Skin sores

My 3 year old has developed open sores on the side of his body and under his arm - some on the under side of his arm, they seem to be spreading. I can remember this happening once before but it was only a few and they quickly went away. I have been treating them with antibiotic cream to prevent infection but I am starting to wonder if it needs attention. I have also noticed some blister like spots that he didn't have before, I don't know if this is what it looks like before it becomes an open sore. He had chicken pox at the age of 5 months but has otherwise been healthy. He has been treated for excema but that cleared up when we moved to Brazil last July and only reoccures when we travel back to the dryer climates of the US. We do not have a regular doctor here so I wondered if I need to find one to treat this.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

This sounds as though it could well be impetigo, a bacterial infection.  This is not serious, but needs to be treated.  Treatment consist of topical prescription-strength antibiotics like Bactroban and oral antibiotics in the penicillin or erythromycin family.  I advise you to have your child seen by a physician right away, so you can take care of it.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff