The case of the mysterious rash.....

On Tuesday I started DD on cod liver oil and olive leaf extract in an aid to boost her little immune system. We've had a real run of ear infections/colds etc. She has just finished a double course of antibiotics for infected ears and a chesty cough.

Mid Wed morning I noticed almost welt like splotches on both knees, a few in her armpits and upper arms, and a few others scattered randomly over her body. Her knees were very inflamed. Quick stop at the Docs and she thought it was an allergic reaction to either the CLO or OLE, so naturally stopped them. She had already had a second dose earlier that morning as the welts weren't there at first. Doc said it might take another 24hrs or so for more spots etc, just to monitor and make sure she was comfortable. She had slept terribly, lots of coughing etc. A daily dose of children's clarantyne was recommended. It hasn't seemed to make any difference.

Since then, DD's skin has just been like a technicolour coat! Blotches appearing, disappearing, popping up for 5 mins here, 10 mins there, an hour or so, and last night in the bath we noticed a fine red raised rash all over her trunk and back. She woke with red spots all over her face, which were gone an hour later by the time we got to the Doc (different one same med centre) He says he thinks it's viral, and could just come and go for up to a few weeks! She's fighting a runny nose/cough, has a decreased appetite and really broken sleep for a few nights now.

Has anyone else had anything like this? We haven't changed anything diet wise for her (besides the supplements which we stopped straight away), or changed laundry liquid etc. We sat at dinner tonight and watched bright red blotches appear on her nose, cheeks, ears, then watched them dissapear again. She doesn't seem in too much discomfort, it's just weird watching it. I realise if it's viral it just has to run it's course, but DH keeps asking me if kids can have a sudden onset of allergies. The only thing she's been allergic to in the past was our beloved dog, and we haven't been around any dogs lately. I haven't really had anything to do with allergies before, or viral rashes to be honest, so just wanted to see if anyone has been through similar.

Sorry for the novel too :rolleyes:

It could be a viral rash..the bodies natural reaction to a virus? As in the body trying to fight a virus.

:hug: it sounds awful for you all. I haven't heard anything like it. You would think an allergy would produce a more localized, persistent rash (think exposure to skin irritant creates immediate angry rash). Viruses are so diverse, a viral rash seems like a blanket term to describe the unknown.
I hope she's better soon!

Although the rash doesn't sound quite the same we had this the other day. DS was diagnosed with tonsillitis. given amoxycillin. After 4 days he was fine, then started really high temps again. We were worried the ABs were wrong so we took him to the hospital who stopped the ABs and said let it run its course. 2 days later he had an awful blotchy rash all over his body. Took him back to the dr who said he was misdiagnosed for the tonsillitis and it was probably glandular fever as a lot of the symptoms are the same although it isn't common in really young kids. Supposedly the rash is a reaction to the ABs because of the glandular fever. If you google it you can see what I mean. I was wondering if the same happened to you because you mention the recent illness and that you have just finished the ABs for her.

I'd say you have two things going on there. An allergic reaction to the olive leaf extract, and a viral rash.

I had quite a severe allergic reaction to olive leaf extract a few years ago - that would be the blotchy rash that is taking a long time to go down. The fine red rash sounds more like a viral rash to me, which is very normal and will settle down quickly.

Good luck with it!

Thanks everyone for all the replies, I really appreciate it.

Schmickers I do think you could be right, and it's a little reassuring to hear it's similar to your reaction to OLE. I was thinking last night that maybe it's coincidence, react to the OLE and having a viral rash at the same time, I mean she is fighting a bug it seems.

Another thing I was thinking is that with Baby Led Solids they reckon children will show an aversion to things they are sensitive to. She took the cod liver oil no prob (yuk) but both times half spat some of the olive leaf extract (a specific kids one) and she has never done that with anything from a syringe. Maybe she knew? I'm not game enough to try it again when things calm down that's for sure.

Krysalyss that sounds scary with your son, glandular fever was hard on me as a young adult, hope he's going okay. The very first time DD had AB it was amoxycillin and she reacted with quite runny nappies imediately, so was taken off it within 24 hrs. That was months ago and now she has a different type of AB that doesn't seem to react with her. She has had this type twice before the last batch with seemingly no reaction, but it's helpful to hear what you've been through in case things haven't settled down soon.

The good news is the red rash is quite a bit lighter today, and we only had a few splotches appear over breakfast. We're just lucky that in general she's still been a pretty happy cruisy little one and all these spots aren't bugging her too much. Thanks again :)

It sounds like a hives kind of rash. My experience with them on myself and #2 DS, is that they come and go at random times on different parts of the body, but they are also itchy. You say that it's not causing her discomfort though so possibly it isn't, I just thought I'd mention. Is there a preservative in the supplements that she could be reacting to such as 220 Sulphur dioxide? Or perhaps you may have given her something to eat that has dried apple (flavoured porridge has been a culprit here). Sometimes there can be a delayed reaction or it can take a few days to build up to a level that upsets the immune system.

No they don't seem to be itchy at all, the first few days maybe, the welt type blotches, but not the fine red rash. The welt type ones seem to have gone for good. Or for the moment anyways.

We had nearly a whole day without any rash/red spots today, but at dinner she started breaking out in red flat spots on her face and under her chin, then by the time she was undressed for her bath and within 5 mins of getting in she was covered in a red rash again. She didn't eat any thing new for dinner, and we always use cetaphil in her bath. The washer used to clean her has been washed in the same laundry liquid as always. When DH gave her a wash with the washer the red rash spread like wildfire over most of her. Then calmed down again once dressed in pj's.

So tomorrow I'm thinking a bath with nothing in the water? Don't use a washer, and see how she goes. First process of elimination? It's not even a new bottle of cetaphil, it's been in use for a month or so. I'm so confused as to what it could be.

I've tried to think if she's had anything else new that the level could of built up but she hasn't. What kind of time frame do you mean? For it to build up? Sorry for all the Q's, I just feel at a loss as to what's going on.

ETA Just reading up on hives and it says avoid hot baths/tight clothing. Now her bath isn't hot but I guess the warmth could inflame them, and the washer rubbing on her skin? The trick is to find out what's causing it I guess, although it still could be from the supplements earlier on in the week.