My non-vacc'd son has a very weird rash with fever. Could it be chicken pox?

[bellytobelly]

I don't want to leave anything out, so this will be a bit long; please hang in there! :o)  Just an FYI- my son is 2 1/2 yrs old, not vaccinated, and still nursing.  This all started Friday (3 days ago) with him having very runny stools, which continued to Saturday morning, and a bumpy rash on his buttocks that looked like a yeast rash (this seemed to make sense following the watery poops).  Throughout the day Saturday he became super fussy, refused food, and developed a high fever- over 103.  Had a very rough nite (Sat) and began screaming around 6am Sunday morning, saying "it hurts, it hurts" and holding his feet.  He had what looked like a fire ant bite on his left big toe, and when I asked him if it was an ant bite, he said it was. (If you're not in an area that has fire ants, the bite looks like a tiny blister or pimple).  Throughout the day Sunday he never slept more than 10 mins without waking up screaming, flailing, kicking his feet, etc.  Finally around 4pm I put him under a bright light to get a better look at the bump on his toe, and realized that he had bumps all over the bottoms of his feet and toes-over 30 total, and his feet were very swollen.  Because he continued to have a fever, we took him to the ER (Again, for those not familiar with the severity of several fire ant bites at once, a staph infection is not at all uncommon...we were also concerned about an allergic reaction, as severe reactions to insect bites run in the family.)  Blood test was clear,ie; white count was normal, but we won't have the cultures for a couple more days.  We had a very unsympathetic doc at the ER that made it clear he had no interest in helping us because we do not vaccinate, so he sent us on our way advising tylenol/motrin for fever and benadryl for itching.  Now here's the weird part...the bumps have spread, up his calves, over a larger area of his bottom and down his thighs, and around his hips.  Also has them on one arm, both wrists, hands, and on his face and one ear.  Fever is still high, he is absolutely miserable with itching, and it's a battle to get him to eat--he does have a couple pimple/blister like bumps on his tongue, and his throat is red.  The ones that appeared first have changed and look different than the newer ones, several of them have broken open from him scratching.  Our doctor won't see him in the office because they're afraid it could be chicken pox, so they recommend going back to the ER.  I do not want to put him through that stress again, and after encountering a doc there that was so disrespectful about our non-vacc decision, I'm not too excited about the idea either.  After spending hours doing web research my hubby and I both feel that CP is the most likely diagnosis.  I wish I could just keep him comfortable and not worry whether it is or isn't, but we have a trip planned in a couple weeks to see my pregnant sister, and other elderly family members that have not had CP, and I don't want to be irresponsible about exposing others.  Please help! Any guidance you can give would be much appreciated.  One more thing- if the rash has presented first on his torso, I'd be convinced it had to be CP, but the unusual presentation has me wondering.  I did find a couple message boards where moms said their kids CP started elsewhere, so I'm wondering if anyone on here has had that experience?  Thanks, in advance, for any help/thoughts/suggestions! 

[PhoenixMommaToTwo]

I'm going to say this as gently as possible. Take him to the dr. High fevers are nothing to mess around with. Neither is chicken pox. The ER docs can judge all they want, but if your child is uncomfortable, not eating, possibly dehydrated, he needs to be seen. Period.

[ChristyMarie]

I have to agree.

He's been dealing with this for several days now.  He's probably completely dehydrated and that can be very serious for little ones.

And, frankly, it doesn't sound like a normal CP presentation.  It might be something else and you need to find out what.  Ignore the attitude of the ER and insist on treatment beyond motrin.

Go now.

[bellytobelly]

Thanks for your reply; this is the first time I've posted a question on here, and I wish I'd waited a bit!  I'm happy to say that he's doing MUCH better...while I was typing the message he fell asleep with Daddy, and slept for 11 straight hours- no waking up itching! :o) He woke up and started eating, fever down to 99, and in a much better mood.  I sent pics to a friend that was an ER nurse for 20+ years and she's nearly certain that it's hand, foot, mouth disease...now I'm just left to ponder where in the world he got it from?!  He's not in daycare, and he's only been around kids that his sister has also played with, and she's fine...weird.  Today he's back to normal, and the only symptom left is the rash; thankfully, it's fading, and he's got me and his sissy chasing him around the house, as usual!  

[bellytobelly]

Sorry, I'm new at this and just saw the complete text on both messages...and I just wanted to say thanks to both of you for your concern.

I also wanted to briefly address your mention of him being dehydrated.  Dehydration was never an issue; he was drinking (homemade electrolyte solution) and nursing (often for 30+ mins at at time!) and peeing a LOT.  In fact, he was taking in so much fluid that we was peeing more than usual.  He had tears, his mouth was moist, and his urine was normal.  Had he showed the slightest hint of dehydrating we definitely would have taken him back in, as I am completely aware of the dangers there.  I'm glad that wasn't ever the case though!

[Marnica]

I just read this post and it's so funny after reading your first post (before I read your update) I was going to say it was hand/foot and mouth and tell you not to go back to the ER. Even if it was CP, I wouldn't go back - he wouldn't have been contagious in a couple of weeks and you could have gone on your trip anyway. Some kids can have such a mild case of hand foot and mouth it is barely noticable - so perhaps that's where your child got it.

I hear people saying don't mess around and go to the ER and I get that but personally I don't feel high fevers are in and of themselves anything to get worked up about. Sure they can be a sign of something more serious but so can a lower fever. You have to take in the totality of the situation. There was no dehydration - had there been I may have urged you to go to the er for fluids as well. And kids not eating while they are sick is totally normal and there is a biological reason for this. It's actually beneficial in certain illneses and once the infection is over - the appetite rebounds with no ill effects.

Glad your little guy is better :)