Help Identifying Illness

K.,

hi. this may not be the same thing, but when my oldest(who is 28 now!) was in fifth grade, 2 other classmates, and a brother of one of the classmates came down with something that sounded really similiar to what you described. the one parent took her 2 boys to a dermotologist. he took biopsies(SP??)(yuck!) and it came back "staph" infection! i had never heard of such a thing!!! those 2 boys and the one other boy were put on antibiotics i think. i put antibiotic ointment on my son and all cleared up.

good luck with all, and take care.

C.

Being that the Benedryl seems to have helped a bit, I am leaning towards an allergy. Try taking the kids to an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. If the symptoms persist, you really need to get this identified. If this isn't a new food or detergent, then there may be a chemical in their environment. Perhaps there's something at school they've come in contact with, something that has an adhesive, cleaner, or treatment on it that they've ingested or touched. Being that they are sick to their stomaches, this seems more than a regular allergy.

If it were my children, I would take them to another doctor to get a diagnosis, not try to self-diagnose using the internet/message groups.

I wish you luck and hope I don't sound harsh... I know it is hard when your kids are sick. It's just that their health is too precious to not see the right medical professionals.

If it were my child and the Dr told me he had no clue, I would:
1) take them to the ER to find out what it is, to ensure it is not something dangerous.
2) get a new Dr.

I hope you have taken your children to another doctor. What you described sounds like it could be chicken pox. Please take your kids to another doctor and don't ever settle for an I don't know answer when it comes to your children.

Good Luck
A.

have you checked up on fifth disease? sounds similar and it took the doc awhile to get around to figuring it out for some reason when my daughter got it. her rash was smaller though and started on her belly and back and spread from there, but the other symptoms were the same, i always compared it to a flu with an itchy rash. or as icky as this sounds is it possible that they are bug bites?! and they aren't related to the other symptoms? there is a nasty virus going around i know all the kiddos i know have or have had similar symptoms wihtout the rash over the past month.

K.,

I would take them to another doctor, VERY soon. You want to make sure it is nothing that needs treated right away. My grandson has two or three red spots the size of quarters right now, and its a Staph infection. It is very contagious and can go to the whole family, the spots itch too.

Also, if they have a low grade fever (with the headache) it could be menigitis. My son had it when he was 15, and all he had was a low grade fever, headache and a rash of sorts.

I agree that you should find another doctor too. If they don't have a clue when they look at it, then they should do some tests or something. I do know that a virus they can do nothing for, but I have never heard of a virus like this.

Good Look,
T.

Theres been alot of staff infection going around and that seems to fit the description.

Actually, that sounds like chicken pox! There was a big outbreak at my daughter's school two years ago and even the kids who got the shot got it...some pretty significantly. And, several doctors told parents it wasn't chicken pox, because they were young and had never seen it! It definitely was chicken pox -- because my other children had gotten it -- before there was a shot! Do Aveeno oatmeal baths, calamine lotion, benadryl (like you are) -- good luck!

I would get a 2nd opinion soon.
Good luck!
T.

hi K.,

Are you sure they are not flea bites? Maybe mosquito bites? If they aren't...and they kind of look like zits and really itchy, than you guys got the case of Chicken Pox! If that isn't it, check with your doctor about measles. My girls had their chicken pox shot when they turned a year old. And by the time my oldest was in 2nd grade, they both got chicken pox and when they got over it, my oldest ended up with mumps. So I'd have them run tests on your kids. Also, you might want to check up on the site or talk to a doctor about west nile virus. Because the nile virus, gives flu type symptoms and massive headaches. I'd get it looked at. Good Luck and I hope they all feel better soon!

If it was the doctor suggesting its an allergic reaction...um, wouldn't that be pretty much statistically impossible for two seperate people to have an allergic reaction to something? And my one son is allergic to many things but I've never witnessed a fever with it! I'd get a new doctor post haste! Good luck to you, sorry you have to be in the dark about this but you're a good mommy, doing the right thing asking questions. :)

If you are treating it with a steriod cream, I would go to another Dr asap. Steriod creams are great when they are absolutly needed, but you can't over use steriod medication b.c it looses its effectiveness. If my child were sick and the Dr had NO Idea what it was, I would demand test or another Dr. It is true that a Dr can't know everything, but when she/he doesn't know they need to find a Dr (possibly an older Dr or younger Dr) who does or might know. When I was pg my Dr had absolutly no idea what something was that I had and I sat in his examining room for an hour while he did research and contacted other Dr to come examine me. No medical problem that sends you to a Dr should be ignored. Best of Luck and I hope they get better.

First and formost I would find a different doctor - one that doesn't just say I don't know - perhaps an old timey doc know what I mean? Perhaps there are some seniors that attend your church that may have seen this before. But I would most certainly go to the ER - they should be able to figure it out at a good hospital - will be curious to hear what it was.

I have had hives periodically through my life and so have my children. I will admit to the spots, but hives spread and the spots will grow together into a giant welt, they are not generally stationary. They are usually red around the outside and then have a yellowish cast to the center of the swelling and are warm to the touch. I generally get a headache with them but not the stomache and nausia. My children's hives followed the same pattern mine did.
I would seek a second opinion. Sounds more like measles, chicken pox, scarlet fever type stuff than an allergic reaction.

Hello,
Have you had them checked for allergies. I am not sure about the nausia but the headache and red spots could be an allergy reaction. A friend of mine had a similar situation and they found out their little one was allergic to a couple different things. Just an idea.

have you looked up hand foot mouth disease?

Please see another doctor quickley. Also if the rash is isolated on the trunk of the body and nowhere else ask the doctor if it could be West Nile. And do you have a carbon monoxide detector? Please get one.