Dr, Nurses or Moms--Please help!! UPDATE pg 3

[sap1227]

I posted earlier that my DS (8 months) has Chicken Pox, but now I am not so sure.

When I went to the Dr today (the normal ped. was not there) the Dr said it looked like Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. But, once she realized there were no bumps on his Hands, Feet or Mouth she changed her mind to Chicken Pox. BUT, she said she had never actually seen Chicken Pox.

A girl I work with (we bring our kids to work-it is a childcare area at a gym) called me and said her daughter went to the Dr twice today (the first time they said Hand, Foot and Mouth) and they decided it was Impetigo.

The bumps her daughter has look just like what Brennen has, so I called my Dr back. The nurse said she is not familar with Impetigo but that the treatment would be the same as Chicken Pox.

Are you still with me????
Here are my questions:
-The picture below is a picture of Brennen's knee, anyone want to take a guess. The bumps look like blisters and are on his knees, elbows and bottom. They don't seem to be bothering him.
-Do they really not treat Impetigo (I have read it is a bacteria, so I was thinking they would give at least an anti-biotic cream, they said just wash with Dove or Dial)
-Would you demand to see the "head" Dr in the morning?

I LOVE my ped--this is the first time we have had any problems with him or his office. I really just want to know what is wrong with DS, this is not a Dr bash!!

Thanks for any help!!
Christy

Edit:I am trying to get the pic to work
here is the link
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/share/landingA2?i=EeAsmzJi1YtXxw&open=1&x=1&sm=0&sl=0

 

[ash&abby'smom]

i just copied this from a website:

What Is It?

Impetigo is a highly contagious bacterial skin infection, usually caused by Group A streptococcus or Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Impetigo is most common in children. However, it sometimes occurs in adults who have other itchy skin conditions, such as eczema. Other conditions that increase your risk of developing impetigo include: chickenpox, reactions to insect bites, burns of the skin and diabetes.

Impetigo usually appears around the nose and mouth. However, it can develop wherever the skin is broken by cuts, scrapes or cold sores, and bacteria can enter.

Symptoms

Impetigo causes small bumps or blisters that burst. The skin underneath is moist, tender and red, and it oozes a clear liquid. A honey-colored crust, which may itch, then forms over the reddened area. If the disease is more severe cases, you also may have a fever and swelling of the lymph glands (swollen glands) in the face or neck.


III. Treatment:

Antibiotics taken by mouth usually clear up impetigo in four or five days. It's important for the antibiotic to be taken faithfully until the prescribed supply is completely used up.
An antibiotic ointment, such as Polysporin, should be applied thinly four times daily. Polysporin can be purchased without a prescription.
Crusts should be removed before the ointment is applied. Soak a soft, clean cloth in a mixture of one-half cup of white vinegar and a quart of lukewarm water. Press this cloth on the crusts for 10-15 minutes three or four times daily. Then gently wipe off the crusts and apply a little antibiotic ointment.
You can stop soaking the impetigo when crusts no longer form. When the skin is healed, stop the antibiotic ointment.\

Also, this IS VERY CONTANGIOUS.
IV. Precautions:

Impetigo is contagious when there is crusting or oozing. While it's contagious, take the following precautions:
Patients should avoid close contact with other people.
Children should be kept home from school until the lesions crust over.
Use separate towels for the patient. The patient's towels, pillowcases, and sheets should be changed after the first day of treatment. His or her clothing should be changed and laundered daily for the first two days.
Usually the contagious period ends within two days after treatment starts. If the impetigo doesn't heal in one week, please return for another evaluation.


I would definately take him back to dr. Ask for an antibiotic and get an antibiotic ointment for him. I would insist on seeing your ped. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[poohtown]

don't see a picture...but......what kind of pediatrician has never seen a case of chicken pox?? If she is an assistant, she should still be able to diagnos a commom disease or not be left in charge of the office. I would insist on a second visit with the main doctor and also insist on not being charged for the first visit. This would be very upsetting to me. You don't know for sure what it is and all she says is the disease are basically treated the same way???

 

[suz72]

Originally posted by sap1227

BUT, she said she had never actually seen Chicken Pox.

I am not a doctor or a nurse. I would recommend you get a second opinion.

Maybe an "older doctor" who has seen Chicken Pox and has experience with impetigo???

Hope you work this out,

Susan

 

[Virgo10]

The first thing I'd tell you is to get a new doctor!! Never seen chicken pox? How does a person get to be a MD in pediatrics without seeing chicken pox???? And the nurse said she wasn't familiar with Impetigo? I would run, not walk, away from that office as fast as possible!

Impetigo should be treated immediately. I believe it is highly contagious. Do a search on webmd WebMD

I'm no doctor so I'm not going to say what your child has but I would get a new doctor ASAP.

Roberta

 

[DawnCt1]

It is hard to tell from the pictures but it doesn't really look like impetigo to me, which, when one of my DS's had it as a child, was more crusting and inflamed. If it is impetigo, it's disceminated more than what I would feel comfortable with and I would want an oral antibiotic. Even the limited lesions that my DS has a baby only responded to oral antibiotics and not to the topicals, even the more powerful topical Bactroban. (mupuricine). If it gets worse at any time or doesn't respond to what your peds suggested within 24 hours, get a second opinion.

 

[decker96]

Okay, let me preface this by saying I am not a doctor or a nurse and the last time I saw chicken pox was when my little brother had it when he was 5 (15 years ago). That being said, it doesn't really look like chicken pox to me. Plus, chicken pox usually starts on the back and stomach (that is not a hard and fast rule, obviously but most common) and from what you said he doesn't even have any bumps there.
Also, chicken pox itches, ALOT! I know he's a baby so he can't scratch himself in the traditional sense but I would think if it was chicken pox, you would notice some discomfort. My DD had an allergic reaction to a fever when she was 10 months and got an itchy rash on her head and face. She was crawling up to me and rubbing the top of her head on my jeans constantly to itch it. So I would think you'd see him trying to do something to get rid of the itch. I would definitely get a second opinion!

 

[doxdogy]

The little girl across the street just had a case of impetigo. I had it as a kid and it is highly contagious. I don't remember taking any antibiotics, but I do remember bathing with Dial soap. The mother of the little girl said she had to bather her in Dial soap too. Now they think she may have hand, foot and mouth disease. She thinks she caught it at daycare.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I would absolutely get a new doctor ! All of thoses claims were ludicrous !

From the picture i can see definate pustules which would be consistent with chicken pox. A good key for chicken pox is that the rash does not come in "waves" and all move through stages together, but that you can have vesicles ( clear fluid blister" pustuels(yellow solid blisters) and scabs all at the same time.

Impetigo tends to be more of one large sort of honey crusted lesion that looks multi layered.

 

[crazyme5kids]

It looks like the rash that went through our infant room about a month and a half ago. It was caused by a virus. It wasn't a big deal and just had to run its course.

Still it should be looked at by your Dr.

 

[phillybeth]

Doesn't look like chicken pox or HF&M to me. Doesn't look like impetigo.
How about pityriasis rosea? Does he have one larger lesion, about 1-2 inches in diamter? I remember having this when I was in first grade. The doctors had a hard time diagnosing it.

My SIL got the measles from a bad batch of vaccine when she was 14. No doctor at the local children's hospital knew what it was, they had never seen it. They were testing her for all sorts of exotic diseases when one of the older peds walked in and said, from across the room, "Measles!" Newer doctors have never seen some of the typical childhood diseases.

 

[kidzmom3]

I don't know what it is either, but my infant son had impetigo and it did not look like that. His looked like a really bad diaper rash, that had definite crusting. We did have to remove the crust to apply ointment, and we were told it is highly contagious and spreads across the body easily.

 

[sap1227]

Thanks to everyone for the input-

I was not bothered that the Dr had not seen Chicken Pox, most kids will not get them. It is the combo of not knowing Chicken Pox or Impetigo that kinda made me nervous.

I will call in the morning to see if the regular Dr is there (he was my Ped as a child, so I know he has been around awhile and is at least familar with Chicken Pox).

He is still not messing with any of the blisters, so I really don't think it is Chicken Pox.

Phillybeth--there are no large spots, the largest ones are about the size of a pencil eraser.

I want to know what is wrong and plan accordingly. Regardless of what it is, he will not be around children in the next week or so, but I want to know if I should keep him away from adults too. I also do not want to be around a bunch of kids if it is something I am likely to catch.

Thanks again, I will update tomorrow!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I am not a doctor or nurse but have teenagers. I have seen chicken pox and it looks more like clear fluid filled blisters.

DD had impetigo and it looked like a corn flake stuck to her face. It was treated with Bactroban, a strong prescription antibiotic cream.

I had pityriasis rosea in college and it looked like a flat tan patch.

Both of my kids had hand, foot and mouth, and Fifth's disease. This doesn't look like either of those.

I would say see a dermatologist but around here it takes 3 - 6 months to get in to see one.

Good luck to you.

 

[Feralpeg]

This may be a stupid question, but are they only on his legs? They almost look like fire ant bites. I recently stepped into a nest and they created little pustules like that. They stung when it happened, but they didn't itch. I was told not to scratch off the top of the bite because it would cause them to spread all over. Just a thought.

Here is a picture of fire ant bites.

 

[ripleysmom]

It might be chicken pox although the blisters are usually more watery looking. DS has had impetigo a couple of times but his usually develop from an open sore.

 

[sap1227]

Originally posted by Feralpeg
This may be a stupid question, but are they only on his legs? They almost look like fire ant bites. I recently stepped into a nest and they created little pustules like that. They stung when it happened, but they didn't itch. I was told not to scratch off the top of the bite because it would cause them to spread all over. Just a thought.

Here is a picture of fire ant bites.

They look a lot like fire ant bites, but he does not play outside and they are in his diaper area (his bottom is more covered than his leg.

 

[totalia]

I had chicken pocks really bad when I was 10. I remember them very clearly.

Chicken pox are red fluid filled blisters that ITCH like mad (if a baby has them, you often have to put their hands in gloves so they can't scratch). And I do mean itch. It's so bad that its hard to sleep. The itching is the best way to tell (just thinking about it makes my skin itch. It was that bad. My mom was almost scared I would have to be hospitalized because they were EVERYWHERE).

Is it possible they are measles? I've never had those but they seem to look a bit alike. I wish I had my medical dictionary but its packed away in one of the hundreds of boxes in my garage.

 

[totalia]

ok, I did some searching and found pics for you.

Chicken Pox

http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/indexDisplay.cfm?ImageID=365995205

Measles

http://www.derm.ubc.ca/skininfectionsandinfestations/measlespage.htm

Impetigo

http://www2.austincc.edu/adnmob/rnsg1140/hygiene/Skin Disruptions/impetigo.jpg

It honestly looks like Chicken pox from the pic you showed. But I suggest you go to a different doctor because this one doesnt seem to know what she's doing.

Who's never seen chicken pox? Especially as a doctor. That disturbs me.

 

[poohandwendy]

The nurse said she is not familar with Impetigo but that the treatment would be the same as Chicken Pox.

This would concern me, the lack of knowledge at your Pediatricians office (even from the nurse). Chicken Pox and Impetigo are NOT treated the same way...the first is caused by a virus and the second is a bacterial infection (requiring oral and/or topical antibiotics). That is just basic, well known information that a nurse should know. They are both contagious, though. The only reason you would need antibiotic therapy for chicken pox is if the pustules became infected.

I am not a doctor, but am wondering if they are insect bites or some kind. I mean, you say they are on his knees, elbows and bottom...if he is crawling around, it could be something he is coming in contact with on the floor? I am not sure about fire ants because they sting really bad (your skin feels like it is on fire) and I think you would be aware if your infant came in contact with them, but sure is a possibility. Do you have dogs or cats, maybe a reaction to flea bites?

I think I would get a second opinion if your doctor cannot find the source.

FWIW, I have had impetigo and chicken pox and cared for 5 children under the age of 5 who ALL had chicken pox at the same time (another long story, LOL)...

I don't think it looks like impetigo at all, but it could be chicken pox...but still...doesn't really appear to be from the picture...some of the bumps aren't even red and the fact that the trunk area (abdomen and back) are not affected.

hope you get to the bottom of it soon!