3 Year Old with Quite a Few Different Symptoms and Don't Know If They Are Linked

2 things are EXTREMELY common:

1) A strep rash following what appear to be cold/flu like symptoms, but was actually a strep infection. ((His blood work has shown active antibodies for strep, which either means that it WAS a strep infection, OR he's a strep carrier -not a big deal- 80% of hospital workers are staph or strep carriers, and everyone's a carrier for *something*. A person who is a strep carrier is unaffected by strep, but they always test positive for it, regardless of what they're sick for. Strep carriers are common, so finding the antibodies isn't definitive, although many doctors would assume such. Sounds like you have a good doc that they're also investigating other possibilities along with the most likely culprit.))

2) Allergic reactions to antibiotics. Also super common, they USUALLY start as symptoms so mild you miss them, increase over time to noticeable symptoms, and then either the allergy vanishes or it turns into a full anaphylaxis allergy. If I'm reading your timeline right, the amoxicillin was started AFTER the reaction... so if the rash didn't get worse from the amoxicillin cross allergy off the list.

Juvenile Arthritis is less common than both of the above, but it ALSO fits the symptoms. (Actually so do a whole host of other things, but those 3 are the best fit. The first two being really reeeeaally common. Without testing, or another case/flare up it will be impossible to know which.)

Since the benedryl had effect, that tells the doctor a WHOLE lot, but it doesn't actually give a diagnosis yet. JA is an over reaction of the immune system... it starts attacking the body, instead of the invader, typically at the joints. The same way that an allergic reaction attacks a substance as if it were poisonous. The body's immune system is turning against itself. Benedryl having effect could be EITHER helping the RA or the inflammation from a strep rash or an allergic reaction to the meds.

It sounds like you're receiving a high standard of care, BUT next time the rash returns, get medical eyes on it pronto (trained eyes are worth a thousand words). Either at the office or the ER if at night, until the rash has a Dx.

best
R

If he is still having symptoms, I would take him to the ER and see what the ER Docs think. ER Doctors look at things differently often times. Tell them the whole timeline and symptoms just as you did here.

Get a 2nd opinion.
It could be anything... and, your Doctor does NOT know CONCLUSIVELY that it is "strep."

I would look into it right away. Don't wait.

i had something similar when i was young and they diagnosed it as 5th disease. a common virus that just runs its course. it might be worth it to run that name by the dr. did his cheeks get red and look like they were "slapped"? that is a symptom. i remember my feet felt swollen and hurt when i walked.

The swelling and redness sounds to me like a severe allergic reaction to the amoxicillin. My son had the same reaction. It finally got to the point of him not being able to walk so his doctor told us to take him to the ER. They gave him a steroid shot and he was much better within an hour or so.

do not wait.take a second opinion right away.good luck.

First thing that comes into my mind is has he had any vaccinations in the past couple of weeks. If so, you need to get immediate help with removing the toxins that are affecting his nerves.

While on antibiotics, make sure you are giving him a good probiotic as well, two to three hours on either side of the antibotic.

Let me know if it might be vaccine related and I will send you some information of what to do next.

Please get a second opinion right away. Allergies to medication is very serious. You definitely would not want him to continue with this medication. There are other antibiotics he could take. They also should be checking him for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. The swollen hot joints and the aching everywhere are definitely symptomatic. Don't wait. I have RA myself and it needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible.

If the rash started after taking the amoxcilin I would have the doctor check to see if he is allergic. The same thing happened to my daughter and we found out she is allergic to amoxcilin. Had her stop taking it immediately and everything cleared up pretty quickly.

The doctors don't know everything. Follow your mother's instinct and do was necessary for your child. I would take him to the ER that specialize in children.

My daughter was sick for with a fever for 7 days...went to the doctor and perhaps its something viral. She's better now, but I thought many times we would have to visit the ER because I was not happy with the pediatrician.

Hope he gets better soon!

I would get a second opinion asap. The strep infection could have spread elsewhere in the body. Maybe into his joints, bones or muscles. My nephew had a srep infection in his hip joint almost did not survive it. He will always have problems with his hip now. I would get him checked out asap somewhere else.

Has the doctor mentioned roseola? My 15 month old came down with it this month. It is a virus that causes a very high fever for a couple of days, then the kid breaks out into a rash that can last a few hours to a few days. This sounds very similar to what my daughter went through. No treatment (except drugs to deal with the pain, if needed), and it goes away on its own. Check with a doctor-Good luck!

If the rash was flat, ask dr. to test for parvovirus B-19, better known as 5th disease. I had it a few years ago and the only reason my dr. thought to test for it was that she'd had it before too. The rash can have a lacy look to it. I thought it looked really cool except that my knees and wrists hurt so badly I couldn't even pick my baby up. Good luck!

I have to second the second opinion.
How your doctor is guessing a strep infection from the bloodowrk is a mystery to me, unless the strep is in his bloodstream and a culture was made - that would be a pretty serious infection though...
My guess is he is probably just guessing wildly and prescribing something (anything) to make you feel better.

Now it isn't too unusual to complain of pain in the joints (especially hand and feet) after a fever. But with everything else going on you will want to get a proper diagnosis, especially when a possible allergic reaction to medication was involved, you wold want to know exactly what triggered it to avoid triggering worse reactions in the future.

Agree with Precious. Get another medical opinion.