What would you do? possible chickenpox?

[amom526]

DS2 (just about 12 months) was really not himself on Friday. I took him to the doctor, but only the nurse practitioner was available. She said she saw minor inflammation in his ear, and prescribed abx. I was going to hold off on the abx, to see if the ear would clear up. But yesterday (saturday) he was so miserable, I just decided to start them. He had 2 doses (sat morning and sat night), but then I noticed these spots all over his leg. The spots are only on one leg. I started thinking chicken pox or an abx reaction. (there have been a few cases recently in our area).

I am wondering if he never had an ear infection, and just has a virus or chicken pox. I hate to do a 10 day course of abx if it's just a virus. I spoke to the dr. on call, and she said I could stop the abx if I want, but I don't want to do that if he actually needs them. I took him to a friend whose a dr, who said he couldn't tell for sure, but definitely could be chicken pox. This dr. treid to look into ds2's ear, but coldn't tell anything.

What would you do? Continue abx? Stop the abx until tomorrow when I can speak to the regular doctor? I'm so confused! Can i even stop them for a day, and then re-start? Isn't that how superbugs are made?

[JBaxter]

Chicken pox usually starts on the trunk of the body. You might be looking at a reaction to the antibiotic or a virus. If its a virus the antibiotics won't help. I tend to stop medications after a kid develops any kind of a rash. 2 of mine are allergic to different medications. Warm garlic oil in his ear will help with ear pain.

Can you post a picture of the rash?

[geochick]

I'd continue with the antibiotics today, and take him in tomorrow. Someone will certainly be in the office tomorrow. Keep a sharp eye on him today in case it is a reaction to the meds. Good luck to you both.

[petesgirl]

Chicken pox usually starts on the trunk of the body. You might be looking at a reaction to the antibiotic or a virus. If its a virus the antibiotics won't help. I tend to stop medications after a kid develops any kind of a rash. 2 of mine are allergic to different medications. Warm garlic oil in his ear will help with ear pain.

Can you post a picture of the rash?
I agree. I would suspect an abx reaction or just a reaction to the virus before chicken pox, unless you know he was exposed. My DS gets a rash virtually every time he has some little virus.

[JBaxter]

Yes it would scare the pants off me if I remotely thought it could be a reaction to the medication to continue to give it to my kid.

[pinkmomagain]

I personally would stop the abx and try to get him to the dr tomorrow. I'd be afraid to continue to give him something he is allergic to.

[amom526]

You all make good points, which I why I am so conflicted. The Dr. who took a look at him (family friend) said he is almost certain it is not an abx reaction. I think I will probably hold off on giving him the dose tonight (I already gave the 3rd dose this morning), and take him in tomorrow morning. I also thought CHicken pox starts on the trunk, but I believe it can start anywhere. I have also noticed a few random spots on my vaccinated toddler, but he could have the same underlying virus that is causing all this.

[ett]

Is there a doc on call today that you can call?

[JBaxter]

Both my vaccinated kids got chickenpox and I never knew their exposure point. One got half a dozen spots the other got the worse case my mother had seen ( she was ER nurse at the time) Could be the both have it.

[BunnyBee]

Circle one of the spots and see if it moves (hives) or blisters/crusts over tomorrow. He could have a virus and an ear infection. Because the ear infection was symptomatic, I would keep giving the antibiotics until you talk to his doctor tomorrow morning.

[essnce629]

Circle one of the spots and see if it moves (hives) or blisters/crusts over tomorrow.

Yes, this is what I was just going to suggest. Chickenpox spots tend to start out as little dew drop water filled blisters that then ulcerate and scab over. Google chickenpox to see pics.

DS1's started out on his neck.

[amom526]

Yes, this is what I was just going to suggest. Chickenpox spots tend to start out as little dew drop water filled blisters that then ulcerate and scab over. Google chickenpox to see pics.

DS1's started out on his neck.

I'm going to do this overnight. These are not hives though, more like little pimply things. I haven't really seen any crusting over yet, so that is what I need to watch for. He is so miserable though, although I don't see him trying to scratch anything.

I did speak to the dr on call, but she didn't have anything very useful to say about stopping or continuing the abx. She seemed skeptical that it was an abx reaction though. I guess I will wait it out another night.

[PZMommy]

When my son had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic, it started on his legs and it looked like bug bites. It quickly spread to cover his whole body. He didn't really itch at them though and it didn't seem to phase him too much (he was 20 months old). They did not look pimply. What you are describing does not sound like an allergic reaction to me. Pimply looking and feeling miserable sounds like chicken pox.

[essnce629]

Can you post a pic for us? Does he have a low grade fever? DS1's was only 99 or 100 with his chickenpox. His didn't itch even though he was covered head to toe. I think that had to do with his eczema.

[BunnyBee]

I'm going to do this overnight. These are not hives though, more like little pimply things. I haven't really seen any crusting over yet, so that is what I need to watch for. He is so miserable though, although I don't see him trying to scratch anything.

I did speak to the dr on call, but she didn't have anything very useful to say about stopping or continuing the abx. She seemed skeptical that it was an abx reaction though. I guess I will wait it out another night.

HFM can have a leg rash. Do those pics look closer to his rash?

[ChristinaLucia]

My DD's just had it. One I thought started with something that looked like a pimple. One started on the face and one under her arm.

[amom526]

Can you post a pic for us? Does he have a low grade fever? DS1's was only 99 or 100 with his chickenpox. His didn't itch even though he was covered head to toe. I think that had to do with his eczema.

I meant to take a picture, but I forgot. I will hopefully post one in the morning. I haven't noticed any more spots appearing since the morning, so at this point I am really not sure what it is at all. None of the spots are scabby yet either, so maybe that is another sign that its not chiicken pox. I guess it could be a very mild case.

It doesn't look like HFM based on the pictures I am seeing online. It could be an antibiotics reaction too I guess. Now I have the heebee jeebies from lookiing at all these rash pictures!

Hopefully the dr. has some useful info for us tomorrow