Rash Spreading on Skin over Weeks Time

My first thought is, do you have pets?? Could it be flea bites. They generally start at the feet. I know this because I am the only one in my family that ever gets bitten by fleas. We have 2 dogs and they got fleas once and I was the only one who got bitten. Luckily we got rid of the fleas very quickly!!! Same thing would happen when I was a kids and a dog or cat got fleas....nobody bitten but me! Anyway, maybe that could be it. Also as far as Benedryl...it is for alergic reactions of many kinds. This week I had to take my son to the doctor for a mysterious rash on his neck. She gave us a script for stronger cortisone, and told me to give him Benedryl for the itching. He has taken it for poison ivy before as well. Good luck!!!

Unfortunately pediatricians don't know what all rashes are and can't possibly know what they all are. The doctor was probably correct about it not being Lyme disease since a rash from Lyme Disease does not appear for about 7 weeks after the initial tick bite. Benadryl is for all types of allergic reactions, rashes included, and will help with the itching. If you are still concerned about the rash I would go to a dermatologist who would be more likely to know what the rash is. I would still follow the advice of the doctor even though as a mother of a 5 and 2 year old I feel the pain of the mess! It is still absorbing into the skin though. My husband is a family practitioner and I am always convinced my children have some sort of strange disease when they get a rash. Usually a topical steriod cream does the trick and he can't always tell me what he thinks the rash is either. Good luck!

Take her to a pediatric dermatologist for a second opinion. There are SO many things that it could be. I doubt it is Lime though so don't worry about that. Also-yes, Benadryl IS used to control itching. Good luck.

I know I'm a little late and you've had a lot of responses, but there is another possibility that I wanted to mention to you. It's a type of eczema called dishydrosis (dry skin infection). I've had it off and on over the years, and it's very itchy. If you scratch it, it will spread. I think it tends to start on the bottoms of feet and palms of hands, although mine never did that. Mine tends to bother the front of my right leg, the backs of my hands, and my elbows (weird). You can always look up symptoms and things online (WebMD). The first cream they prescribed me was a steroid cream which made the hair on my leg grow in very quickly and dark. I stopped using it right away, but that area on my leg still grows hair faster and darker than the rest of my leg. Later, they gave me the prescription cream Elidel. I think it might also be a type of steroid, but it didn't mess with my hair growth. I used it every night on my leg for a period of time just to keep the breakouts at bay, which worked well. But, then I read the medical info and warnings about it, and stopped using it right away. It said not to use on broken skin -something about it getting into the bloodstream and it causing cancer!(I would scratch at night in my sleep and find blood under my fingernails in the morning, so of course, I had been putting it on broken skin). Elidel is the one that was advertised to be so gentle that it was safe for children too. Just thought you should be warned. I'm glad to hear that you're planning on taking her to the dermatologist. It's best to just go to the expert and get the right diagnosis from the start. Also, it sounds like you might want to get a better doctor/pediatrician. If they don't seem too concerned about your concerns or at least, explain some things to you, or refer you to someone who would know what it is, then they may not be worth all the stress. I expect a lot more from someone who's treating children. I had a horrible pediatrician when my son was a baby, and I don't think anyone else should have to deal with inadequate medical care, especially for their children.

First of all, I would definitely get a second opinion if I wasn't satisfied with the way your regular doc handled the situation. When you apply the cream make sure it's all rubbed in and give it a second or two to absorb. Try to apply it to spots that are exposed first (arms, legs, etc.) then move to unexposed areas (this will give the exposed areas a little more time to absorb). Benadryl is absolutely NOT just for sinus congestion. Your doctor prescribed Benadryl because it is a histamine blocker. An allergy occurs when the body identifies and reacts to a foreign substance (pollen, poison, bites, etc.). When your body comes in contact with an allergen it releases histamines, which illicit responses such as inflammation and leaking of small blood vessels. This in turn causes allergy symptoms. So, in short giving your daughter Benadryl will help with the itch, inflammation, and discomfort. Also, try to remember that babies and children may be more affected by bites or stings than adults. I hope this helps!

~S.~

PS. I saw that someone said that you can not use the cream and the Benadryl at the same time. This is only for the Benadryl cream and the oral Benadryl (you can't use them both at the same time since they are the same thing in a different form). The steroid cream that your doc gave you is most likely not Benadryl (since you said it's a steroid cream) so it's fine to use them together.

Hi J., That sounds just like the rash my youngest got on the back of her ankle that spread up her leg when she was about 3. I know this sounds funny, but our ped. suggested it to us after the cream he perscribed didn't work. Get a box of lipton ice tea bags and make a luke warm tea bath (takes about two bags per bath) and let her play in it. (make sure she soaks all the rash) Don't use any soap durring these baths (we did it twice a day for the first couple of days then once a day until the rash went completely away.) You should see changes in the rash after a day or so. It will start to dry up and begin to heal and the itch will fade. It is an "old wives" remedy for "weepy" rashes and it WORKS!! I have been told that there is a natural acid in tea that is the active ingredient. Now this didn't stain my bathtub or my daughter but I did use dark towels for her to dry off with (pat not rub drying the unaffected areas first). It also didn't stain my daughter LOL. The spread is because of her touching (or scratching) then touching other areas of her skin...my daughter spred it to the bottom of her bottom by sitting on her knees! I have discovered that tea baths work for just about every rash except for chicken pox (alveno baths are great for that FYI). Best wishes & Good Luck.

J., you have gotten many responses but let me correct one thing. I have severe allergies as does my 13 year old daughter. We have both been told to use both the benadryl cream and the benadryl liquid when we have had an outbreak.

My daughters allergies caused her to have very fine bumps on her skin which were actually a reaction to what she was reacting to. In your child's case it could have been something that started initially outside and the reaction spread. It can be difficult to determine the cause.

You are on the right track with the Aveeno, I also agree with seeking second opinions - either an dermatologist or allergist. Sometimes it takes more than 1 specialist. It also may take awhile to figure out.

Good luck.

In my personal experience (my parents & 2 siblings all had lyme disease) lyme disease doesn't create that kind of rash. Sometimes you will get a bullseye rash around the bite, but I've never heard of a full body rash. Also, there is no way the rash could develop before the tick bite. (Ticks only stay on the body 24 hours max, so the earliest she could have been bitten was 24 hours earlier, but the bumps started a day before that). The only way the rash could be related to a tick is if one bit her without you knowing it. However, I think that is unlikely. The reason the Dr would not order lyme blood work is b/c the test is incredibly inaccurate. My mom had lyme more than once & each time she had EVERY symptom, but she has never had a positive lyme test. It would be an unnecessary trauma to subject your daughter to the blood work.
Benadryl is used for allergy relief & one of its major effects is itch relief.
As for what it COULD be...it sounds to me like chicken pox, but I don't know why a doctor wouldn't recognize that immediately. It might also be an allergic reaction to something, allergic reactions can take days to go away, though I would normally think that it would happen faster. It could be some kind of infection, like Impetigo, like another poster suggested. Again, I don't know why these things wouldn't be recognized. Its also possible that its just a rash of unknown origin (sometimes the cause doesn't really matter - I know as a mom that would be frustrating - I would want a reason, but if that's what your dr thought she should have explained that).
As for your doctor...I have unfortunately come to realize that MANY doctors are just not very good at what they do. I think its b/c they feel self-important & don't want to spend the time with their patients that they should. Your doctor should have explained to you why she didn't want to do the lyme test (like I just did). She should have also told you that she wanted you to try the cream for x number of days & if it wasn't gone by then, then she would refer you to a dermatologist for a better explanation. If you are not comfortable with your dr's response, then you should get a second opinion & find yourself a new ped. Good luck.

Some things that may help: bathe your child in cool to luke-warm water, the warmer the water is, the more open the pores become, and with the areas oozing, will make the rash spread more, I speak from experience, I very frequently had poison as a kid and that just caused it to spread more. If you haven't tried the Aveeno anti-itch lotion I will recomend that, it works very well on rashes, poison, and insect bites, I think it is better than benadryl cream or hydrocortisone cream. Oral benadryl will help to relieve some of the itching because it is formulated for allergies and allergic reactions, it may make your child more sleepy than normal or it could have the opposite effect and create more energy, children react to medications differntly than adults. Also, if you see your child scratching or picking at it, wash her hands ASAP, to rinse off the oils, if she were to rub her eyes after scatching, it could spread to her eyes and that is very uncomfortable, esp. for a young child.

Remember that steroids are totally different than Caladryl, they will help stop the itching and the allergic reaction (it sounds like an allergic reaction to the bites, maybe). Benadryl liquid is great for itching and skin allergic reactions, plus it's mildly sedating which also helps your child sleep instead of scratching. But if it doesn't start resolving relatively soon, I would try to get referred to a dermatologist.

If I read your post correctly she had little bumps that looked like bug bites that eventually blistered and oozed. I had poison ivy last year and that is exactly what it did. I, too, thought they were bites - I assumed mosquito bites. It started on by my wrists and moved up to my elbows. I had never had poison ivy before that so I wasn't sure what the rash looked like. To add to my confusion, as near as I can tell, my exposure was about 3 weeks before the rash broke out. My research on the internet said that often happens the first time or two you get poison ivy - it doesn't show up immediately or within a day or two as I had assumed, it shows up after a couple weeks. If you google poison ivy photos and poison ivy rash photos you can see what the plant looks like (unfortunately many forms) and the rash (some pictures are pretty nasty of the bad cases). Good luck! I hope you get an answer. Let us know when you find out.

Hi J.,

Get a second opinion. Take her to a Dermatologist.

Good luck. D.

Please visit www.lymediseaseassociation.org to obtain info on Lyme Disease. Your child should be on at least 3-6 weeks of amoxycillin whether she has a positive blood test or not. If the tick was imbedded to her skin then the lyme bacteria had enough time to enter her body and that can lead to lifelong problems if not treated immediately. It is common for other rashes to appear other than the site of the bite. Don't let the dr's tell you otherwise. They are not knowledgable about this disease and if you don't advocate for your child, she will suffer greatly down the road. Please seek help.

Benadryl is correct to take the itching out. Strange that the rash spread. Does she hurt at all because when my friends son had a rash his leg also hurt and it was shingles. That's all it sounds like is that or poison ivy, oak ect. check webmd.com and put in the rash and see what that comes up as. i hate when dr's just guess at the problem like that and i'm usually like why did i bother coming to the dr.

Could it be hives? Do the bumps come and go within 24 hours? Benedryl is safe for kids and good for controlling itch and is an antihistimine, so it can reduce the wheals. If it could be hives, there are other antihistimines that can be tried (with doctor's approval, of course). Claritin and zyrtec are popular ones. An allergist/immunologist is a good doc to see for hives, but a derm is good too. Hives less than 6 weeks is an acute issue, but if it lasts longer, then it is chronic and will need antihistimine treatment to help control them. I have chronic hives and have to take antihistimines daily (above the recommended dose) to help keep them controlled.

If it is hives, this site (and the associated message board) is a great resource and support....http://www.urticaria.thunderworksinc.com

good luck!
Jen

J.,
My son started with what looked like a red pimple on his butt. I noticed it in the tub & thought "ok--no big deal" but by the next night in the tub he had these "pimples all over his little bum and upper thighs. I was alrmed and took him to the pediatrician the next day. She took O. quick look and declared it Impetigo...a rash infection from possibly scratching skin with nails that were not too clean--playing outside, etc. That's all it takes and it spreads FAST. He needed a 10 day course of antibiotic which cleared it right up.
That said, I would doubt if your doctor wouldn't be able to ID that quickly though.....definitly get a second opinion..even if you take her to Med Express (they usually take all insurance & it's FAST & I've had very good experience with them) or consider taking her to a dermatologist...doesn't have to be a pediatric derm. Good luck!

p.s. I just saw something about removing ticks, in case you get another O., dab liquid soap onto it and the tick comes out. Worth a try. Just in case :-)

i J. - look up lichen planus - it is a very rare skin disease that i was diagnosed with in 2000 - it took a really long time and skin biopsys until they finally got it right - the only reason is mine also started on my feet/ankles it moved up my whole body (but does not go on the face) over the years it has gotten somewhat better but still remains on my feet/ankles and also my wrists. good luck

I'd follow your mommy gut instinct, and make an appointment with a pediatric dermatologist. If you were in Pittsburgh, I'd recommend one, but maybe another mommy here knows one in York. If not, call your ped's office and insist on a referral.

Hi,

Quick question....are the bumps on the bottom of her feet as well? On her palms? My son had something a few years ago, hoof and mouth?? It was from putting something dirty in his mouth like a dirty toy. He started to get itchy bumps that started on his feet and spread. He also had them on his palms as well. The doctor was able to prescribe something for it and it went away no problem. You should look online and see if the picks look anything like your daughters bumps. I think it is pretty common though so the doc should have picked it up when looking at her I would assume.
Also, I give my son benedryl. He gets really itchy when he gets bug bits and will itch till he bleeds so I give it to him when he gets them and it seems to help a lot. Dont feel uncomfortable giving it to her.
Good luck. I hope you are able to get a second opinion that puts you at ease.

J.
I know how you feel. My daughter is being biten badly as well. The bites seem to not show sometimes for a day or so then the she has has 6 at a time even on her head! She landed in the emergency room last year with an infected bug bite so I dont take this lightly!

I have been pro active in bug proofing the house with indoor mosquito traps from this company: http://www.northlineexpress.com

I use the aveeno bath and I have used the benedryl only if the inching is bad and before bed because it makes them sleepy.I also use rubbing alcohol first and benedryl gel and put a bandaid on them to have her stop the iching and they seem to dry up within a few days.I have used in the past an aspirin and crush it up till its powder and then add a few drops of water till its a paste and then put that on the bite and it seems to stop the itching and takes away the redness.

I also make my daughter where a wrist band for kids with no deet to keep bugs away in the house and outside. I also put dryer sheets in her pillow case at night when she is sleeping (they say that also keeps the mosquitoes away)
I am trying everything as you can see and so far I have kept them at bay for about a week no new bites so if any of my experience can help you....I wish you a good and bug free summer!

S.

Hi J., Do you have pets? It could be flea bites or spider bites or someother bites. Google images of flea bites and other bites common for your area and see if you can find something that looks similar to your little girl's marks. It definitely sounds like some kind of bite and not lyme's, though. Hopefully it's not fleas they are a 'bugger' to get rid of. Good luck.

Hi J. -

My son had some type of rash on his one foot. At first we just thought they were blisters...then they starting filling with puss and things and spreading. We would try and keep them covered. (He too was outside with bare feet a lot prior) Then the redness started to spread, that was it, we took him to the ER. The doctor said he had a skin infection. He gave us an antibiotic for him to take orally and then just to keep the area very clean and to keep it covered with gauze pads...I think they may have given us some cream too. After a day of the antibiotic the redness started to clear up. It never spread farther than his foot though. I think you should get your daughter to a dermatologist first thing tomorrow or take her to the ER. And Benadryl should be taken if your child has an allergic reaction (per our next door neighbor who is a pharmacist). I hope I have been of some help. Please let me know how things turn out. L.

It sounds like some type of allergic reaction or may be eczema. try the benedryll and the oatmeal bath for a couple days and see if it works. when she is sleeping put some cream on her bites then she can not rub it off.
My son is almost two so i can relate to them not liking stuff rubbed on their skin. I would go to a dermatologist if it does not get better. the other thing to think is if you changed laundry soaps,sometimes there can be a reaction to that. I had a bad rash one time when i was younger from cheap laundry soap that was used.
good luck

google fifths disease (another fancy name for a virus), search for pictures, and see if it's a possibility. I had something similar a year & a half ago that my doctor never figured out what, I was searching when one of kids was sick recently and realized I think I had fifths disease...

Hi J.....if you still want a second opinion, maybe you should call a skin dr. I took my son to one, after the ped. had misdiagnosed a skin rash and the dermatologist knew immediatley what it was and how to treat it. good luck!!!

Hi J., I can'teven guess what the rash is there are so many possibalities. However just FYI. Benadryl is for allergic reactions and itching.I know this has been mentioned before however I didn't see anyone mention that you cannot use the cream in addition with the oral medication. Only one or the other. This is due to the cream being absorbed into the skin and blood stream. I'm pretty sure it's on the lable of the cream. Good Luck finding out what it is.

J.,
Get a second opinion. Why would you leave without blood work??? You do not leave the hospital until all your needs are met.