Measles or...

[greenmamapagan]

I thought this should go here rather than Vaccinations because DS is too young for the normally scheduled measles vaccine here anyway.
So DS had a slight fever before bed on Monday night and was grumpier than usual but I also hadn't noticed it was a little later than he usually wants to go to bed. I noticed some rashy spots on his tummy as I was putting him to bed. Tuesday he was fine, no fever but his rash was much much worse and I had mastitis (which I always seem to get when my babies are sick, why do they make me suffer too?!). Today his rash hasn't gotten worse but it has intensified around his underarms and groin and under his legs. There are a few teeny spots on his back and one on his neck. Nothing on his face. It doesn't look anything like the pics I can find of measles online. It doesn't actually look like anything, although the clustering under his arms and groin makes it sound like scarlet fever to me.
The thing is, last night when we were wondering if it might be chicken pox (which I think it's definitely not - doesn't look at all like it) we worked out the exposure was most likely at DD's birthday party which was in a park where there were three other large children's parties at the same time.
So tonight, after they've both gone to bed I sit down to try to relax from the whole mastitis/sick (not unhappy, but stressing me) baby/neglected DD thing and open the local newspaper...

"Measles Alert in the Blue Mountains"
The affected person attended a large party in x-town (ours) earlier this month.


Eeeek!
WDYT? Measles but atypical? Something else, possibly even excema? Should we take him to the doc tomorrow? Straight to hospy tonight? Or just go with the fact that he doesn't seem bothered?
No pics right now, camera battery is flat & my phone doesn't have a camera so when DH gets home I can take one.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Where did the rash start? When you stretch his skin, does the rash seem to disapear, then when you let go it comes back? Or when you stretch his skin, do you still see and feel the rash.

At this time of year? Im thinking roseola. My older son had it in may last year, but it sort of looked like Measles. But when I stretched his skin, the rash would kind of disipate. If it had been measles, the rash would still be visible and you could still feel it. Also, with roseola. the rash appears once the fever breaks. google it.

ETA, my sons rash would also cluster, but it would kinda move around. One hour it would be prominant on his chest, the next on his face. Then back to his chest, then to his back, it was weird. have you called the Ped?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

It could be roseola. It presents with fever and when it goes away the rash starts. Measles if mashed on do not blanch white they stay red. Roseola blanches white.

[Marnica]

Regardless of what it may or may not be, I would go by how he seems.

Lets assume it IS measles, just because it is doesn't automatically mean it is a dire situation and he needs medical treatment. If he doesn't seem bothered and right now the symptomsd are a slight fever and a rash, i wouldn't do anything. My son just went through this...remember viral rashes are quite common. My son usually gets some sort of rash when he gets a fever/virus.

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by Marnica

Regardless of what it may or may not be, I would go by how he seems.

Lets assume it IS measles, just because it is doesn't automatically mean it is a dire situation and he needs medical treatment. If he doesn't seem bothered and right now the symptomsd are a slight fever and a rash, i wouldn't do anything. My son just went through this...remember viral rashes are quite common. My son usually gets some sort of rash when he gets a fever/virus.

true, but might be worth getting it documented if it is in fact measles...

[SanJosemama]

There are a ton of viral rashes. But people don't worry about them or think about them because there are no vaccines for them. It doesn't sound to me like any of the diseases for which there are vaccines. It doesn't sound like roseola, either.

He seems fine, so why take him to the doctor or the hospital? There's nothing they can do for viruses, anyway. The hospital would be for supportive care if he was extremely sick and was in some kind of danger.

[SanJosemama]

Originally Posted by Juvysen

true, but might be worth getting it documented if it is in fact measles...

That would bring on a huge hassle from the health department if a current infection was documented. Better to wait a few months or longer and get an IgG immunity test if you are curious.

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by SanJosemama

That would bring on a huge hassle from the health department if a current infection was documented. Better to wait a few months or longer and get an IgG immunity test if you are curious.

Yeah, I thought of that, later...

[greenmamapagan]

Thanks all for the responses. He seems fine, it mostly faded then came back again today. Still no more fever though. I'm quite sure it's not roseola, DD had that at a similar age and it was nothing like this.