Monday, March 02, 2009

Allergic Reaction, Fifth Disease, A Mystery!

We have no idea what has caused this incredible rash.


23 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh my goodness! I hope he is better--check this out from dr. sears:

RASH ON THE BODY
There are two types of rashes that can occur during antibiotic use:

Allergic rash – due to allergy to the antibiotic. This can appear in several forms:

Hives – these are raised, red or white welts that can appear anywhere on the body. They will usually pop up for one to several hours, then fade away, only to pop up again somewhere else. The usually itch. Click on Hives for more information on diagnosis and treatment.
Pinpoint red or white bumps anywhere on the body.
Lacy type of red rash anywhere on the body that is not raised.
Rash associated with the illness – rash can frequently appear during any number of viral illnesses. This rash usually appears as pinpoint red or white bumps or a lacy red, non-raised rash. Less commonly it can appear as hives.
Allergic rash due to another medication you also happen to be giving your child.

How to determine which rash it is – this is very difficult to do, even for your doctor. Since it is important to know if your child is allergic to a particular antibiotic, we suggest you let your doctor see the rash. This will aid in future decisions on which antibiotic to use.

also look at google images on the web of allergic reactions to antibiotics looks like what makili has

Anonymous said...

Hi, I just happened upon your post because I was doing an image search on Fifth Disease. I have to tell you my 11 m old just had an unusual rash that looked EXACTLY like your child, the plaque-like stuff under the arms and everything! My pediatrician and his dermatologist had not idea what it was. I only started to guess it might have been fifth disease because his older brother developed a rash a week later with much more classic slapped cheeks and lacy itchy rash. Anyway, I was totally amazed to see your picture. It really looks exactly like my baby. Good luck -hope it's all resolved! By the way, are you in Philly? That's where we are and apparently there's a lot of fifth disease going around.
Good luck!

Anonymous said...

my son just had a rash virtually identical to this... it was diagnosed as erythema multiforme.

Anonymous said...

I was doing a image search and i came across this! I had this a few years back. I wouldn't really call it a allergic reaction! I woke up one morning and had this weird rash. So I went to the doctor and they told me I had fifth disease! What I do know is it is contagious! Funny/weird thing is, When we asked the doctor if it was contagious he said yes and that even though it was contagious I could still go to school! In fact there were other students at my school back then that had it too. Hmmm! Come to think of it, maybe thats how i got it!

jan said...

so my daughter has the same rash but she also has a fever. At first we were told it was an allergic reaction to some antibiotics, then we were told it was an allergic reaction to a virus.. She has then same circles and everything.. She was extremely itchy. The rash seemed to travel started on her belly then moved up to her neck, down her legs and out her arms. As it moves it seems to start clearing up in the area's it was just in, but it takes a day. Friday day it was just around her belly button and lower belly, then Saturday that area was a little better but the top of her trunk was bad and it had started moving to her extremities. Sunday it behind her knees down her thighs in her armpits down to her wrist.. Today is Monday and she is still asleep, but maybe it will have gone away! I was wondering what your child was had?

Rebecca Usalis said...

my 2 year old son has a rash that is extremely and unfortunately identical to this. I was horrified this morning when i went in his room to wake him. The rash was so severe his eyes were swollen shut and his breathing was limited. did you find out exactly what it was? no one is giving me answers.

Heather McDougal said...

My daughter had this about ten years ago. We were in France, and the doctors looked at her and then said "viral" and told us "5 days". They were right -- the whole thing was gone in 5 days. The only issue she had with it was it was easy for her to get cold.

Anonymous said...

My daughter had this twice 2years ago. 1st time we was told it was viral and got sent home, and it did clear alone eventually, but when the rash faded it left, what looked like yellow bruising before it went away. The 2nd time it happened, they wer very concerned for her, as she was struggling to breath. I made sure she was admitted to another hospital. They kept her in and did blood tests, but refused to send her home until she was better. When the bloods came back they told us mycoplasma was the cause as it got into her lungs and her body was having a nasty reaction. But today it is happening again, and to me from others pictures I see it looks just like this fifth disease. Dont understand why she keeps having this though, as nobody else around her has ever caught it. She is now 5years old. I hoping it will go before it gets bad again. For some unknown reason to doctors though, her rash got better, if they gave her regular doses of ibuprofen and piriton together. Her body looked exactly the same. Started as pin prick spots, that felt occasionally itchy, as she scratched her face and ears swelled up, then her eyes, then her elbows knees ankles and the slapped like rash all over her arms stomach chest back face neck. It was awful. We was so scared for her. All the best and hope your little ones now sorted. But thanks for adding your pics it help giv me a few answers, and also questions for the docs next time.

Anonymous said...

My child also had this SAME rash! They didn't really know what it was - said that it could either be a reaction to amoxicillin or erythema multiforme. They won't give him amox now because of it, but I often question that diagnosis.

Anonymous said...

I am SO GLAD to hear of other parents seeing this same rash on their child and being concerned!! My 16-month old son took Augmentin for an ear infection; not long after, the rash started. Took him in, the Dr. took him off antibiotics. Rash did NOT get better. Took him to ER the next day, they said "A reaction due to a virus". I'm still not sure I believe that either one of these things was the cause, but I am honestly SO GLAD to hear I'm not alone in this!!! What a scary thing to see your child go through!

Anonymous said...

My son has the same. First I though he is allergic to Tide cold water detergent I got by mistake sometime back. I washed all his things with the one I always use and rashes despaired. It was almost 2 months back and today morning it was back. Now I have no idea what cause it. I changes bedsheets and it got worst. Gave him some Benedryl so he can sleep without scratching all this things. Its everywhere and it looks so serious and bad. Poor little guy. We went to doctor when he got it first time but it all disappeared by the time we got into exam room (2 hrs of waiting)so he said he have to see it to say what is it.

Anonymous said...

My son has the same. First I though he is allergic to Tide cold water detergent I got by mistake sometime back. I washed all his things with the one I always use and rashes despaired. It was almost 2 months back and today morning it was back. Now I have no idea what cause it. I changes bedsheets and it got worst. Gave him some Benedryl so he can sleep without scratching all this things. Its everywhere and it looks so serious and bad. Poor little guy. We went to doctor when he got it first time but it all disappeared by the time we got into exam room (2 hrs of waiting)so he said he have to see it to say what is it.

TracyKM said...

My daughter got a really high fever and was SICK...took her to the doctor's and they thought she might "have a touch of pneumonia" and prescribed an antibiotic. Then, after a day on it, she was even sicker and got a rash...they thought it was an allergic reaction, but a sharp eyed nurse in the ER remembered another kid in the week before with scarlet fever! Who would have thought!

Anonymous said...

I been having a rash like this for forever doctors ran many test and can not find out what was the cause

Anonymous said...

My son had the same thing, it lasted almost 3 months! Liquid Benadryl helps, it makes the child a bit drowsy but it does help the rash clear up, poor baby...

Jason & Emily said...

I just came across your pictures of you sons rash, and once a gain they look identical to my sons. Just wondering if this is a one time thing for your son or if he has broke out multiple times. This is about the 5th of 6th time that my son has had the same rash. The first time he got it they just dx it as viral. But then a week later it was still flaring up so I took him to another Dr, he said it was Pityriasis Rosacea, didn't even hesitate. But now 9 months later he still keeps getting it, I thought that I had it norrowed down to an allergic reaction to powdered laundry detergant but then this morning he woke up covered in it. The only thing that I can figure now is Ibprofen. Everytime he has had it I have given him Ibprofen, he was sick yesterday and last night with a fever so I started giving him Ibprofen. I have no clue. Just want to hear some feed back from you if you don't mind. Thanks.

jasonemilyholt@msn.com

Meredith said...

This is Fifth's Disease; it's not harmful and just takes time to clear up. By the time the rash arrives, he's no longer contagious. My kid has it right now too - I diagnosed him after reviewing this site: http://hardinmd.lib.uiowa.edu/dermnet/fifthdisease6.html Look familiar?

Steph Enright said...

I had this rash. it was an allergic reaction to the drug Reglan which i was taking by pump for severe hypere-emesis while pregnant. doc stopped the meds immediately and rash cleared up once the drug was out of my system. fifths is lacy. this child has plaques.

JohnS said...

Hello,

I have same problem... We are desperate here. Very similar, identical rash - migrating from one par of body to another... Doctors don't know the reason. Please let me know if you know what was the reason and how it ended...

Unknown said...

My son has the same thing! He was sick with a cold a couple of weeks ago and by the end of it he ended up with this rash on his belly by his diaper which almost looked like hives. We were a little concerned so we had taken him in to get it checked out, well by the time we got there the rash had faded away. It has been a week since then, and all of a sudden the rash reappeared but this time worse than the first time. He had an appointment with his doctor today since it was his 2 year check up and she said that she thinks its caused by a virus. She's not exactly sure what virus but she told me that it could be Fifths Disease, although he doesn't really have "slap cheeks". He also now has a runny nose AGAIN and he's coughing more than usual AGAIN!

Anonymous said...

Son had the same symptoms with a fever. They said it was erythema multiform or caused by the back to back antibiotics he got for an ear infection. looking at this and reading it sounds like fifth disease especially that he got swelling in his hands, feet and was in pain all over. They gave him predisolone for th e swelling

Unknown said...

Same!!! My son has this identical rash and was also diagnosed with erythema multiforme this morning.

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