyes -- both obvious and 'hidden'. If you'd like a list of all the hidden/obvious dairy ingredients, just email me (though you could probably find them on the net). I thought her periodic rashes were completely unrelated...then I started a food diary for her. It happened whenever she ate tomato products, but not fresh...ended up it was the corn syrup. That to say, please don't completely dismiss the idea...

HTH
K., mama to
Catherine, 4yrs
Samuel, 14mos

I have a daughther the same age your son, and last week we had the same problem, she's teething and that is causing a lot of changes in her whole body, so she even got fever like two nights in a row and 2 days after that fever, she woke up wiht this rash all over her body and I did take her to the doctor, but honestly didn't help to much. cause in the back of my mind a I knew that part of it was the fever, and didn't bother her at all, I just gave her a bath but i didn't use soap and then I gave her a lot of fluids and I went away itself... ok A. I hope this is useful for you....Have a good Day!!!

http://skin-care.health-cares.net/skin-rashes.php
There are lots of places on line to check out medical questions.

As long as there is no temp it probably is an allergic reaction. People can develop allergies - my oldest took lots of penicillin when he was young, and when he was about 7 he broke out in a rash which was determined to be an allergic reaction to that. If a temperature developes or if bruising develops, then don't wait until Monday to take him to a doctor. Good luck

I have a son with those same issues...has he been running a temp.? or seem run down a bit? It could be a viral rash, and unfortunately there isn't anything you can do for that but let it run it's course. Or, because of where it started out,it could possibly be chicken pox...if the bumps are raised and looks a little like a zit. I would definitely try to put a call into your pedi this morning to find out for sure.

I would go to Urgent Care if you can or at least get a nurse on the phone. Most likely, it is nothing to worry about but it is always best to play it safe. Does he have a cold? Both of my children have gotten a viral rash -- and sometimes that was the main symtom other than a mild runny nose. Most of the time the viral rashes don't bother the children but every once in a while they are itchy and you can give benedryl. Good luck!

Hi I am new to this wonderful sight and your request caught my attention. I have 3 daughters and two of them had eczema along with my husband. Within the last 8 and a half months I have converted my home to more natural products. I love the products so much I am working from home promoting these products and helping families live healthier and safer lives. I truly beleive our products will help with your sons asthma and eczema please contact me anytime @ ###-###-#### or send me a message through this site to get to know me better.

Ashely,
You did the right thing....

My son had that same symptoms a year ago, and my doctor diagnosed it as the Hand Foot Mouth disease. There is no antibiotic to cure it because it is a virus. Dr said to give him lots of fluids and some pain relief. Soon enough he will get much better. Hang in there.

For more info click link below:
http://www.drgreene.com/21_1103.html

Good luck,
R.

He may have Fifth's Disease, it's a harmless rash that will go away on it's own. The risk is only if he's been exposed to any ladies who are pregnant since it could cause them to suffer a miscarriage. That's about all I know on the subject though. If you look it up on the internet you might find out more.

S.M.

A.,

Call the nurse's after-hours line - your child's Dr should have one - they might charge you a call-in fee but it's worth the peace of mind. Also, they should have access to your child's medical records so they can look for allergice reactions and other potential causes.

Good luck.

L.

I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds an awful lot like measles to me. They break out in the locations you gave--under arms, tummy, back and diaper area. Call your dr. first thing Mon. am and get him in, if possible. Spring is a great time for this disease to make itself a nuisance. Same goes for chicken pox, though they look like tiny pimples. but do get in touch with your dr. ASAP!!

My little girl used to get the worst rashes, and the pediatrician always told me to leave them alone, meaning no soap, no lotion, no nothing until it goes away. If it doesn't seem to be bothering him, it's probably okay. I would watch to make sure the raised spots don't get fevery, but other than that, try not to worry. Call-a-nurse is always available if you get antsy, but I know with my little one, it just took time. Hope this helps!

Careful my co workers daughter recently came down with scarlet fever a week ago. She caught it from her day care.

Sounds as though this could be either chicken pox or Fifth disease. Is he ill? Feverish? What's the rash like, hives or pustules? Raised? If you could look into chicken pox or fifth disease maybe you could get an idea of the type of rash they have. Neither one is particularly dangerous nor do they require treatment.

Has he had any medication in the last two or three weeks that contain sulfa? If so, he could have a delayed reaction to it. (If so, it usually lasts a couple days, but he needs meds prescribed-anti steriod, etc.) For now, put a hydrocortisone cream on the affected area.
Watch for breathing problems, and if it occurs, go to ER immediately!

Also, you haven't wiped him with anything that is scented or contains perfumed ingredients?

Often times, a rash will occur at the end stage (or at some stage) of a virus - he may not have had anyother symptoms at all.

Does he have a fever? Or have you changed detergent?
Check on the internet about Roseola? I would check with your doctor on Monday.
Good luck!

hi try an oatmeal bath. Go to walgreens or any pharmacy they have it. It is call albeano , oatmeal bath.(sorry about spelling). It is really soothing and good. But if the baby is running a high fever take him to the E.R. imediatly.

Has he had any fevers the last few days? I wonder if he has roseola? My friends' kids had it and there is nothing you can really do, but give motrin or tylenol for the fevers. I would take him to the ER or something. Better safe than sorry, right?

Make sure that EVERYONE'S clothing and sheets are washed in either organic soap with no scent added, or at the very least, regular laundry detergent with no added perfumes and dies. Also, no fabric softener, period. This is a huge cause of rashes and eczema.

try giving him children's benadryl--if that does not work it could be a viral rashor more severe alergic response---take him to see doc on monday if nt better---take him to er if he develops a fever or or becomes lethargic,rash gets worse or he is not his normal playful self

1st make sure nothing is new: laundry detergent, for example. Then, think about if your son has been sick, coughing, running fever (some rashes can be related to strep throat). If the answer is NO to both of those, then follow your son's lead. Is he scratching at the rash? Does he seem bothered by it at all? If that answer is no, I'd say it is OK to wait to see if it lightens or goes away. If it doesn't go away after 24 hrs, call the after-hours line for his doctor or check in with the ER.

It may be fifth disease - it's a viral infection that causes a rash that gets worse if your child is in the sun, bathtub, or gets warm. It's not too much to worry about - you can have your physician check him with a blodd test to confirm if he has been exposed to that virus - but the primary concern is if a woman is exposed to that virus in the first trimester of a pregnancy - it may be a problem. If your son gets this as his diagnosis, then anyone exposed to him and pregnant in their first trimester should get the blood test to see if they have the antibodies for the fifth disease virus. Best of luck!

If your baby has asthma and eczema, I hope you're aware that some of the chemicals you could be using at home (grocery store brand cleaners and detergents) can aggravate them both. There are safer alternatives out there.

JoyceP
www.prepareandsucceed.com
www.familyfirst.fourpointwellness.com

A. not sure if this could be the reason but my 10 yr. old daughter has had similar rash through out her years and it was always a viral bug and when you saw the rash it would be the end of the viral infection. Just treated her w-motrin every 4 to 6 hours as advised by pediatrician. My name is L., I have 3 daughters, 18-16-10 and a son 7. Happy Easter! the viral thing is just like catching a cold----easy to contract. No fever, usually no discomfort.

Try using Aquaphor. It is an ointment that is really great even for diaper rash. It is not a diaper rash cream so you won't find it in the baby isle but in the pharmacy section. If you can't find just ask someone in that department. It is going to be in a stand up tube, not in a box like a small tube of ointment. I always used that on my son I don't know what is in it that is different but it works great and helps to heal it rather very quickly. Another suggestion would be to try some tea tree oil (also known as melaleuca oil). Hope that helps.

My 1 and a half year old gets the same thing. My doctor prescribed him some cortizone cream to put on those areas 2 times daily. It has really worked. It was starting to get so bad that his day care would call me asking if they could give him Benadryl b/c he was itching so bad and breaking into hives in those areas. This cream really works. My son has eczema and asthma too.
L.

A.,

I have three children, the first one of which I was in college with as well...hang in there girl!

You might ask your doctor about a possible case of roseola....it is a virus and there is really no harm. All of my children had this around age one...in a couple of days it will go away. Also, with the ezcema you might as your pharmacist to order a bath oil for you called Robathol....works wonders.

Hope this help you...
C. B.

If you're son has been sick, check to see whether it is a scarlet fever rash, another strain of strip throat.

Has he shown any other symptoms? Change in appetite or temp. That was always the first sign for my children when they had strep throat.

Hello A.,
This may sound wierd but try rubbing vanilla or plain yogurt over the rash. If it is a yeast rash it will go away in 24hrs. If it stays then your child has a virus and it will go away in 48hrs. Try not to itch. For a cold snotty and coughing I just found this put these drops in her nose and within 10 minutes was fine and obviously feeling better. It is grapefruit seed extract and water. Buy a small glass jar with a dropper and a bottle of grapefruit seed extract health food store. Drop 2 drops of the extract in the jar
and fill with water, shake it up. Now tilt your head back and hold your breath, drop a 1/2 to 1 dropper full in each nostril then quickly flip head all the way over forward to force liquid into up sinuses.
Hope these help you. K.
I also have a stay at home biz you might be interested in looking at PowerTollBooth.com

I'm sure you've received lots of responses but thought I would respond anyway. I don't want to scare you or anything but this sounds almost like the measles and I would definitely get it checked out by a doctor.

A.,
I am not a doctor nor do I have an medical training, only I have raised three children and have dealt with something that was much the same. Not sure if your child has had a fever or not, but it sounds alot like a childhood virus called Roseola (similar to the measles). If so, the rash should go away within a few days. I remember the rash bothered me more than it seemed to bother my child. But this was twenty years ago.
Wish you all the best of health.
Happy Easter!!
B. Gunn