chicken pox???

[cabingirl]

My 17 mo old dd woke up this morning with about 10 bumps on her face. Some look like mosquito bites and others are smaller kinda like pimples. They're also on her hands and feet. I automatically diagnosed it as chicken pox, knowing she hasn't been vaccinated for it. She's been acting fine all weekend and still today. No itching either. Since she is napping now, I just got time to google chicken pox and found some pictures of it. Her bumps are not fluid filled like the picts showed. They're mostly just red. Some are rounder, some seem to have more of a point on the end. But not looking fluid filled. Any ideas??? When she gets up I'll see if any more have errupted. Any moms have experience with a toddler with chicken pox?? How'd it go??

[JoyLynn]

My kids haven't had the chicken pox yet, unfortunately, but I do remember having them, myself. Usually, there are quite a few pox (like hundreds. I've read 200-500 on average). There's usually a fever for a couple of days before the pox appear and maybe for a few days after. As I recall, the majority of the pox show up on the trunk of the body, as well as everyplace else; even in the mouth and eyes. I've heard of the pox described as a dewdrop on a rose petal (round, pink bumps with fluidy blisters on top). I know you can get a milder case of chicken pox, but I think the symptoms are pretty much the same, only less.

[lovesign]

Joy [welcomewave]

[~Tara~]

doesn't scream pox to me...though I have no experience, none of mine have had 'em yet
ditto joys thoughts...generally starts on the trunk, accompanied by fever
perhaps you just have a contact dermatitis issue on your hands..something brushed those areas and irritated her..that kind of thing may or may not itch
or eczema can look something like that, again, itching not necessarily 'required'

hth

[ChamomileFriend]

I wonder if she might be allergic to anything? It could just be baby pimples, that seem to come and go with no rhyme or reason, but it could also be some kind of rash not caused by a virus or bacteria. If you tried any new baby soaps or lotions, it could be that, or maybe a towel with a detergent she is not used to at home or outside.
Even babies without eczema can have reactions to stuff like that and if she does have eczema she will be even more sensitive to certain hair/skin/washing/cleaning products.
I hope it isn't chicken pox.

[cabingirl]

I'm almost 100% sure they're chicken pox now. She woke up from her nap with more and they're looking much more fluid filled. I'd say she has about 50 pox now. They're on her face, hands, feet, arms, and legs. She started itching the ones on her face. Please pray for us. I've read that the younger they are when they get them, the less severe the case is. Pray that's true for us. I just don't want her to itch them and cause infection or scarring. Try telling a 17 mo old not to itch!! I'll try to get a pict of them and post it. Maybe someone can confirm my diagnosis! :-D

[~Tara~]

has she been exposed to the chicken pox?

[Madre]

We went through chicken pox twice (the oldest three had them one year and the youngest two another year). The first time I saw them on one of the kids I wondered, "Where did he get all those mosquito bites?" You're right; our daughter had them at 5 months (still nursing) and only had about 10 pox. She barely noticed. Maybe an oatmeal bath and some calamine lotion would help?

[cabingirl]

has she been exposed to the chicken pox?

I don't know anyone that's had chic pox recently. But, since the incubation period is anywhere from 10-21 days, there's really no telling where should could have picked it up. In the last 3 weeks we've had several outings in public including a shopping trip in crowded stores and playing in the play-place at the mall. So, who knows. Pox is contagious before the actual pox show up on the body. So she could have gotten it from anyone who maybe didn't even realize they had it.

Update for today.... Dh and I prayed over her last night that the pox wouldn't get any worse and she wouldn't get any more and this would clear up quick. This morning she doesn't have anymore, the ones she did have don't look any worse. Initially, I thought, "Well, maybe it wasn't chic pox..." But then I thought, "Or maybe God is healing her!" I'd rather believe the latter. Hopefully this is pox and the worst is over and now she should be immune. Please continue to pray for us! We really appreciate it. She also hasn't been itching today, so that's a major plus!

[~Tara~]

true, I understand about the incubation period and all that..hard to tell if one was exposed
I was just wondering if you *knew* she had been around someone with cp which caused your heightened awareness/suspicion of it

but *if* she does have cp and it's mild, don't count on immunity
even folks with a fairly 'good' case of cp contract it again later
but very often those with a very mild case *will* get it again

just so you're aware :)

[momofweewerfs]

the thing about them being younger and not having them as bad is not totally true. (sorry) all three of mine had it in the summer of 2005. the middle one was the first, and he had a 'normal' case of them, exactly 16 days later my girls both got it, the 5 yo only had like maybe 50 spots on her whole body. my youngest was 7 months ( and still nursing) ended up being hospitalized. she had so many spots that she just looked like a red puss ball. she had them on the inside of her eyelids, which lead to eye infections. the inside of her mouth was full of them and she didn't want to nurse, which lead to the hospitalization. she had a feeding tube for 1 week.

an oatmeal bath is very good for the itching, and also calmine lotion( the pink gooey stuff) and try to keep her nails short.

[Blessed 2 B Zoe]

awwwwwwwwwww hunny I remeber when Sinead has them I bought the camamile lotion and sprayed her with it. She started with 1 and then they spread the worst one she got was at the top of her bum as it spilt and looked so nasty and was painfull for her.

You need to tell people whose children your lo has been near as they can catch it even before the spots show.

hugs hope she is better soon

[Beth]

I noticed that you are expecting? Do you have to be careful due to that? Have you called your pediatrician about the spots (although I guess there isn't anything they can do, maybe just update her records).

I had them at three and was completely covered in them.

[cabingirl]

I'm now not so sure it's chicken pox. I've begun calling it the 'mystery rash' because it is so weird. Yesterday they started getting better. Not blistering and crusting like chic pox, just getting smaller and less red. You can still see them all but most are looking better than Tuesday. She has some on the backs of her legs and arms and bottom of her feet that kinda look like hives. They have that big 'welty' look to them. They look a lot like bad bug bites. My mom saw them today and thought of chigger bites. Anyone have experience with those?? We were at the park Monday and she was playing in the sand so could have possibly got them there. Strange thing is that I never saw anything (bugs) on her (would I??), they didn't show up til Tuesday, there are so many, and her cousins and friends that were with her don't have anything. Anyone with any chigger experience???

Everything has crossed my mind on what this could be. I don't think it's an allergic reaction b/c she hasn't ate or worn (lotion/soap/detergent) anything new that I can think of.

I haven't called the dr b/c they'll just say treat the symptoms (benadryl for itching... which hasn't really even been a problem) They're also starting to go away, so I'm really not to *worried* just very dumbfounded.

As for me being prego, I think if it was some strange viral thing I (the baby) could be at risk. But I'm starting to doubt that's what it is b/c she doesn't have any other symptoms. Which I know that doesn't rule out viral, but I'm just starting to feel bug bite of some kind.

As you can see this is a real mystery to me. Thanks for all the help so far... any other ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!

[tobikay]

When we were in Florida this spring ds was laying in the sand...later that night but especally the next day he was completely covered with "bites", they were pretty nasty looking, like lots and lots of bug bites. Turns out that they were sand fleas. Just a bit of lotion and about 5 days or so of healing and its all good.

[~Tara~]

that's what I was going to say too...sand fleas
sorry no help on 'treatment' though

[His butterfly]

I would have said sand fleas too. They are kind of like chiggers if you get them you get a bunch of them. The only thing I know to do if they are chiggers is to use clear nail polish. Put the polish over the bite and wait until it dries then peel off. If the chigger is still there it will pull it out and the polish also takes the sting and itch of the bite out too. I've done this for all sorts of bug bites. Aveeno anti-itch also works great.

[cabingirl]

I would have said sand fleas too. They are kind of like chiggers if you get them you get a bunch of them. The only thing I know to do if they are chiggers is to use clear nail polish. Put the polish over the bite and wait until it dries then peel off. If the chigger is still there it will pull it out and the polish also takes the sting and itch of the bite out too. I've done this for all sorts of bug bites. Aveeno anti-itch also works great.

Interesting! I think we've narrowed it down to sand fleas. They're almost all gone now; some are still healing; but no new ones are appearing. So, that's good. Thanks for all your advice and prayers! Glad that this is almost over with.

[His butterfly]

Glad to hear that they are almost gone.