What is this rash???

[MommyPoppins]

It started last Thursday or so. It looked like hives at first. I gave him benadryl for a few days it didn't go away. Now it looks like little tiny yellow zits. All grouped together. It's only on his back, arms and chest. He had been playing out in the woods without a shirt on. I looked up pictures of poison ivy online and it didn't look just like that.

It's patchy, but in some spots it covers larger areas.

I've been putting cortisone cream on it and giving him benadryl. I've been hoping it would get better on it's own. I'm trying to hold it off until Wednesday when 2 of my other boys already have a check up. I'm hoping the DR. will just take a look at it and tell me what it is and I won't have another co-pay. We really can't afford another right now. (We're losing our health insurance, so we've had lots of co-pays in the past week to get everyone's check ups UTD.)

Any ideas?

 

[mickeyboat]

I have a couple of completely uneducated ideas

My kids have gotten a rash on their torsos a couple of times when they have had fevers. The doctor said it was just part of the virus they had.

Emily has a touch of ecsema, which appears on the backs of her upper arms and the top of her thighs. It seemed to appear out of nowhere. I have a little of it, too. The doctor told us to use an unscented moisturizer after every bath/shower.

It is strange to me that if he was having an allergic reaction to something, that the Benadryl would not be helping. Is the rash bothering him? If not, I would probably wait until the appointments later in the week. The only thing I might find concerning is if he was having an alelrgic reaction, he might start having breathing trouble, so watch out for that.

Good luck.

Denae

 

[debbi801]

Honestly, it sounds like poison something--sumac, oak, etc. I've learned the hard way that there is not one sure way the rash looks. (My oldest son and I are super prone to it.)

It is also possible that it started as that and became irritated/infected and that is why it looks different now.

 

[MommyPoppins]

It's VERY itchy.

He didn't have a fever. My baby gets those viral rashes a lot, I know what those are like.

And he does have eczema. But, he's never had it widespread like this rash. Just a little on his face in the winter time.

It has to be something he rubbed up against outside without his shirt because thats the only place it is.

Maybe it could be poison ivy and the pics online were just super extreme? Can anyone describe what it looks like?

 

[MommyPoppins]

Honestly, it sounds like poison something--sumac, oak, etc. I've learned the hard way that there is not one sure way the rash looks. (My oldest son and I are super prone to it.)

It is also possible that it started as that and became irritated/infected and that is why it looks different now.

It doesn't look infected...but that's a good point. I think I'll put some neosporin on it just in case.

 

[tinaluis]

Any chance that he has inflammatory bowel disease? Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's? Your description sounds like what my DD gets sometimes (she has ulcerative colitis) and it's called erythema nodosum. You can google it and see pics online.

ETA: Sorry, I thought your original post said he'd been playing in the woods with his shirt on, but when I reread it is said his shirt was off. Disregard my post as it probably doesn't apply.

 

[meeskamouska]

Could it be impetigo??? That is what it sounds like to me....for what i remember from seeing it years ago....




Current post:*

 

[debbi801]

It's VERY itchy.

He didn't have a fever. My baby gets those viral rashes a lot, I know what those are like.

And he does have eczema. But, he's never had it widespread like this rash. Just a little on his face in the winter time.

It has to be something he rubbed up against outside without his shirt because thats the only place it is.

Maybe it could be poison ivy and the pics online were just super extreme? Can anyone describe what it looks like?

Honestly, a lot like you're describing. Can you pick up some poison ivy soap to help try and dry it out? Also, Domeboro solution is great for helping dry up poison ivy rashes quickly.

 

[asta]

Is it possible that he could have shingles? My daughter had them and we also thought at first that it was poison ivy or oak. The only thing is that her rash didn't itch like poison ivy. If you think it could be shingles do not put cortizone cream on it.

 

[MommyPoppins]

Any chance that he has inflammatory bowel disease? Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's? Your description sounds like what my DD gets sometimes (she has ulcerative colitis) and it's called erythema nodosum. You can google it and see pics online.

Not that I know of.

Could it be impetigo??? That is what it sounds like to me....for what i remember from seeing it years ago....




Current post:*

It really don't look like that. It's not crusty at all. Spots that he's scratched too much are red and raw, but not crusty...

 

[MommyPoppins]

Is it possible that he could have shingles? My daughter had them and we also thought at first that it was poison ivy or oak. The only thing is that her rash didn't itch like poison ivy. If you think it could be shingles do not put cortizone cream on it.

I don't think so since it's so itchy. It started out looking JUST like hives. I didn't think much of it, my boys have sensitive skin and get hives a lot. But now it's nothing like hives.

I'm trying to upload some pictures. I don't know how well they'll help.

30 minutes for 2 pics. I hate dial up!

 

[bbmommy]

Not sure how old your son is, but I would take him to the doctor to know for sure, or even the pharmacy. I know co-pays are bad...We have taken our DS over 6 times this month...but paying the co-pay=peace of mind!

 

[MommyPoppins]

 

[KerriSue]

Has he had the chicken pox (sp)?

 

[KristiKelly]

It looks like poison oak or ivy to me.

DH gets it terribly and can take several weeks to clear up. A Dr. can give something to help it clear up faster I think.

I would go ahead and take him in.

 

[padams]

It could be molluscum contagiosum. It's a viral skin disease that starts out looking like a rash and some of the bumps develop into what looks like a zit.

 

[jajuan]

My son had the same type rash last year. He was 12 and we had just gotten back from a cruise. He said...Mom, it is probably sand fleas or something...i let him go to school for a few days. Finally, I took him to the doctor and the doctor told me it was chicken pox. I told him it was not...lol. He had the vaccine. I asked when I could send him back to school and he said any time...it was already on the downside...lmbo. I would never send my child to school with something contagious...but chicken pox never crossed my mind. I still laugh about it.

 

[MommyPoppins]

Has he had the chicken pox (sp)?

No, he had the vaccine...but it doesn't look like chicken pox to me.

 

[phillybeth]

Looks like poison ivy or poison oak to me. Tell him to keep his shirt on the next time!

 

[minkydog]

My vote goes to poison ivy--some of the rash is linear which would occur if you walk through the brush. some is in patches, which might indicate he laid up against it. Either way, keep using the benedryl. If it's not getting better soon, you might need steroids. Keep him from scratching so it doesen't get infected.