Chicken Pox

[Xerxella]

xposted in health an healing, but I don't know how much activity that forum gets, so I thought I'd post here, too. 

Can someone help me out here?  My son had a fever and was acting sick (fluish) for a few days and then this "rash" appeared.  I hesitate to say rash since it's more like pus pockets.  I'm thinking chicken pox, but the thing that makes me hesitate is that it's mostly appeared on his buttocks and then nearer the knees and elbows.  I thought chicken pox started on the torso and spread to the limbs.  Also, it seems like it's in patches and not over his whole body.  For instance, his chest and back are clear.  But, now my dd had a fever and now she has some of the same spots on her buttocks.  I'll attach pictures.  Any opinions would be great. 

[nextcommercial]

It doesn't look like chicken pox.  It looks a lot like Hand foot Mouth disease though.  

Usually, he will have a sore throat, or canker sores in his mouth too.

I had it two years ago at Halloween, and the sores in certain spots can be very uncomfortable, but the others aren't too bad.  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001961/

ETA... It's hard to tell in the pictures, but Chicken Pox has a clear watery blister on top of the bump, eventually, that will pop, then flatten out to a yellow-ish sore.  

http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/indexDisplay.cfm?ImageID=-1734185434  <--CP

[Xerxella]

Thank you so much nextommercial. 

Some of them are blistery like the one in the bottom picture on his left leg above the knee, and some have crusted over, but others still look like bug bites. 

It might be hand, foot and mouth, except that it's more on his arms, legs and buttocks!  (I know it can be in those places, too, but it's not at all on his hands and feet.) 

Ugh, I think instead of fighting for an appointment and going into the doc and getting yelled at one.more.time for not vaxing, I'll go to the local doc in a box.  He looked great this morning, feels good, is eating and talking up a storm, but the rash is the same.  (I wish it was cp, then he'd have had it and have immunity and it was basically a non-event.)  I wouldn't bother except that tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we're going to meet with family including a 6 week old.  So, if it's an allergy, no problem, if it's either HFM or CP, while then I guess it's X-Mas at home....

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The kids I see that get HFM, get it mostly on the bottom, and down the legs.  I haven't seen it on the arms as much, but I almost never see it on the hands for some reason.  

[mommysaurus]

Currently dealing with chicken pox in my household, 3 of mine had it 2 weeks ago and now I have 2 more coming down with it.  I have to agree that it doesn't look like CP.  Mine have had HFM, but it was blistery bumps on palms of hands and soles of feet, and sores in the mouth.  Anyway, with mine,  CP started on their back, face, then spread around to their tummy, then arms/legs. Before the spots appear, there was a dry cough, joint pain, stuffy/slight runny nose and fatigue, oh and low grade fever.   Anyway, just wanted to share our experience. 

[pianojazzgirl]

Is it itchy?

[Emmeline II]

It doesn't look like a chicken pox rash to me; it does look more like the pictures of HFM I can find. You can compare the rash to these slides at webMD; slide 4 is chicken pox and slide 9 is HFM. HFM is a non-itchy rash that become blisters.

Chickenpox - KidsHealth

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease - KidsHealth

"HFM is contagious and can spread through contact with feces, saliva, mucus from the nose, or fluid from the blisters. Even after recovery, kids can pass the virus in their stool for several weeks, so still can spread the infection to others even though they're no longer sick."

From what I remember about having chicken pox there was a fever, fatigue, and being very, very itchy for close to two weeks. HFM symptoms seem to have a shorter duration of 3-7 days.

[serenbat]

looks exactly like the chicken pox I had- only ever had one blister that looked like REAL pox and they never itched - "after" check with a blood test (titer) to know for sure - if you go to the dr now MOST insurance will later pay for the titer to confirm but if you just go and ask for a script for a titer later they may not pay for it - it's also good to go to the dr to document it incase you need in ever for medical records

[Xerxella]

Thank you all.  It did indeed turn out to be hand foot and mouth disease.  It is non-itchy.  My dd, his 2 year old sister, now has a more classic presentation of it.  Only 3 of those big spots on the buttocks, but the small classic spots on the hands and feet and complaining about her mouth hurting, but she won't let me look. 

But, I guess there's no treatment for it other than the classic "keep them comfortable" advice.  Thank you all again. 

[pianojazzgirl]

I hope they get through it quickly.  I had HFM as an adult and I was pretty miserable.  Sending "quick healing vibes" your way!

[mattemma04]

Glad to read you got a dx. I would recommend the book Smart Medicine for a Healthy Child by Janet Zand.There are some pages online at http://www.healthy.net

Gives both allopathic and alternative recommedation for various issues.

[MoonWillow]

I'm locking this just because its cross posted but feel free to join the other thread in Health and Healing.