Update: Birthday Picture and Thank You: Any Rash experts out there?

Hi,
I am hoping someone can help me out. Ava has been sick for about 2 weeks with a cough, stuffy-gunky-runny nose, and an ear infection. She was on amoxicillin for about 7 days when she woke up with a fever of 101. Tylenol really helped bring it down but then two days later she developed a rash over her entire body...her chest and back were the worst. (if you need a visual: the rash is little bumpy or raised, but mostly it looks like tiny red dots) So, I thought the fever leading to the rash was CHICKEN POX because she was exposed to them 4 weeks ago. So, I canceled her birthday party (40 people coming to our house on Sat.) and I have not let her out of the house. But then the wierd part was that she was acting as if she was feeling better (she actually smiled for the first time in a week and a half) and the rash never developed into what I think Chicken Pox looks like (blisters). I called our Peds office and they said it probably isn't the Pox and I could bring her in but they are very busy because their waiting room is full of kids with Influenza. Well, that scared me off! The nurse mentioned that sometimes kids get a rash at the end of a virus. She has had the rash for 2 and a half days. I just don't know what to do about her birthday...
Any thoughts?

[caleymama]

I'm by no means a rash expert, just a mom, but I had to look into Fifth Disease after my DD was exposed earlier this fall. Luckily, she did not end up getting it, but when you mentioned her symptoms it sounded a little like what I remembered reading about it. Here's a link to some information about it from www.askdrsears.com: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t083500.asp. I agree with the nurse's comment about the rash going along with the virus - or what about a reaction to the amoxicillin (I have no idea if this is even the kind of reaction one could have to amox.)? I hope she feels better soon!

Roseola? Contagious, high fever for a day or two, followed by a red dotty rash. Just a guess. DD had roseola around age 2 and the fever was the worst thing. FWIW - She was the contagious during the fever. HTH!


Rose
mom 2 Katie (almost 3!)
& Jack (19 months)

Amy - If you hadn't mentioned the amoxicillin, I'd say the other replies would be more likely, but in light of the antibiotic she recently took, Ava sounds like she is having a drug reaction. Reactions to amoxicillin (and other penicillins, in particular) are pretty common in kids and usually resolve on their own without any problem. Without seeing the rash, I can't be sure, but FWIW, that's what it sounds like to me (surgery resident, not a pediatrician).

It does sound like she might have roseola. My DD had it, and the only way you can know that's what it is is that the rash shows up after the fever breaks. By that time, the worst is over although my DD was pretty lethargic for a day or two after the fever broke. The rash took 3-4 days to completely go away. It could also be due to the virus she had. My ped says it's very common for kids to get rashes when they have colds, etc...

Hope she is feeling better!

[nigele]

I thought of roseola as well when I read your post. If it is roseola, the child is only contagious during the fever. Once that breaks, the rash appears and it is no longer catchy. I'd definitely see the ped. If it IS roseola, you can have the party!

Only other thought would be mono. Do babies get mono? When people with mono take amoxicillin, it causes a rash. Why not bring her to a dermatologist? Less likely to have an office full of sick kids...

Thank you all for your ideas. I decided to just bite the bullet and take her in (hoping that they would let me come in first thing in the morning before the Sick with Flu kiddos coughed all over the waiting room). I called in to set up an appointment and talked to a new nurse. She asked me to describe the rash and then asked me a ton of questions. She really felt like it was a rash that comes on at the end of a virus and just to let it run its course.
So...that is what we did and a day later it started to fade away! We called everyone and said "pary back on" and I am happy to say we had a MOST wonderful First Birthday party! It was a blast! Good food and great friends and a little girl who took a nice long two hour nap before the festivities EQUALS a perfect celebration! Ava was the belle of the ball. She opened up lots of nice gifts and stuck her whole face into her own smash cake...lovely photo-op!
Thanks for all of the suggestions. It really helped to know what to ask about!
Happy Birthday to my sweet girl!

[caleymama]

That's a great picture! She's adorable! I'm really glad she's doing better and that the party was able to go on.