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Is this chicken pox or something else?
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 7:42 am
I already took the child to the doctor and he said it's not chicken pox but looks to him like some sort of bug bite--but when I asked him how he determined that, he just got all huffy and said 30 years of experience...

The thing that makes me think it IS chicken pox, or at least that we can't rule it out...

1) the first day, before the first spots started to appear, she had a very severe headache and also complained about her stomach that she was "constipated" (but that was more mild). in general very moody, not eating, not herself.

2) looks like chicken pox to me... started with a few on her neck/ear/face, now on her trunk and starting on her hands and arms... there are many spots, and it does not look like bedbugs (which the doctor suggested). I am less familiar with scabies but it doesn't look like what I see online for scabies either.

3) if it's NOT chicken pox--shouldn't we know what it IS? bedbugs OR scabies (and the doctor not seeming to care which it is)--isn't that kind of weird for the doctor not to determine that? okay that's not really a reason but it makes me not just believe the doctor.

why NOT chicken pox:

1) we don't know anyone around with chicken pox. maybe classmates had and just didn't say... my child did say many classmates were absent recently.

2) no fever anytime we checked.

3) she woke up at night crying from the itch--actually I don't know, maybe this is consistent with chicken pox?

anyway... what do you all think? I got the scabies medication but I would really like to be sure of what I'm dealing with. if it's chicken pox, I won't send her to school till it's better. if it scabies, I'll use this medication. if it's bedbugs, I'll freak out! Smile thanks
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amother
Seablue


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 7:47 am
amother [ OP ] wrote:
I already took the child to the doctor and he said it's not chicken pox but looks to him like some sort of bug bite--but when I asked him how he determined that, he just got all huffy and said 30 years of experience...

The thing that makes me think it IS chicken pox, or at least that we can't rule it out...

1) the first day, before the first spots started to appear, she had a very severe headache and also complained about her stomach that she was "constipated" (but that was more mild). in general very moody, not eating, not herself.

2) looks like chicken pox to me... started with a few on her neck/ear/face, now on her trunk and starting on her hands and arms... there are many spots, and it does not look like bedbugs (which the doctor suggested). I am less familiar with scabies but it doesn't look like what I see online for scabies either.

3) if it's NOT chicken pox--shouldn't we know what it IS? bedbugs OR scabies (and the doctor not seeming to care which it is)--isn't that kind of weird for the doctor not to determine that? okay that's not really a reason but it makes me not just believe the doctor.

why NOT chicken pox:

1) we don't know anyone around with chicken pox. maybe classmates had and just didn't say... my child did say many classmates were absent recently.

2) no fever anytime we checked.

3) she woke up at night crying from the itch--actually I don't know, maybe this is consistent with chicken pox?

anyway... what do you all think? I got the scabies medication but I would really like to be sure of what I'm dealing with. if it's chicken pox, I won't send her to school till it's better. if it scabies, I'll use this medication. if it's bedbugs, I'll freak out! Smile thanks


No one here can give you the answer. If you don't like the answer you got from your doctor, go get a second opinion from a different doctor. Refua sheleima. Hope this get this figured out and treated soon.
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amother
Brown


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 7:49 am
I would somewhere else for a second opinion.
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mom!




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 7:51 am
If she is up to date with her vaccinations, the chances of it being chicken pox is next to nothing.
If it doesn’t disappear within a day or so I would go back to the doctor, perhaps schedule with another physician in the practice.
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amother
DarkYellow


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 7:53 am
1. I would trust the doctor. If a pediatrician can't recognize chicken pox, I'm not sure he is in the right line of work (unless this is an unusual appearance). Many doctors don't diagnose dermatology issues, but chicken pox is something every pediatrician should recognize.

2. Chicken pox usually starts on the trunk and then spreads. Sometimes he starts on the face too but not the neck.

3. It's so contagious she could have gotten it from me in the same grocery as someone else who had it. It is going around now for children not vaccinated or some of the 3 year old age group before they get their second dose.

4. Like others have said, we can't give you an answer. If you don't like your doctors answer, see another doctor and a dermatologist if you can get an apt. Just call ahead and ask what time since your dr said not chicken pox but you are concerned it is. He may want to see you outside or the last patient of the day.
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amother
Watermelon


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 7:54 am
Is she vaccinated for chicken pox?
When my kid had bedbugs my dr didn't realize what it was, he didn't know what the rash was. Then we found the bugs...
Check the mattresses.
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Moonlight




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 7:55 am
Chicken pox will have high fever. Will last 2 weeks
Bedbugs just won't stop
Viral rash should pass in a week

Eta
If she has no fever AND woke up crying from itch I would really suspect bed bugs. Really check her mattress well
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:07 am
Thank you everyone!

She is not vaccinated.

I guess my next step is to check her mattress.
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amother
SandyBrown


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:11 am
I’ve had both chicken pox and bedbugs and I don’t know how they can be confused. Bedbug bites are small dots, chicken pox are bigger bumps. But maybe I’m wrong.
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amother
SandyBrown


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:12 am
When I had bedbugs there were also tiny bloodstains on my sheets. And if she has bites all over her body her mattress would be infested enough to see clearly.
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Momafewx




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:14 am
Hand foot and mouth?
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amother
Chicory


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:22 am
You'll know within a day of its pox bc it will spread and start to pus
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:25 am
I don't see a single bloodstain on her sheet. Does that mean bedbugs is unlikely?

These spots are not especially small, they are definitely not in rows, and they seem to start out plain red like a mosquito bite, then get a little white blister which then turns dark red (maybe by being irritated by clothing or other contact).

Is anyone familiar with scabies?

Are there any other kinds of insects this can be? One of the first spots she complained about was INSIDE her ear.

Is it crazy to just use the medication the doctor prescribed, and see if it works?
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:26 am
amother [ Chicory ] wrote:
You'll know within a day of its pox bc it will spread and start to pus


It's already spreading. This started with two spots on Friday and now there are many all over her trunk/arms/neck (maybe legs but she hasn't mentioned that to me yet).

And pus--does that mean blisters? Because some of them are definitely doing that already!
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:27 am
Momafewx wrote:
Hand foot and mouth?


She has some on her hands but they only arrived today, and I don't think any on her feet... It seems to be mostly on her belly and back. Could that be hand foot and mouth?
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amother
DarkYellow


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:33 am
In the ear is a place chicken pox can start.
If she had only a few when you took her and they have now spread, go back to the doctor!

If there were only 2 Friday it's very possible he misdiagnosed.

Here is a picture showing the progression.
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amother
DarkYellow


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:34 am
amother [ OP ] wrote:
She has some on her hands but they only arrived today, and I don't think any on her feet... It seems to be mostly on her belly and back. Could that be hand foot and mouth?


No. Could be a viral rash though. We can't see it and we are not doctors.

Hand foot and mouth is really hand, foot, and mouth/chin.

I think you should go back to the doctor.
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ra_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:38 am
Go to a dermatologist for a 2nd opinion.
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amother
Tuberose


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:42 am
The analogy drs are taught to identify chicken pox is “ a dew drop on a rose petal” — clear filled pustule on red background. This being said, I have seen drs even or especially at large medical centers, miss this, because it had atypical presentation OR because the just hadn’t seen enough cases. It’s become that rare in some parts of the US.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Jan 02 2022, 8:57 am
Thanks everyone.

To clarify, the doctor saw her today. So there were already way more than two spots. (With more appearing after we left there.)

I do see a few that look like that "dew drop on rose petal" (and some like the later stages of that) but most of them are not like that. They mostly look like mosquito bites.
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