Name this rash!

[fivi2]

Twin A developed a small rash on the back of her leg, up near her bottom. We noticed it at the end of our trip (~10 days ago ish). For a while it was a cluster of small pimply bumps - not red, no head/pus, not too itchy. I kind of assumed she got something nasty at Disney, googled, didn't see anything to make me panic, applied some cortaid and let it be.

It seemed to stay that way about a week (I kept up the cortaid). Then over the weekend, she started pointing out small bumps in random places (not clustered) - arms, knees, etc. Just a few bumps total at that time.

We went to ped monday. He says definitely not molluscum, closest to folliculitis (but looks weird for that, he says). Prescribed antibiotics and says to call if not improve.

Well, it has gotten way way way worse. One new cluster like the original one (on her cheek!) and then many more individual ones. as in they are popping up very quickly. The original cluster is still there. Still small bumps, no fluid, not really itchy. No other symptoms. Twin B doesn't have a single bump.

Any ideas?

And - would you give the antibiotics between now and seeing pediatric dermatologist (I am calling tomorrow, not sure when I can get in)?

[DrSally]

Sounds like the ped doesn't even know. I hope you can get into the derm. FWIW, sometimes they have very long waits, but ask to be put on their cancellation list and you can sometimes get in that day or that week.

My first guess would be some sort of sweat irritation from sitting for long periods of time during travel, but now that it's spreading...

DD gets bumps on her backside sometimes and I'm pretty sure they're staph. I apply muciprocin (bactroban) ointment and they go away after a few days, but if I don't treat them, they crop on on other areas of her body (prob from her touching it and then spreading it to other areas. I had the ped look at it one time and she agreed it was prob superficial staph (but I think there were white heads on the worst ones).

One thing you could try, which works for both eczema and staph, is to put 1/4 bleach into the bath water. It will kill the staph bacteria on her skin. Also, I've used hibiclens. Both can be drying. I hope you get answers soon. I hate mystery rashes.

[fivi2]

Sounds like the ped doesn't even know. I hope you can get into the derm. FWIW, sometimes they have very long waits, but ask to be put on their cancellation list and you can sometimes get in that day or that week.

My first guess would be some sort of sweat irritation from sitting for long periods of time during travel, but now that it's spreading...

DD gets bumps on her backside sometimes and I'm pretty sure they're staph. I apply muciprocin (bactroban) ointment and they go away after a few days, but if I don't treat them, they crop on on other areas of her body (prob from her touching it and then spreading it to other areas. I had the ped look at it one time and she agreed it was prob superficial staph (but I think there were white heads on the worst ones).

One thing you could try, which works for both eczema and staph, is to put 1/4 bleach into the bath water. It will kill the staph bacteria on her skin. Also, I've used hibiclens. Both can be drying. I hope you get answers soon. I hate mystery rashes.

Thanks! This wasn't our usual ped (he is out this week). He seemed okay, but completely admitted it didn't really look typical for anything.

I did have some muciprocin and I have tried it the past couple of nights (mainly on the original cluster) and it hasn't seemed to have any effect.

I will investigate the bleach!

It is just weird that it didn't do anything for a week (stayed in one spot) then started to expand, and then took off once we started the antibiotics...

[DrSally]

It is just weird that it didn't do anything for a week (stayed in one spot) then started to expand, and then took off once we started the antibiotics...

That may be coincidental (w/the antibiotic timing). I'm really hoping it's not mollescum. Although, any ped has seen plenty of it and would know it if he saw it. Maybe it is just folliculitis?

[bubbaray]

Folliculitis was the bane of my DD#1's existence for a year. It sucked.

What you describe, with it spreading, sounds more like impetigo, though.

[boltfam]

I am puzzled by the rash. I would call the pedi and tell him about the rash spreading when your DD started the antibiotics (if you haven't done so already). I would probably not give her the antibiotics until I talk to either the pedi or the dermatologist. Maybe the fact that it is getting worse on antibiotics will help the doc figure out what the rash is.

[gatorsmom]

What you describe, with it spreading, sounds more like impetigo, though.

If it were impetigo, there would be a yellow crusty stuff that formed around the bumps. Are the bumps still flesh-colored and not red at all?

[essnce629]

Can you post pics of the rash?

If I was you I would give her a diluted bleach bath. All you need is 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of bleach in a full tub of water. It will smell slightly like a chlorinated pool and doesn't sting the skin or burn the eyes or anything. DS1 had horrible eczema and increased staph numbers on his skin when he was younger and bleach baths every few days helped his skin immensely. Bleach will kill anything-- fungus, bacteria, ringworm, etc. I also wouldn't give any antibiotics until I knew what I was dealing with, but I'm also the type of person who would only give antibiotics as a very last resort.

[Mommy_Again]

From the description it sounds like keratosis pilaris


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[fivi2]

Thanks again!

We actually did have an impetigo run in a while back and this doesn't look like that (and the antibiotics worked quickly on that). I don't think it looks like the molloscum pics and the ped was pretty sure that wasn't it.

The folliculitis pics look the closest to me, I just wonder why the meds aren't working. Bumps have stayed flesh colored, not really grown in size. They haven't really done anything except new ones keep popping up. The two clusters almost look like eczema, but don't itch...

I am calling the ped derm this morning, just not sure what to do about the antibiotics until we get in.
Thanks!

[clc053103]

Ds had terrible bout with folliculitis all summer and it was very itchy, and didn't spread in patches. Aso antibiotic lotion cleared it up, while steroid cream and even oral steroids just masked the problem without curing it. It was the ped that gave the steroids needlessly- see the derm! It doesnt sund like folliculitis.

[fivi2]

Ugh. Got in to a random Dermatologist this morning. She had no clue. Wants to wait and see. Agrees probably not molloscum. This is annoying!:)

[bubbaray]

My DD#1 had folliculitis and it was itchy and painful. At one point, one dr thought she had leukemia and had her sent to Childrens for a full workup on an emergency basis. The ER docs ruled that out within hours, but then thought she had HSP. THAT was then ruled out after yet more labs, blah blah. Eventually, the ped. dermatologist said it was folliculitis, caused by her wearing pullups at night. I am STILL not persuaded by that, b/c of the red to purple bruising around each pustule.

DD#2 recently had molluscum (confirmed by the ped. dermatologist). Children with eczema are particularly prone to it apparently. It is gone now (took about 3m to go away). It only spread within about a 6" area on her torso/underarm area.

Both of my girls have eczema and various rashes. DD#1 was diagnosed a long time ago with impetigo, but antibiotics didn't work. Turned out she was allergic to Kirkland diapers -- when we switched brands, the "impetigo" was gone within 24hrs.

It is possible that it is some sort of skin rash from contact -- to sunscreen, laundry detergent/fabric softener, skin cleansing products, skin lotion. I would figure out if there is anything new to her recently, or particularly since the trip. I have also found that items I have used successfully on them in the past sometimes lead to reactions the next year. This is particularly true with sunscreens.

What med is she on for the folliculitis? We used a combination of oral antibiotics (penicillin or keflex? can't remember) AND topical antibiotics (Fucidin, alternating with Bactroban IIRC).