What Is Happening to My Daughter?!?!?!

Sounds like something my kids got just before Xmas break. It is called Fifth Disease. It is a viral infection. Several days before they may or may not have had a fever, no other symptoms, just bright red cheeks. Then it started to work it's way down their little bodies. They itched a little, but really it was nothing to be especially concerned about. There was nothing we could do for it except Benadryl for the itchyness. It is extremely contagious before they get the rash. By then, the virus is pretty much done. Kind of hard to do much about it if you don't really know it's a problem. My boys showed no symptoms until one came home one day from school with bright red cheeks (it looked as if someone slapped him). It takes several weeks to pass. I guess you're probably wise to get them to a Dr. just in case. Good luck!

Could be a yeast infection. Yeast is typically bright red........might be on her hands if she is scratching herself. Just a thought.

I didn't have time to read all the responses, but it sounds just like my kids and the pediatrician says it's dry skin. I used to get it inside my thighs to and it's where stiff levis and cold mixed rubbed against my legs all day. He says they just need some good lotion. Also, my middle one has acute dermatitis and his skin does this constantly as the seasons or temperatures change dramatically. He does have a prescription cream. They have also recommended using Aveeno, Aquaphor, or Eucerin cream, that you just buy in the lotion department of Wal-Mart or whatever stores you have locally. It will take a few days for it to start clearing up once you start putting something on it. Hope this helps or that you found out something at the urgent care that helps.

You can try calling a nurse line or just go to urgent care (my reommendation) either tonight or first thing in the morning (reommended) instesd of the hospital,

As far as insurance is concerned,it is usually cheaper to go to urgent care than the hospital. Then first thing on Monday get sn Appointment with her regular Doctor.

Good Luck & God Speed

I am just giving a suggestion, so take it for what it is worth, but in my family we have severly dry skin, and this winter has been an exceptionally dry one! My four year old daughter gets severe dry skin on her little hands, and it makes me so sad, because I have gone through it all my life. I wish she didn't have to. There is a brand of lotion (I know this may sound gross), but it is called Udderly Smooth, yes, it is actually used for cows, but they sell it in the normal pharmacy section of Wal-mart. You may have to ask the pharmacist to help you locate it if you have never used it or heard of it before, because it is in a small plastic jar with cow-print on it, and tends to kind of hide on the shelf. I am currently pregnant, and as I was saying this winter has been extremely dry, this is the only stuff that I have found that has helped my skin so that I myself am not crying by the end of the day. I rub it all over my legs, very large tummy, and everywhere else that tends to be bad, including my hands and face. I hope this helps.

I didn't see how old your daughter is but if it were one of my kids and they were in pain and I didn't know what caused it or how to alleviate the pain, I'd go to the ER or weekend clinic.

You know, my daughter is 11 and has had the same thing recently. She goes to Jenkins Middle, don't know if this is something to that. But, I found that when she put cream on , it got so much worse it seemed. I have been doing as what I do with my daughter who used to have eczema... not putting normal moisturizer and just using plain old olive oil on the skin when she bathes and giving benedryl. The cream I had tried to give her made it so much worse. I think it's an allergy related thing with my daughter, and then the cream that has cetyl alcohol or benzo alcohol or anything with the word alcohol in it made it flare up even worse! She has never been allergic to body cream in the past, so I know whatever it is that is making her hands turn red, she just can't use regular lotion to moisturize the area or it will make matters a 100 times worse.

I can use regular cream, it doesn't bother me, even though I do have allergies and a history of asthma. but I don't know why the cream does make it worse for her.

But she's better now using the olive oil- that with the benedryl and putting drops of organic lavender essential oil on it and a very little bit of peppermint oil to take the pain away, and help with the itch of it, but the peppermint oil is very diluted with the olive oil.

It was weird because we too didn't change anything different in the house. And this started as soon as 2 weeks ago for her I think. She's fine now, but I would take your daughter to the doctor, because depending on how bad the reaction is, she may need steriods to help with the rash, depending on what it is, and it would be terrible if it got worse.

Poor girl, my daughter only had it on the back of her hands, not the palms and a little on the cheeks, but the thighs, that sounds awful and miserable, I really feel for your daughter. I hope she gets better soon and that you will let us know how she is doing.

P.S. Last spring break I got a sunburn and when my skin was healing the itch was awful. At that time I tried everything, but Aveeno oatmeal is what helped to calm the itch and pain better than anything else.

I also wanted to note that the redness my daughter has was on the back of her hands, but the palms of her hands were fine and a little on her cheeks on her face. It was very strange locations, and in the past when my children have had allergic reactions internally it didn't always show up in a place where they touched something or came in contact with something that gave them an allergy.

Could be Fifth Disease. If you live in Douglas county or Jeffco, it has been in the schools there, so push your doctor for that. I wouldn't play around with a nasty red, rash, get it looked at, by a Doctor.
T.

First of all, I didn't read any other post so if I am repeating what someone else said, I apologize. It could be shingles. What you are describing sounds like that,except I have never heard of it being on hands. About a year ago, my adult sister (25 yrs old) had it. She said that it was on her thighs (it was no where else that I could see) She was in so much pain. It hurt to walk, sit lay down where her legs had to touch. After trying things at home, she went to the dr and thats when she found out what it was. He put her on a strong pain medication and a cream to put on the affected area.Its also very contagious so as much as possible, everyone should try and avoid touching the area. If you are going to put medication on, perhaps get some latex gloves or at the very least wash your hands really good afterwards. If she is in alot of pain and can't get comfortable, I would take her in. They can get her started on stuff to help relieve the pain and help it go away. Shingles is related to Chicken Pox so if she had chicken pox, she is more likely to get shingles at some point. The doctor said that shingles happens more in adults but who knows.

My oldest son had something that sounds similar and it turned out to be scarlett fever. He had strep throat but no symptoms and it turned into scarlett fever because it wasn't treated with antibiotics. His cheeks, palms of his hands and groin area were all bright red.

My 7 year old son has something similar on his hands, one worse than the other. It looks like it's really chapped to me and I put some intese moisturizer on him last night and it looks a bit better today, but still pretty ugly. If her skin is dry, jeans rubbing and the cold outside could cause the redness on her legs.

I would say take her to the doctor It may be nothing, but it may be something. It is better to be safe then sorry. I hope your daughter gets bbetter soon.

Ok, from what you described and where you say it is located, I have to say that to me it sounds like extremely dry skin. I am speaking from experience, my own and that of my daughter. I have always had dry skin, and it seems that this year is worse for some reason. My daughter had what I thought was a burning rash on her bottom but after I touched the skin, I knew that it felt just like mine when I am severly dry. I know you already went to the doctor, but a good lotion may help if they dont know what the problem is. Good luck! (oh, and I dont do dishes because my hands get to bad that I actually crack and bleed)

You could call the nurse triage line at your local hospital, and they might be able to help you. They have been really helpful to us in trying to figure out when our daughter should be taken to the clinic on the weekend or after hours or if it could wait until regular business hours. But if she is in that much pain, I would take her to the ER/clinic. Who was with her when the rash (or whatever it is) showed up? They didn't have any light to shed on the situation as to what she was doing before the rash appeared? Good luck and I hope your little girl feels better soon.

Take her to urgent care... they will direct you to a hospital if necessary. I would not wait until Monday unless she is showing dramatic signs of improvement today.

Keep asking her what happened? Sounds like something that she doesn't want to talk about.

Hi M. - so sorry your daughter is feeling poorly. If you have questions about whether your daughter needs to be seen by a doctor, please just call your doctor's after hour line. Your doctor's office has people on rotating call and that is part of their job. They expect you to call on the weekends.

Here is a checklist that I refer to often when my kids have rashes. It's not for self-diagnosis but There might be something on it that can help you.

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/sympto...

Good luck and I hope your daughter feels better.

Has she touched that majic eraser by mr. clean? this seems to have this effect on them. You may want to get her some dairy free Acidophilus for children at vitamin cottage if you want more info please call I am a naturopath . H. ###-###-####

Try mustard, Don't laugh but something in mustard will take the burn out. If it is a burn it should go away with this, try on her hands, and see If it is not a burn It won't work.

M. G,
I would take her to the ER and ask them to check for Scarlet Fever, we have seen 5 cases in the last three months in our area, the doctors were not looking for it because it isn't something that had been seen for along time. Otherwise I would recommend a lotion that is 7 x's more effective than Eucerin generally perscribed, you must be a member of this wellness company, similar to membership fees at Costco but less expensive and the products truly have alot of value put into them, this company does not use perservatives like almost every other company and they have scientist that are constantly looking to improve quality lives for others. You can get some info from gotgreennow.fourpointwellness.com

Hi, M.. Guess what? We have had the same rash going around in our family! In looking at the medical books and talking to my doctor's office, we have figured out it is Fifth's Disease, also commonly called Slaps b/c the rash looks like someone slapped you. Sounds scary, but it's not a disease at all--it is a virus, and seems to be going around right now. No other symptoms, except that your daughter's joints might ache a little. It gets worse after a bath or shower, and will come and go for 5 weeks (lucky us!). Hope this info helps. It really does sound like the same thing.
S.

If she is running a fever or any other symptoms you may want to take her the Urgent care, I wouldn't rush her into the ER unless she has breathing issues, fever or something more severe.
Take her in first thing Monday though.
I don't know if children can get it as they get older, but I had shingles and it sounds a lot like this. Has she had the chicken pox or vaccine?
I had it up my thighs and it felt just like a sunburn. I saw my Dr and he gave me some medication to lessen the duration but that is about all they can do.
I wouldn't put anything on it though.
Does your Pediatrician have an after hours care? Mine does that goes directly to the Childrens Hospital and a nurse should call you back and give you some idea of what it could be once you give them the symptoms. Or have your Dr paged to see if it is serious. Better safe then sorry.
I hope she is feeling better soon! Poor thing.

My kids get rashes a lot like that in the winter time. I used to worry a lot about rashes but over the years I've learned that if there is no fever or they don't look sick, there is something in their environment bugging their skin or body and it's showing up on their skin. It could be the cold weather, it could be stress, it could be clothes, it could be food. Sometimes I cant figure out what it is, but I always put pure coconut oil (obtained at health food stores) on it. After a couple of days, the rash is gone. Read about the health and topical bennifits of coconut oil on the internet. Hope this helps.

Mommy of 6

M.-
The one thing that I would suggest is putting either Aveeno lotion on the spots, or else there are packets that you can put in the tub that are Aveeno as well. This is a natural colloidal oatmeal bath or lotion, and it will relieve her for at least a couple of hours. I have always gotten hives VERY badly, and this is the greatest remedy that I could ever find. It could at least hold off the ER for you until the doc opens tomorrow. Good luck!

At times I also have skin that is red and VERY painful to touch...especially skin to skin. I take advil to reduce the pain and sensitivity to my skin, and also room temp or a little cooler rags. If that does not help, I would for sure see a doc first thing Monday.

You could also just do urgent care. It would cost less but they could do just about the same thing.

Could be scarlet fever, an infection kids can get that presents as a bright red rash all over, can be very painful, can be contagious, and needs antibiotics. Take her to urgent care.