Please Help! Rash Keeps Reappearing!

[Neekie]

I have a two year old dcg who broke out in a rash while she was home with her family for Christmas break. It comes out in huge red bumps that looks like hives and it itches. Nothing has changed as far as we know. Nobody has changed soaps, lotions, cleaners or anything like that and she has not had any new foods or medicines. It usually appears while she is at home or if it appears at day care it usually shortly after she arrives or she is already broke out when she is gets here. The doctor seems to think it is some type of allergy. Benadryl seems to help. I hope her parents don't have to keep giving her Benadryl though because it makes her so wired and she won't sleep at naptime and she is so hard to handle. Does anyone have any ideas on this one?

[cheerfuldom]

I would insist they keep this child home and figure out the rash on their own. I dont care for kids that have unexplained rash. you could be exposing your and your family to all sorts of illness.

[mountainside13]

Are they using cloth or disposable diapers?

[harperluu]

Although the family may say they haven't made any changes to products like shampoo or detergent, many families like mine use generic brands for many things that the child might come in contact with. Vendors of generic brands often change as they look for contracts with less expensive manufacturers. This is always the first question I ask parents that have a fussy baby all of a sudden that is using a generic formula. Eventhough the packaging is the same, what is inside could be vastly different. Ask them if they use any generic brands like the target UP brand for things like bath soap, shampoo, wipes, lotion, detergent, fabric softener, etc.

[itlw8]

It can also be a food allergy even if she has had it before she may be eating MORE of it of more often

I would cut out all milk and citrus double rinse all bedding clothing that the child come in contact with Plus products change all the time.
If it is not just in the diaper area I would bet food allergy or pet. My sister was allergic to my dad.. Really she was he was a dentist and had to start showering at work The dust residue from drilling on teeth effected her asthma

[Neekie]

I would insist they keep this child home and figure out the rash on their own. I dont care for kids that have unexplained rash. you could be exposing your and your family to all sorts of illness.

Yes, I did send her home at first, but after the doctor said it was an allergy and that it may take a long time to figure out what it is from, I let her come back.

[Neekie]

Are they using cloth or disposable diapers?

Disposable diapers, but she doesn't have any rash in her diaper area. Only on her face, arms, and legs. And it comes and goes many times in one day and some days it is not there at all.

[Cat Herder]

Disposable diapers, but she doesn't have any rash in her diaper area. Only on her face, arms, and legs. And it comes and goes many times in one day and some days it is not there at all.

It is starting to sound like Hand, Foot, Mouth. The rash can become more obvious during physical activity when elevated bloodflow creates more pressure on the skin surface (flushing). Has she recently been moody?

[Neekie]

Although the family may say they haven't made any changes to products like shampoo or detergent, many families like mine use generic brands for many things that the child might come in contact with. Vendors of generic brands often change as they look for contracts with less expensive manufacturers. This is always the first question I ask parents that have a fussy baby all of a sudden that is using a generic formula. Even though the packaging is the same, what is inside could be vastly different. Ask them if they use any generic brands like the target UP brand for things like bath soap, shampoo, wipes, lotion, detergent, fabric softener, etc.

This is true. I just experienced that with the glass cleaner and dishwasher soap that I have been using. All of a sudden they don't work the same and then I found out that they changed the ingredients. And the glass cleaner was not even generic. So thanks for reminding me of this. I never gave that a thought in relation to her rash.

[craftymissbeth]

Yes, I did send her home at first, but after the doctor said it was an allergy and that it may take a long time to figure out what it is from, I let her come back.

Did this info come from the parent or did you actually receive a written diagnosis/treatment plan from the doctor? If the parent is just telling you it's an allergy, but you don't have an actual doc's note then you don't actually know what it is, kwim?

[Neekie]

It can also be a food allergy even if she has had it before she may be eating MORE of it of more often

I would cut out all milk and citrus double rinse all bedding clothing that the child come in contact with Plus products change all the time.
If it is not just in the diaper area I would bet food allergy or pet. My sister was allergic to my dad.. Really she was he was a dentist and had to start showering at work The dust residue from drilling on teeth effected her asthma

Yes, her mom was thinking it was maybe citrus and I am wondering about milk myself.

[Neekie]

It is starting to sound like Hand, Foot, Mouth. The rash can become more obvious during physical activity when elevated bloodflow creates more pressure on the skin surface (flushing). Has she recently been moody?

Yes, she is very moody and her behavior is off the wall. That's interesting about the blood flow. I thought maybe she had an allergy to cold at first because she would have it on her arms and face when she came in from outside. Maybe elevated blood flow from the body trying to stay warm. But then when we got that -50 degree wind chill I didn't see in when she got here in the morning. This is really confusing. I thought about Hand, Foot, and Mouth, too. But then wouldn't she have bumps inside of her mouth? Not sure. I have never seen a case of Hand, Foot, and Mouth.

[Neekie]

Did this info come from the parent or did you actually receive a written diagnosis/treatment plan from the doctor? If the parent is just telling you it's an allergy, but you don't have an actual doc's note then you don't actually know what it is, kwim?

No, I don't have anything written from the doctor, but I probably should get it. Her mother is a nurse at the hospital/clinic and is around the peds all day. So she can get me whatever I need pretty quickly.

[Cat Herder]

But then wouldn't she have bumps inside of her mouth? Not sure. I have never seen a case of Hand, Foot, and Mouth.

It would depend on what phase of it she is in. She can be infectious for weeks after getting it but CDC exclusion is only 24 hours fever free. It is not reportable and incubation is usually around 3 days. It usually comes with lethargy and muscle aches with attributes to the mood swings. They say it is harmless and has no long lasting effects, though. This is why dealing with diaper diggers pronto is a big deal.

Here is a photo of it on legs... It does not just effect hands, feet and mouth. That is the "common" way it presents, but not the only way.

[Neekie]

It would depend on what phase of it she is in. She can be infectious for weeks after getting it but CDC exclusion is only 24 hours fever free. It is not reportable and incubation is usually around 3 days. It usually comes with lethargy and muscle aches with attributes to the mood swings. They say it is harmless and has no long lasting effects, though. This is why dealing with diaper diggers pronto is a big deal.

Here is a photo of it on legs... It does not just effect hands, feet and mouth. That is the "common" way it presents, but not the only way.

I typed the word "hives" into the search bar and I found a post called "The Welts On DCG" by Oneluckymom. She posted some pictures of the girls legs. The rash on my dcg looks very much like the one in the bottom picture, but not so much the one on the top. It looks like that girls rash only more pronounced. I thought it might help if you could see a picture.