Heat rash or chicken pox?

[chantal21]

I can't seem to figure this one out! Jeremiah is cutting another tooth so for the past 2 weeks his gums have been swollen and finally I see a tooth breaking through. He also has had a slight fever probably every other day. He usually gets a fever when cutting teeth. Anyway, today he was outside playing, got dirty, then I showered him and dressed him. Didn't do anything different. I did just change his soap from Johnson's Head to Toe wash to California Baby 2 days ago (it's all natural and suppose to be better) He took a nap, and when he woke up he was VERY warm again. Well we were out and my husband saw these little red bumps (but when you run your hand across them, they are not really raised that much). He has broken out a couple of times almost like this (I think it was not quite 2 weeks ago it happened) but not nearly as bad. It's all over his belly, back, underarms a little on his face, and neck, and even in his private area and inner thighs. It's not on his legs or arms really. In his private area, some spots are a little blotchy and the one area on the side of his face. My husband thinks it's the chicken pox...but how do you know for sure? Could it just be some sort of rash? I'm not sure how to tell the difference. He honestly has been acting normal, not really cranky or fussy or showing signs of discomfort. I tried taking a picture of it, but it won't show up on the camera. What do you ladies think? If it lasts for a couple more days I will probably go to the doc to get it checked out, but since he is acting normal and not in any pain, I will just keep an eye on it.
Thanks!!!

Also, IF it is chicken pox, is it bad for me to be around it even though I've had them already? I am 22 weeks pregnant.

[chantal21]

Just letting you know that Jeremiah's rash cleared up completely by sunday morning! I was so thankful. I stopped using that soap and I will try it again in a couple of days and if he gets the rash again I will know it's the soap. If not, then I guess it was just a heat rash. It was so weird though. He's never had a rash for that long before.

[chantal21]

Thanks girls. The more I look at it...I can definitely tell it's not chicken pox now. I remember when I had them and they were awful and I was miserable and itchy. He doesn't seem affected in any way by it. There are some areas that are raised and not red...so I was thinking heat rash...but then there are areas that are red bumps and not as raised. It's so strange. I am truly at a loss. I am going to stop using the new soap I tried and see if it clears up...if not I am going to take him to the docs to see.

Do you think that teething would cause some weird reaction?  It seems to have spread a little more today. I noticed some new areas on his back. He was playing outside yesterday, in the dirt, and he was filthy. I wonder if he got some kind of poison (but doesn't look like any type poison) or maybe he just had an allergic reaction to something. I haven't changed his diet in any way recently, so I don't think it's food related. BUT I just remembered this!!! I did put a shirt on him a few days ago and forgot to wash it. It was brand new and I usually wash everything before he wears it and I completely forgot! I wonder if that has something to do with it...................His fever went away though last night, so that's a good thing. Like I said, he's had a few breakouts here and there, that cleared up right away, but this one is the worst by far. I'm stumped!

[Juana824]

It doesn't sound like chicken pox to me but it does sound like "hand, foot and mouth" disease. Last spring/summer two of my little cousins who are about the same age as your son broke out with the same type of bumps...we thought it was a heat rash too..when their mom took them to the doctor, they were told it was the hand, foot and mouth thing. Apparently it is very common with children...

Hope it clears up soon....

[jessbbg]

I agree with the others, it doesn't sound like chicken pox at all... it does sound a little like Fifths Disease, but if it happened a couple of weeks ago, then it's not too likely to be it.  

My son had something very similar to this when he was younger----it happened a couple of times as an infant, then a couple more times as a toddler, and then again last year.  It turns out it is some kind of allergen, we're not sure what precisely though, could be to a certain food coloring or something.  The time last year was triggered when he was sick and I gave him some cold/cough medicine.  It presented the exact same way you're talking about, he gets really hot and has a rash, but it's not really raised.  

For the times it happened as a toddler, we never figured out what it was (had not given him ANY medicine)...

My bet is on mild allergic reaction just because of your description of the rash, and if that's ruled out then heat rash.  Generally real heat rash is a form of excoriation on the skin and requires some amount of friction in an area of excessive sweating, usually the bumps are raised up.  Heat rash appears as more "pimple" or "blister" like.

[Grandmatobe]

Sounds more like a heat rash.  When you get chicken pox, they start as little red bumps, but quickly fill in with fluid and then pop, creating a scab.  VERY itchy too, if you recall when you had them.  You would probably know in the next day if it is chicken pox by the change in the spots.

As for you, it shouldn't be a problem if you already had the chicken pox.  My daughter AND husband came down with chicken pox when I was 4 months pregnant with my youngest daughter, and the doctor said as long as I had already had them, there was nothing to be concerned about.

Is he any better this morning?

[smjmekg]

Chicken pox start on the chest and back and work their way to the arms and legs, it's probably a heat rash Elijah gets them all the time when he's hot.