I hope the doc reads this also. I am adding to this thread to inform you all that my baby was eventually diagnosed with Valley Fever, or disseminated coccidioidomycosis, a deadly infectious fungus that can be breathed in by anyone here in Southern California. Her main symptoms were the rashes, but the one that clinched it was a horrific lesion that began to grow on her back the week I posted here. The HMO bounced us around for awhile, but by mid March somone had figured it out and we were admitted to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. She had not progressed to the usual meningitis thank God, but there was a suspicious spot on her lung, and she is now being infused daily with ambisone and has had no reactions to it so far. The doctors say she will most likely be cured but might have to be on oral medication for a year or years, depending on her. Apparently, there are many children with it near us right now. The construction in the area stirs the fungus spores up and people then breathe it in. Here are some links about Valley Fever:
www.valleyfever.com
http://www.csubak.edu/healthcenter/ValleyFever.htm
http://www.casa.arizona.edu/~peter/valleyfever/web/page4.html
Thanks for listening,
gydget
My one-year old son also developed a rash on his cheeks during the last week. He'd had a rash on his face for a couple months, so I finally took him to the pediatrician. He told me to apply 1% cortizone ointment twice daily, as well as Eucerin lotion as many times a day as I could remember to do so. After just a couple days, I could already see an improvement. The rash went away ... but then another one appeared last week - after his birthday party. I am using the same treatment as before, but it doesn't seem to be working. I wonder if it could be "Baby Rosacea." If anyone has a suggestion for OTC treatment, I'd appreciate hearing about it. I keep hoping it will clear up, so I can have his one-year portraits done soon.
OK, I'll try.
Your baby's rash is not an allergy to amoxicillin because, as you point out, the rash preceded it. She is also not allergic to neurontin, because the rash would not have gotten much better while you are still taking it. (Allergies to drugs in breast milk can in theory occur, but they must be awfully uncommon; I've never seen one.)
By a process of elimination, then, your baby's rash appears to be something other than a drug eruption. What could it be? While I obviously cannot say with certainty, the most common itchy rash in infants is eczema. This would get better with cortisone creams, and would be likely to reappear a little off and on thereafter, just as you say hers does.
Can eczema come all over "out of the blue?" You bet--happens all the time. Cause? None--that is, the sensitivity involved is hereditary, not allergic or environmental.
My advice is therefore the following:
1) Have you doctor examined by a dermatologist, who can give you a definitive diagnosis.
2) Continue the neurontin, if your doctor feels it's best for you, without guilt. In all likelihood, you and your needed treatment are not responsible for her rash (which may well get milder as she gets a bit older.)
Best.
Dr. Rockoff