A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Help! What is on Maddie's face!!?!?!?

On Monday Maddie woke up with what looked like a pimple on her right cheek. I didn't really think anything of it since she does have pimples every now and again. On Tuesday I noticed it was a little larger and looked more like a reddish ring, but she wouldn't let me get anywhere near it to look at it, so I just gave up. On Wednesday, it was just a tad larger and I got a better look at it. It definitely consists of a reddish ring and the center of it is yellowish. It isn't raised from the skin much at all. Then on Thursday a new one popped up on her left cheek and seems to be going through the same progression as the first. This morning I see another pimple looking thing on her left cheek. I'm pretty sure it isn't the chicken pox since the progression is soo slow. There are none of these spots anywhere else on her body. I know the rash for Roseola starts on the belly and there is nothing there. Here are a couple pictures of the spot. The larger ones on her face are the spots in question....there are a couple of regular pimples on her face as well (those are the really small red dots). Does anyone know what this is? If it is the same or worse on Monday I'm calling the pediatrician for them to look at if I still don't know what it is.

chicken pox??? That is how it started with Amy, Brian, and even Don - poor thing had it when Brian gave it to him! It starts with a few small pimples that are filled in the center, and then spreads all over the body quickly.

Hope it's not, but it does look like it to me.

Maddie has beautiful eyes by the way!

OOOPS - I hadn't read down to where you said you don't think it's chicken pox, but it really does look like it to me.

that was my first reaction too. did she get the chicken pox vaccine recently?

that's what they looked like on kate's face. and she only had 3 or 4 pox. but, she tests positive for having had it every time she has to be tested (school).

she had it before they had the vaccine. she got it from ellie.

I concure with Lynne and Jiffy---- :wink:

any fever?

If no fever, maybe ring worms? has she been around any cats or dogs?

If she does has a fever with it, it could be anything?

see a doc, depending on how high the fever is. little ones bodies fight infection with rashes and fevers.

the other thoughts that come to mind (now that i go back and read your post again) is ringworm (which is really a fungus infection on the skin) or impetigo. but my first bet is still chicken pox. if she has a mild case, like kate, the timing is exact. one pock, a day or two later, another, then another, then in 10-14 days from start to finish it is all over.

OH My=--I just thought--how is Little Luke????

i thought about that too carol. but i also know from experience, the younger they are if/when they get chicken pox, the better off they are. matthew had the most pox and fared the best. kate wasn't as sick, had the least, but the bothered her a lot. ellie was miserable, period.

Even with the shots you can still get chicken pox. Jonni did. But she had a lighter case than any of my pre-shot kids did.
But your description is so much like impetigo. A Dr visit might be in order if it doesn't subside by Monday. Or if it grows. Are you using anything on it? A little antibiotic ointment, but not enough that she can get it into her eyes?

I have heard that about chicken pox and younger children--both my girls got it around the same time--sharing ya know---so I would just soak them a lot in Aveeno oatmeal stuff--it helped the best

we did aveeno baths by the dozen. and cool clothes because ellie had them in her eyelashes.

Oh my I am so sorry for her--(and you)--even if it was a long time ago

thank you it's hard to believe it wasn't just yesterday :wink:

Oh, I had a violently bad case of Chicken Pox when I was only 9 months old. My older siblings brought it home from school for me. My family relates that it was the worst case they'd ever seen as there wasn't an area of my body they could touch me that wasn't covered with pox. I still have scars to this day. They say I was terribly sick with them as well.

Which is why I JUMPED at the chance to have Maxi inoculated when the vaccine first came out, you bet'cha. And thankfully, it worked for him and he has never gotten them at all.... although I know several children it wasn't as effective with, for some reason.

But I would DEFINATELY have Maddie looked at by a health care professional and wouldn't necessarily wait til Monday. There are several nasty childhood illnesses that first appear as a rash and it is always good to rule those out -- at the very least!


Merme

Thanks everyone. She hasn't had the pox vaccine yet...due for it at her 15 month visit but I am not sure I will have them give it to her as it is just soo new and to be honest its a once and done deal and I'd rather her just have it as a child. I'm afraid that f she gets the vaccine that she'll end up getting it as an adult and get it horribly. I had the chicken pox twice as a child...pretty badly both times, but the second time was the worst case of it that my doctor had ever seen.

Anyways, no new spots at all today. I haven't had a chance to look up other suggestions yet as we are getting ready to go to church. Luke is fine...no sign of anything on him which is why I didn't think further on chicken pox. Will keep you all posted and thanks soo much. :)

ETA: I put a little diaper rash cream on the spots last night. After looking at them closer just now, they do seem a little better. Also they don't seem to bother her at all as far as itchiness. She's more annoyed with me looking at them than anything.

jenn, 2 things. one, in most homes, chicken pox is a domino effect. one gets it, a few days later the next, and so on. that is how it was for me. second thing, they now have a test to check for the chicken pox antibody. so, if it is chicken pox, they can test her for it and not give her the shot if she doesn't need it. if she doesn't test immune, then i would give the shot. i'm a cautious sort with vaccines, but that is one i would give in this case.

My first thoughts were chickenpox or ringworm. I sure hope all is okay Jenn. BTW, she has BEAUTIFUL eyes.

When we were little we had chicken pox, mumps, and measles. One of us would get it then we'd all get it. I guess we didn't have vaccinations back then in England.

my first thought was spider bites. do you have a lot of daddy long-legs there?

spider bites aren't usually harmful - in this area anyway as we don't have that many that could cause real issues (like in places like australia and south america and in places like the southwest us).

if she's not running a fever, has just a little itchiness (or maybe even none) and the spots go away within a few days, i wouldn't worry too much.

still, it IS worth a trip to the doc though, in case it is the chicken pox.

We have spiders outside, but not inside. I have no idea how that works, but there aren't spiders inside.....good thing too since DH and I both really HATE spiders! Ick.

Anyways, still no new spots, still don't seem to bother her at all as far as itchiness and such. Checked Luke several times today and still he remains "spotless" Tomorrow makes it a week. Am definitely calling the ped tomorrow to get her in. I need them to look at her lip as well. She fell ysterday and tore the frenulum of her upper lip. Bled like crazy! She is fine tho and I have heard that it will heal on it's own, but I want to make sure that it was an "ok" type of tear.

Will keep you all posted when we finally know what the mysetery spots are (ya know I almost posted this thread in the mystery plant area!! )

Now, THAT'S the sign of a true gardener, there!

Yes, keep us posted. really though, if no fever goes with it and no swelling around the sight, it's most likely okey-dokey. but you do always have to 'go with your gut' when it comes to your children. there Is something to be said for motherly instinct.

there is that. and jenn, you are a good mother!

Jenn, I tore the frenulum from my upper lip as a baby. I fell with a glass baby bottle. It healed fine but I can tell you if it is hanging get them to fix it. Mine still bothers me to this very day.

Hoping Maddie is fine and hoping it was just a heat rash or such.

No new spots today. I put diaper rash cream on her cheeks again last night and the one on her left cheek was nearly gone this morning. The one on the right cheek was a bit smaller leading me to believe it definitely is not ring worm or the pox. Still nothing at all on Luke and she has been all over the boy in the last couple of days. Since the spots were smaller today I decided not to call the ped, but I will be calling tomorrow to try to get in because of the torn frenulum and this awful diaper rash she has. She gets the "teething rash" as we call it. Its absolutely horrible...red, puffy, and raw. She gets it every time a new tooth is trying to break through and I'm tired of fighting with her to change her diapers. I'd just leave her bare bottomed, but the dogs are still blowing out and I do not think it would be very comfortable to have dog hair sticking to your already sore bum. I've been putting 1/4-1/3 cup baking soda in her baths to try to help...and it does when she isn't actually getting a tooth. So, no matter what, I'm taking her to the pediatrician tomorrow.

good luck, jenn! I SO remember those days! My son had it bad with the diaper rash. the best thing I found was take the diaper off. we had all tile floors then, or I'd get him outside on a pallet when the weather was good. I tried all the creams and saw a derma doc too. just taking that diaper off when ever I could helped the most! (they don't call it 'diaper rash' for nothing')

good luck jenn!

Jenn, the diaper rash may be yeast infection- if so lotrimen will work on it- a little goes a long way....sure hope doc has some good answers for you... my older two had chicken pox at 5 and 8 months- school age daughter brought it home to baby brother- he was so miserable- had them all over- this was in Tucson - in summer... yr around school there... he was covered in the spots... doc gave me some kind of sedative for him during the worst part- we did the baths and couldn't put a diaper on him - he screamed - this was cloth diaper days... did a lot of baths and just layed him on layers of diapers in his playpen.... was not fun so hope it's not chicken pox or if it is it's like my daughters ..4 spots - no fever - wouldn't have known she was sick except they were on her face....
Nana

I forgot to repost in this thread...sorry everyone! The face thing turned out to be eczema..not a big deal. The doctor is telling me the diaper rash is indeed a yeast infection. I told him I let it go because it didn't have the bumps on it that I know yeast infection diaper rashes get. He told me if a rash lasts more than 3 days then it is a yeast infection rash. I told him Maddie gets horrible rashes when she is teething and they last a week to 10 days and go away just fine. Still he says those are yeast infection rashes also...which I disagree with that opinion. Maybe this one turned into a yeast infection rash (without the characteristic bumps) but you can't tell me that a diaper rash that lasts 8 days and then goes away the day that a tooth breaks through is a yeast infection rash. Besides...those have always gone away on their own. So I sat there disagreeing with the doctor and being made to feel like an idiot (not our usual pediatrician, mind you). I left with a script for some cream and had it filled right away. It seems to be working. She ran a fever today, is drooling like a fountain, and slept horribly last night. Today at the wedding I had my sister in law help me look into her mouth (which is VERY hard to do now a days). Sure enough, one of the I-teeth are coming in and it looks like the other one might not be far behind...lovely. That is what I need while Stephen is away for 5 weeks and I'm home alone with the kids...a cranky, moody, teething child. ...at least her bottom won't be bothering her and her face won't have a mysterious weird thing on it.

Jenn ~ Maxi had a yeast infection at about Maddie's age in the diaper area also. He NEVER had diaper rash, ever, until that day! He got his from staying in his wet-from-playing-in-the-ocean-and-sand diaper for too long. The doc gave us cream and told me to change him more frequently when we were at the beach.

He also explained to me that everyone has yeast naturally growing on the skin all over the body. It only blooms into a rash type thing when heat, moisture and darkness are applied.... which is why it can become so problematic in the diaper area, under the arms, in the mouth etc....


I'm glad she is doing better and her teeth will be in soon.


Merme

Oh, I know about everyone having yeast....just that if I had thought it was a yeast infection, I would have put plain yogurt on her bottom to equalize the Ph in the diaper area. Don't ask me to explain that on the public boards! LOL!!!

Going to bed for now. g'night!

makes sense to me jenn. have a good night.

Yes, plain yogurt works sometimes for some people. But yeast is "smart" and can mutate; no remedy works 100% of the time for everyone.

But I would speculate (and it IS sheer speculation!) that perhaps Maddie's normal PH changes when she is in the physical stress of teething. Maxi's pediatrican once told me that if an adult went through teething, we'd be begging for morphine as it truly is that painful and causes enormous physical stress and changes -- which is why they often get feverish as well.


Best wishes to you both, Jenn.



Merme

Has Maddie been out in the heat or sun a lot. For people with sensitive skin that seems to make eczema pop up.

As far as not getting the varicella vaccine, she won't be able to start school in NC without it.

Sheri ~ I thought most states had laws about school age children and vacinnations? Is that untrue?


Merme

Some religions have a thing about vaccinations as well as blood transfusions and organ transplants, etc. So the Gov't cannot keep your child out of school without vaccines if you sign the paperwork. But they can keep your child out of school temporarily if there is an outbreak of the diseases in question. It is a state vs. religion thing.

that's true tina, only thing about that is the child has to stay out until the outbreak it totally under control which can mean weeks as one child breaks out then the next and so on. NC students can only miss so many days, I want to say it's 11 but I can't remember for sure, until they have to repeat their grade.

Actually, Tina, I went to the web site for the National Conference of State Legislatures and found this:

"States with Religious and Philosophical Exemptions
from School Immunization Requirements
Updated August 2008

All States have legislation mandating required vaccines for students. Although exemptions vary from state to state, all school immunization laws grant exemptions to children for medical reasons. Almost all states, except Mississippi and West Virginia, grant religious exemptions for people who have religious beliefs against immunizations. Twenty states allow philosophical exemptions for those who object to immunizations because of a personal, moral or other belief."


So apparently, Mississippi and WV do not allow religious expemptions and the vast majority do not allow philosophical exemptions.

INTERESTING!!

Merme

Oh and I meant to also say I know lots of people who prefer to homeschool rather than deal with this issue.



Merme

and I'm all for homeschooling, thought about doing it once myself and one of my sisters did for a while. The thing I found out at the Health Department is that if for whatever reason, a divorce, or financial situation or whatever whomever is doing the schooling has to stop and the children end up being put in public schools then they have to get a bunch of shots at one time. I've given as many as five, which isn't so hard on babies because they don't know it's coming. But when you have 5 to give to a 9 or 10 year old it's horrible. And if you're going to ever send your child to say Girl SCout camp or a church camp or math camp or softball camp some of them require vaccines be current. Then if the children go to college they end up getting stuck a few times anyway but they are past the danger age. It's a big committment to keep from vaccinating your children. It's hard to know what to do. My 23 year old newphews sister in law just 2 months ago was sitting in the airport in Charlotte, NC and blacked out. Turns out she had a blood clot that the doctor related directly to the injection of Gardacil she had 2 days earlier. Now was it from the injection itself or from the vaccine? Who knows. She was hospitatlized and has fully recovered.

I often wonder what some of these strongly anti-vacine people would think if they ever saw the end results of the diseases the vacines prevent? I am old enough to recall the previous generations retelling of tragic epidemics for things we do not see here now because of vacines.

Didn't quite mean to hijack your thread, Jenn!

Merme

Well, I'm not against vaccinating, I just don't know if I see the sense in vaccinating against something that is not majorly life threatening...which is why chicken pox vaccine is just un-necessary to me. But after doing some reading I'll probably just go ahead and have her get that one as well. I will talk to the ped about it tho to get some straight answers. It is almost impossible right now to do research on the subject because everyone has such an opinion about it. I just want info that is unslanted in one direction or another.

Merme, no one in our family goes out into the sun for extended amounts of time...period. We are all fair skinned and get burnt extremely quickly, even with the SPF 50 sunscreen. Now this summer was different for Stephen since he was doing lots of work outside, but that was an exception. If we are going to be in the heat, I make sure to put corn starch in Maddie's diaper to help keep her skin dry "down there". Sometimes she swims in her pool without the diaper just to give her skin a rest.