I just got my dd undressed for the bath and noticed a couple of red dots on her tummy. On closer inspection, they have the small blister on top that always makes me think of chicken pox. I found a few more on her back, buttocks and legs (maybe 20 total). She says they don't itch, she hasn't had a fever and I don't know where in the world she could have been exposed to them. I asked my other two dks to undress and my ds also has them all over his trunk and upper legs (about 35). He also says they don't itch and he has no fever. My oldest has what might be two of them, right at waist level but I'm not sure since that's where her panties hit and there is a faint red line all the way around her waist. My oldest has had the varicella vaccine but we chose not to immunize the younger two with that particular vaccine so it is possible that they could have the chicken pox. I do think it would be strange if my oldest also had them. Obviously, they won't be going to school tomorrow and I'll be taking them to the doctor but I'm really frustrated with trying to figure out what this could be, if it isn't chicken pox. Any ideas?

By Pamt on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 10:20 pm:

You can still get chicken pox with the vaccine, just usually a much milder case. That's what it sounds like to me. I remember when I got them in 4th grade I just had a couple of spots to start off with and they didn't itch at all for a couple of days.

By Kaye on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 10:23 pm:

You will know by morning if it is chicken pox.

The CD has just recommended that children receive a 2nd dose of the vacine because at least 15% are still getting pox. So no it wouldn't be so weird for them all to have it.

When my kids got it, only one got it first, have no idea where, we never knew anyone with pox. We moved 2 weeks prior and must of picked it up at a mickey d's play place. Anyway, but both the boys did break out with in a few hours of each other. So if they were exposed together, they could all get it at the same time.

By Tink on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 11:27 pm:

Great, that's just what I expected. Today is sooo not my day! I'm still not sure where they could have picked it up. They go to different schools, we haven't had any friends over lately, I've even run errands with one or the other lately, but not both! Oh well, it doesn't really matter where they got it, just that they have it.

The only other weird thing about this is that about five weeks ago, I noticed a few spots on each of them that looked a bit like CP but they each only had 4 or 5 and I thought they might have been bit by some kind of bug...until my mom called and said she had similar bumps and then a friend from church mentioned he'd had some too. Since they went away after about 48 hours I really didn't give it too much thought. These new spots look just like the other ones but there are a bunch more of them. None of the kids say the spots itch but all of them gasp and flinch if I run my fingernail across the top of one of them. I'm so confused...

I think I should just leave well enough alone until I can get them in to see the Dr. Thanks, Pam and Kaye.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 11:42 pm:

((((hugs)))) to all of you!!! I was against my kids getting the vaccine, I would have rather them got the chicken pox like we all did, and gotten it over with. I hope the kiddos are feeling better soon!!!

By Tink on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 11:43 pm:

*sigh* One more question...does anyone know if my dh and I can carry the virus and transmit it to others, even though we are immune? My dh works out in the public everyday and we don't know if he will be putting others at risk since he's exposed to it at home. TIA

By Marcia on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 11:59 pm:

I would call before taking them to the doctor. Chicken pox isn't normally a big deal, but is life threatening to anyone who is has a compromised immune system.

By Kaye on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 09:31 am:

Dh is fine going out in public. I don't think you can carry it.

So what is the verdict today? pox or no pox?

By Tink on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 10:09 am:

Thanks for the hugs, Crys. I can certainly use them. I am going to call the doctor, Marcia, since I'm not sure this is what they have. If the Dr. thinks it sounds like CP, I'll just keep them home until it's all over with. Kaye, it's not definite this morning still but the spots are still here on the younger two, definitely worse on my ds (none on my older dd), but still no flu-like symptoms or itching.

Great, two kids home for a week or so after the first week of school. I'm sooo not looking forward to this. Thanks, everyone.

By Kaye on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 10:23 am:

Just a side note..that little blister on chicken pox is amazingly clear. It almost looks like a drop of water on top of a bite. Unmistakable once you have seen them.

My guess is it isn't pox, because really there would be NO doubt.

That being said, only one of my kids really ended up with flu like symptoms, my dd was tired, but my middle kid was like nothing was wrong.

Chances are they have some viral type rash, nonspecific. A call to the doc is a good plan.

By Marcia on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 11:11 am:

If it is pox, the blisters will pop and crust fairly quickly. A warm back will bring them out more.
Three of my girls had them back to back, so it was close to 6 weeks for us. I can't remember any of them having any flu like symptoms.

By Tink on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 01:27 pm:

Argh! The receptionist at the Dr's office said she can't fit them in until NEXT Thursday at 11am. Yeah, I'm thinking that's not going to help me very much so I asked to speak with the Dr's nurse who, surprise surprise, can get me in at 3:30 today. She said it didn't sound like the chicken pox but she couldn't give me anymore info without seeing the rash. I just can't figure out what could be causing something like this. Kaye, the blisters are more pinprick sized and are definitely yellow. The nurse said some of the blisters should be popping and scabbing over by the time I bring them in, if it's chicken pox. I'm thinking now that it's going to end up being some weird viral rash.

By Kaye on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 02:10 pm:

In texas we have fire ants...that is what those bites look like...take a picture and let us diagnose

By Tink on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 02:45 pm:

The only picture I can really show is this.


The others that I took to show the blisters just won't come into sharp enough focus. I'm pretty darn sure that it isn't fire ants. I'm positive they would have raised a huge fuss if they'd been bit this many times by any kind of bug.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 03:10 pm:

Keep up posted! Uh, next week won't be very helpful!

By Crystal915 on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 04:39 pm:

Let us know what the nurse says... I don't know if they look like chicken pox or not, it's been a while since I've seen them, but if it IS chicken pox, I would think the kids would be itching up a storm. ((((hugs)))) all around!!

By Kaye on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 05:48 pm:

Hmmm..have you changed detergents recently? My middle kid get a funny rash from one of the new tides. What about a new food they all tried. It isn't unheard of for each kid to be allergic to the same food.

My guess is still nonspecific viral rash..fun fun! Let us know.

By Tink on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 09:09 pm:

Drumroll, please...They have hot tub folliculitis! Apparently, it's fairly common and it's caused by a bacteria that develops in hot tubs where the Ph balance is off. We spent an hour or so in my mom's hot tub on Monday but even the Dr doesn't know why these two have it when none of the rest of us do. Oral antibiotics for 10 days and one more day off from school, just to make sure it isn't going to get any worse. At least I know what it is now.

Oh, I also found out why I haven't been feeling well. I mentioned a sore throat and headache and she ran a quick strep test that came back positive. So we're all on antibiotics and everything will be back to normal soon.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, September 7, 2006 - 11:16 pm:

I didn't really think it was chicken pox, either, but really had no idea what it could be. When mine had chicken pox, they had the fever, were lethargic and definitely itched.

By Crystal915 on Friday, September 8, 2006 - 11:18 am:

Well, I'm glad it's not chicken pox! I hope everyone is healthy soon!

By Babysitbarb on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 11:10 am:

My daughter's and I got this once when we were in a hot tub that had recently been refilled. It doesn't hurt it just looks bad.