Little Itchy Bumps on Son's Body

Updated on June 19, 2010
K.I. asks from Beech Grove, IN
28 answers

I am having a problem with our youngest 5 year old son. He has developed itchy little bumps all over his body. At first,it was on his hands and I thought it looked exactly like my other son's eczema, so I began putting cortisone cream on him that was given to us for his brother. It seemed to help as those spots have cleared up. Then I started noticing that these tiny mostly colorless bumps are developing all over him and he itches at them until they are red or bleeding. We wondered if it could possibly be flea bites from the dogs but there are just too many to be flea bites and they just don't look like flea bites. (Not to mention I would be getting bitten too and I'm not.)
In the meantime, I am having my own issues with double vision until I can have a surgery to my eyes in June, so it's been very difficult driving my kids to appointments and my husband works over an hour away in the opposite direction. I have been giving him benadryl liquid and putting cortisone cream on it but just curious if anyone else has experienced anything like this. If it does not get better soon, I will get him to the doctor somehow. I just haven't hit the panic button yet.
Sorry for the ramble!

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So What Happened?

Hi everyone! First of all...thanks so much to everyone who replied and gave me some ideas as to what we were dealing with. My husband took the day off on Thursday and took our little one to the doctor and for those of you who guessed we were dealing with Scabies, give yourselves a gold star! I am pretty yucked out by the whole thing. My husband asked the doctor how on earth he could have been in contact with such a thing considering he stays home with me and I watch a few little ones during the day but they have seemed fine. The doctor said this is a very common problem and he sees it all the time! He gave us a cream to put on him overnight and we just washed it off this morning. I have gone through the entire house washing anything he has been in contact with and changing bedding along with vacuuming everything I can possibly get to. Hopefully this will take care of our yucky little problem! It makes me wiggly just thinking about it!
Anyway..thanks for all the replies and also a special thanks to all the moms sharing that they also suffer from Fibromyalgia. It's nice to know I am not alone in my suffering. Sometimes just knowing that others understand how it feels is comforting. I wish you all a wonderful day and God bless!

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J.K.

answers from Columbus on

I remember my son had that and the dr said they are harmless but my son did not itch. The dr prescribed a creme Retin A but it was very expensive. It eventually went away.
I also have the fibro thing! try yoga or water aerobics

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D.K.

answers from Indianapolis on

You need to read and utilize the book REVERSING FIBROMYALGIA. Twenty years ago.....there WAS no such thing. There's a reason for that!

Take the child to an allergy doctor. They can tell you what nutrients he's not getting, things that might be toxic, etc. Where are you located?

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E.B.

answers from Indianapolis on

Without seeing them it's hard to tell, but it sounds like it could be scabies. If so, you would need to see a doctor to get a prescription to get rid of them.

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S.L.

answers from Indianapolis on

From someone who has a child that has gotten darn near everything:

Hand foot and mouth will cause some bumps, but it generally presents with high fever and blisters in the mouth as well. Your son would be horribly uncomfortable if this was the case, including vomiting. It was god awful, my son has had it twice and I hope it never happens again.

Chicken pox- he should have watery blisters at the end of the bumps. A mild case can cause itchiness with no fever, and they do not necessarily spread all over. My son had them just on his upper back and on his face. But they are viral and normally go away after a 10 day cycle.

My suspicion-

Scabies- You said it started on his hands. Look at the skin between his fingers, and see if you can see any marks. If he has had them for awhile you might not, but if you aren't familiar, scabies is a kind of small, parasitic bug that burrows under the skin through the fingers. My brother got them when we were kids, awful, but cleared up relatively quickly once the doctor got involved. He had bumps that itched like crazy and would scratch them til they bled, and because they are bugs the bumps move around (not visibly generally but they can).

We used to clamor around the woods all the time as kids and my poor mom dealt with ticks, scabies, leeches, poison ivy and the sort all the time. Even if he hasn't been out in the woods, he is a little kid and could be susceptible to wind spread poison ivy without actually having to have contact with the plant itself.

I would go to the doctor and talk to him, see if they can determine what the problem is. He might be in need of a different kind of treatment, systemic instead of topical or a special kind of antibiotic ointment, like they use for scabies.

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T.M.

answers from Terre Haute on

You might research scabies. I'm not positive but I think this is pretty close to the symptoms my little cousin had. Back then the doc just gave you a rx cream to put on it before bedtime. It cleared up and he hasn't had any problems since. Hope this helps. Good luck. Shannon G.

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M.R.

answers from Columbus on

K.,

If these bumps are in rows, you might have your pediatricain check for scabies. My daughter had this, and if is very itchy, but not very large and it keeps spreading. Just a thought! I would consult the doctor to see what they say, might be worth cab fair...

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K.D.

answers from Cleveland on

I would have guessed scabies, bed bug bites (have you stayed in any hotels recently???) or hives. You definitely need to have that checked out by your doctor. Good luck!

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H.C.

answers from Indianapolis on

It sounds like Scabies to me. My nephew had it this winter and I took pictures to show his dad. It is contagious, but no one else in his family (5 brothers, 1 sister) had it and he was at our house for a full day when I discovered it. We just washed everything like the website said. He had to get a prescription from the doctor, nothing else will get rid of them, one spot will clear up, but they just move to another spot. Go to the Center for Disease Control website and you can get all the info you need there. I would get him into the doctor today, and hopefully you can keep it from spreading to everyone else in the house. He most likely got it from someone at shcool, preschool, daycare, etc. It's actually very common, but can be a pain to clear up!! Good luck. www.CDC.gov, i'm pretty sure that's the site.

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S.F.

answers from Indianapolis on

Have you thought of the possibility of hives?! Just a thought towards a diff direction other than exzema. My son is 2 1/2 and had a bad case of these & we didn't changed anything in his diet or anything like detergent around our house! They were just like really little skin-colored bumps that made him itch really bad to the point they turned red and sometimes started bleeding. I too gave him benedryl and it seemed to work! I would just watch it for a few more days to see if anything else changes! Best of luck to you and your own health problems!

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V.C.

answers from Toledo on

We have battled flesh colored bumps on one of my 17 mos triplets for the last few months. It mostly looks like goosebumps that don't go away, when he is warm the will turn more pink. They are different sizes raised and have a pit in the center, BUT our son dosen't seem to itch. The diagnosis we recieved was Molluscum Contagiousm. A common very contagious virus (especially for those whoar immunosuppressed) that presents itself this way. During his first bout we were diligent about keeping him seperated from siblings and visitors and did a 2 week run of topical cream Retin-A. An acne creanm that burns it off. After a month it returned so we use the cream when we see it reemerge and keep him coverd, but mot seperated. It can take years to get rid of it. We try to find the biggest reddest bump and treat that one its like the mother and feed the others. Found good info by googling Molluscum contagiousm. Good luck

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C.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

Is there a pattern to the bumps (3 in a row)? Do they look like there's a bite in the middle? It could be really bad ecxema, but you might also consider bed bugs. I know- ICK!- but it's spreading like crazy. Check your kid's room, the baseboards, the mattresses, drawers, backs of furniture and even behind outlet covers. I know it's hard to get to the doctor, but he should see one. Is there a friend or other family member that can drive you to the doctor? Best of luck.

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R.C.

answers from Dayton on

My nephew has this little whit bump thing too. He went to the doctor and it was not eczema though. The dermatologist told him to use Cetaphil lotion on them and it would help them go away. It is over the counter. He needs to use it everyday morning and night. It will keep them from drying out to the point of itching and also medicate the pores so they will close. Also they recomended that she change her laundry soap and to use a Anti-Bacterial bath soap like dial or safeguard or something.

Good Luck with the bumps and with your surgery.

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D.G.

answers from Columbus on

It does sound like flea bites and My boy friend visits other folks houses and comes home and I get bites, he doesn't.I always know where he has been because within 15 minutes of him coming in I get new bites.The bites are terribly ichy and make you feel like your going nuts trying to scratch them.First of all your pets should be treated with a product such as Advantage , then arrange to leave the home for several hours and treat your home with a good flea spray, I get mine from the vet, It costs $17. a can but kills those little biters and their eggs, it lasts up to 7 months unless you shampoo the carpets. Be sure to spray furniture and beddings as well. It hasn't completely stop me from getting bites but it sure has helped. Bugs used to never bite me, then I turned diabetic about a year and a half ago and have been getting bit ever since. I also suffer from Fibromyalgia.

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S.B.

answers from Columbus on

I have a friend who's daughter recently had scabies - you might want to look it up and see if this might match what your son has.
S. B.

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M.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

K.,

Hand, Foot and Mouth desease is very common right now, it is viral and they can catch it anywhere. My kids just had it and they couldn't give them any medication.
They didn't get very sick, a little malaise (lethargic and didn't want to eat much) are the sores / bumps in the mouth? They are common on the hands, mouth, feet... They look like little bumps under the skin and they get a very mild fever.

The symptoms go away in a week or so, the bumps are still there slithgtly after about 2 weeks...

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C.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

Keery
Try a good lotion for extremely dry skin and use it on him 2x a day. Morning and night and cut back on bathing unless he is really dirty.Every other night. You probably do the same thing with the other child that has eczema. And if that doesn't help call the doctor.It is not good to using alot of different things on him at the age of 5, you might cause a reaction to one of those creams that are not prescribed for him.Good Luck and God Bless

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L.C.

answers from Dayton on

It could be exzema. My friend's kids have it and is all over their little body's. She uses products for them called mustella (?). I think that's right, but I'll check. It is over the counter special baths, shampoos and lotions for kids with exzema.

My son had an allergic reaction to new fabric softener (no apple mango tango for us) and he had the little bumps like that. Any other time they have been ginormous hives that pop up and go away on their own. I didn't know what it was until we took him to the doctor. Poor kid. I washed his boxers in it, so you can imagine where the rash was. He was 12 and had to show the female doctor. Lesson learned. Check what all you have changed, if anything.

If the benedryl is making the bumps clear up, it is probably allergies.

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R.J.

answers from Cleveland on

K.,

I too have fibroymyalgia, so I understand how frustrating any thing that pops up can be. It's hard enough just to do the normal mundane things, isn't it? Please, do not drive your kids to the doc. Call their pediatrician and explain your situation. Now I know that they almost always will not give advice over the phone. But there is a creme, I for the life of me cannot remember the name of it, that my daughter had to use for these little tiny white bumps that popped up on her arms and cheeks.

It's in a tube, about $7 for an 11 oz. one and it's for calming the skin. It worked remarkably well. I almost want to say that it might be called Calm, but my mind is blank. (Thanks to my old friend, fibromyalgia!)

Truthfully, my concern is for you. I have had fibro for several years, and I know how horrible it can get. You need sleep, to eat good whole foods. Organic would be best, vegetarian if you can do it. And yoga works wonders. Being the mom of 4 kids means that you need your health and energy, so take care of yourself too, girl!

Best of luck,

R.

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M.B.

answers from Steubenville on

i myself am going through the same thing . i have had the same bumps on my hands and arms, they come and go and itch like crazy. i have been using hydrocortisone cream on them and it seems to help the itch. the doctor said if it doesn't clear up by the next appt, she will put me on cortisteroids to clear it up quicker. it is eczema and it recurs, both my boys have it and it really flairs up in the winter, but chemicals and regular lotion irritates it. hope this helps. also try soaking him in aveeno oatmeal bath, this seems to help my boys.

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J.A.

answers from Cincinnati on

I have gotten these colorless bumps myself, and boy, do they itch like crazy. For me, there's a connection to the breakouts between stress, lack of exercise and a diet high in breads (pizza, sandwiches, etc). With that combo my body's immunity was compromised and I couldn't efficiently eliminate the toxins so the body pushed them through the skin in the form of bumps. I changed vitamins and that (I believe) has made the biggest difference for me. My digestion is back on track and I no longer get the colorless bumps. I now use Isotonix brand vitamins instead of GNC and highly recommend them to anyone.

I would suggest you try the following:
1) Get a good vitamin. If using tablets, test them out in vinegar. Whatever part of the tablet dissolves after 45 mins is what your body is getting. Rest is simply being flushed away. We live in a processed food world whether we like it or not and we just aren't getting all the nutrition from the foods we eat like we think we are. You need a good supplement.
2) If you're son is active, great. If not, get him moving. He should be generating a sweat for at least 20 mins each day. This will help clear his skin allot. Also being in the sunshine is great for the skin.
3) You might want to think about the foods he eats/what he's doing when the bumps flare up. Maybe it's diet? Maybe it's environmental. Maybe it's emotional. Stress is a lot harder on the system then people think.

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D.P.

answers from Cleveland on

When my daughter was about 3 yrs. old she had these weird clear bumps on the back of her legs. I took her to her doctor and he gave her a creme for it. It didn't clear up but it did get worse. She would scratch them and they would bleed and scab up. After taking her to the doctor 3 different times and him not getting it cleared up I finally took her to another doctor. That doctor (now our family DR.) told me it was maluscum (I think that is how it is spelled). I had to take her to a dermatologist to have them burned off. You might want to get him to a DR. as soon as possible. Ask a family member if they can take him. I wouldn't wait any longer.

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A.Q.

answers from Youngstown on

Hi K., When my kids were small, about the same age as yours they also got these strange bumps on them. Took them to the docs and they had the scabies, which is a tiny bug that gets under the skin and lives, trails of red lines are usually there. But you might want to take him to the docs and have him checked for scabies. A special cream will get rid of it and wash EVERYTHING in hot water. Good luck. Kathy

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H.K.

answers from Lafayette on

Hi K.!

I wonder if you have changed diet or detergents, or soap or anything like that. I personally don't get large hives like many people with allergies do, but I get small bumps that by themselves would be hardly visible, but there are so many and they itch when I change things. I always thought it was dry skin and would moisturize and try different moisturizers because none would get rid of it. I was making it worse with trying all the different moisturizers. Once I found out it was allergies, I was very careful with what shampoos I use, even. I, personally use a lot of products from The Body Shop. It sounds like you might be near Indianapolis in which case there is a store in the Keystone mall. If not, you can search on their website and they have at-home consultants you can order from. Their products are all-natural based and I don't have reactions to them (except ones with almonds as I am allergic to those). Their body butters are extremely rich so if it is just a dry skin issue, that would would wonderfully. Good luck.

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M.G.

answers from Columbus on

What are you wanting for, get your son into the doctor asap. call the nurse and tell her what you have posted to us and what he is experiencing. You don't want to make matters worst. Wash the dog twice a week and make son wash hands more often especially after playing with dog. check on the laundry soap and body soap you are using also.

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J.S.

answers from Terre Haute on

Does the bumps look almost like pimples? If so, Those are CHICKEN POX!! You can get chicken pox still if you had the shot for them. My girls had. They didn't get them seriously bad, but they have gotten them. Other than that, fleas do bite and could attack only one person out of 5 in the house. We have 2 dogs, a puppy and 3 cats and fleas were really bad last year. And they would usually go after my fiance and my two older girls. I don't know if its a seasoning that we eat or an enzyme that is in our system that they don't like or do like. The more you vacuum, the less of the problem. But make sure that you vacuum where the pets are the most...if there's pets. Than get rid of the bag or empty the container in a plastic garbage bag outside. That way they don't reinfest. Also, it can be dry skin. Try Cetaphil lotion. That will clear it up if its that. Hopefully its nothing serious. Good Luck!

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C.U.

answers from Kokomo on

I have a few tiny colorless bumps on me as well as some red bumps, & I also have fibromyalgia! I don't have any answers about the bumps, but my thought is--do you notice any correlation with certain foods or additives that he eats? My fibromyalgia was caused by silicon dioxide & talc in my thyroid pills & vitamins. It is getting better, as I have quit taking these. (I'm going to talk with the doctor at the end of the month on how to treat my thyroid instead of taking those pills....)

Anyway, the bumps on me seem to be getting better as well. It makes me wonder if it's related. I have read of other additives/chemicals that are suspected of causing fibro. as well, so maybe they could also cause bumps??

BTW, our daughter is seen at Riley Children's Hospital for spina bifida & hydrocephalus, and we have been happily married almost 16 years, too. :)

Oh--reading other responses reminded me: sometimes we use Eucerin Calming Creme on skin issues with good success. (Yeah--that "brain fog" from fibro. is FRUSTRATING!! It's amazing to have mine getting better; praise God!!!)

C.

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K.N.

answers from Cleveland on

my kids and i as well and my mom and brother all have the bumps, lol. almost like littlepimples or goose bumpbs all over my arms and legs, it's dry skin, it gets itchy if i don't use a good lotion every day, i use an all natural one, because i have sensitive skin as well, my dd gets worse if she takes a bath and soaks because it dries her out more. try whatever lotion you have handy for a couple days and see if he stops itching, or have hubby pick up something good, gold bond makes a lotion, and aquafor (sp?) is good as well, on the way home from work for you and give that a shot before you go to the doctor. also somethign to think about could it have anything to do with their endocrine disorder or any meds they mioght be on, i know nothing about it so i have no idea but it's a possibility. good luck.

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M.G.

answers from Philadelphia on

My 5yr old had it to. I took him to a dermatoligist and she burned them off because they we like worts and now he has a horrible rash and had to take him to the family doctor because it is now all over his body and infected. He is in pain and on 3 antibiodics for this. Please becareful of what the dermotioligist does because now I have to take him back to see what she can also do to help him

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