Red Rash on My 10-Month Old...

Updated on February 26, 2010
E.A. asks from Los Angeles, CA
12 answers

I have a super incompetent pediatrician so I wanted to ask moms here for their opinion.
My 10-month old has had a cold for about a month (runny nose, cough, a fever for a couple of those days), and I finally took him to the pediatrician yesterday because I noticed a bit of rash-like red spots around his eyes and forehead. While waiting at the office it had spread down to his stomach. I showed it to the doctor but she just brushed it off with "Well, you don't know what's causing it" and told me not to worry unless if there is blood under the skin. This morning the rash is a lot worse and the red spots around his eyes are no longer spots, but more like a general redness all around the eyes and forehead.
Anyone familiar with something like this?

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So What Happened?

Thank you for all the response!
I had actually seen the doctor who was sitting in for my baby's regular doctor. I went back in this morning to see our regular doctor and he figures it's spinach allergies. We went through all the symptoms with the timeline for when/how long they lasted, and he ruled out rosasea and other viral infections. The only thing that seems to have caused it was the new food that was introduced within 48 hours of the onset of the rash: spinach!
I had no idea you could be allergic to spinach - but then again, I guess you could be allergic to anything! So we've been told to hold off on spinach for a couple of months, and to also not introduce any foods into his diet until the rash goes away. Keeping my fingers crossed that the rash will go away in the next couple of days....

Featured Answers

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M.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

I don't know what it is, but get a different pediatrician.

I go to Seaview Pediatrics in Aliso Viejo and they are wonderful with my kids.

-M

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K.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

It sounds like it oculd be strep or staph related. Head to an urgent care... Be straightforward. And get a new peridatrician, ASAP. Sometimes, while insurance is dictating where we go for healthcare it becomes necessary to pay for a cash visit. to a new doc. Call ahead, explain your situation, and ask if they can cut you a deal on a cash visit.
Good luck, and God bless

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D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

I don't have familiarity with this condition, but I can tell you what our pediatrician would do.....

1. He's not an expert on skin disorders, so he usually refers to a dermatologist for an expert opinion
2. He'd likely recommend Benadryl to see if it's an allergic reaction
3. He'd recommend a call back in 48 hours to see if it's getting better. If, at any point it got worse and compromised the child's breathing, etc., he'd send us right to a Pediatric ER.

Good luck. Sorry to hear you're dealing with someone who's not as interesting in your child's well-being as you are.

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A.B.

answers from Las Vegas on

My son had similar rashes...it was food allergies. A neuromuscular technician (or see a chiropractor for a referral to one)was able to identify them and help us. Blood tests didn't reveal any sensitivities, but the neuro mus tech was able to tell us all the things he shouldn't be eating. When we eliminated those foods from his diet, rash dissappeared, happier baby, no more teary eyes, etc.

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D.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

If I were you, I would find a new pediatrician. (I know it depends on your insurance if you can change at any time) I might be a bit paranoid, but I freak out with rashes, and immediately take them to the doctor. Sometimes my pediatrician knows immediately upon looking at the rash, what it is. My suggestion is go for a second opinion because we could speculate all day as to what it is, but ultimately, the only one who can really tell you is the doctor.
P.S. My pediatrician does not take rashes lightly, often the rash, coupled with other symptoms, tells them something else is going on with your child's health. Good luck.

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B.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My daughter and son have been sick a lot this winter and one of the illnesses gave her a fever and red spots everywhere. She was diagnosed with roseola (sp?) a totally common illness that goes away on it's own. Maybe look it up and see if it sounds like what your son has. Hope he feels better soon.

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K.A.

answers from Seattle on

It sounds like an allergic reaction especially because of how it spread.
Have you read the symptoms of measles? It includes cold symptoms, rash and eye irritation.
But since the rash started with the face I think it's allergic rash... Is it itchy? Dry? Bumpy? Could be eczema.

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G.B.

answers from Boise on

You could look up childhood rashes on the net. (look up images too). Some of them look very similar so watch for where they started and move to, if they are raised or not, are they hot to the touch, etc. Some rashes will only be on the face and trunk, some will be on feet and roof of mouth, some will itch and some won't, etc. If you have been exposed to other children lately, find out from thier parents if they are still healthy. We were exposed to a child last year who had strep (we didn't know), and later my son got a cold and throat symptoms. He complained of a sore throat, but it didnt seem to be as painful as a strep sore throat should be so I assumed it was a common cold. After a time, it started making good progress going away. But then, as he seemed to be getting better, he came down with a red rash starting on his neck, around behind his ear, and then face and moving down his chest and went to the creases under his arms and in his elbow creases. I studies rashes and his other symptoms online for many hours, and pinpointed it- Scarlet Fever caused by strep. My freind called and we were talking and she said her son had gone to the doc the previous week and had gotten meds for strep throat. Great.
My son had a texbook Scarelt fever case and textbook rash images and still the doc couldn't figure it out! When I suggested scarlet fever he told me that scarlet fever doesn't usually occur on the neck and face- which is totally false according to all the professionals who wrote the medical papers online.
So either this guy is a complete monkey or every medical website online is. I'd venture to say that it is the former! I would like to say this is an isolated case but I find medical incompetence to be rampant. The reason they get away with such hooey is they are dealing with a public who is not armed and schooled in medicine and so any lame diagnosis can be passed off. And some expensive pill that only covers up the symptoms can be prescribed. Who can refute it? As moms we need to educate ourselves so that we can be our child's first line of defense.

I would venture to say, because of the other symptoms you mentioned, it is not an allergy, but an actual bug of some sort. I could be wrong but I've never heard of a skin allergy causing a fever. AskDrsears.com will give you descriptions of different kinds of rashes so you can narrow things down when you do your research.

Best of luck and get well wishes for your little love,
Gail

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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

When my daughter was around that age she had a similar rash. It was roseola. It got better within a week. Don't know if that is what you boy has, but it sounds like when my daughter had it.

If you are really worried do you have another doctor you could call? If it gets really bad I would suggest taking him to the ER.

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G.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Yes! Sounds very familiar. My son, who is now 3 1/2, gets a rash like this every single time he gets sick. He would get a rash, spots, that would then spread to big red botches and welts, sometimes raised ones.
In his case, its would start in his outer upper arms, and outer legs but then be all over his back, tummy, inner legs, and private areas, everywhere! I thought it was bug bites, detergents, even thought there was something wrong with the bedding at his new daycare. I didn't know what it was for a long time, it would come, get worse and go. Finally, when my son was 19 months, our pedi saw it and told me it was hives, actually part of his allergic reaction to the cold, flu etc.
It was disappearing and appearing because any cold meds with antihistamines would calm down the allergies (histamines).
Now, its almost an indicator for me. :) If I notice red spots on his upper arms or a sandpaper texture which comes before the redness, I know chances are, he is going to come down with a cold or the flu and he will soon be covered with redness. Never fails, sad but true.

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K.K.

answers from San Diego on

Hello, First of all, maybe you can change your pediatrician. Second, it may actually be allergies. I am not diagnosing this, but it sounds very much like your baby is allergic to something. Third, I have been through a doctor not wanting to follow through with promises. I went to patient services and reported this to Kaiser (many years ago). The doctor got mad and called me. He was very rude, but I got what I wanted and was referred to a specialist for my daughter.
Good luck with your precious baby boy.
K. K.

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J.R.

answers from Miami on

a. good for you for staying on top of your child's health despite your dr!!!
b. i am no expert, but my little one had roseola infantum at this age which sounds a bit like what your son is experiencing.
c. go to another dr. or if you can't affort one, maybe a nurse practitioner...
d. please know that with kids, what comes, eventually goes, so while we are understandably worried, feel assured that this too shall pass. just sorry you have to go through it.

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