[Connellyjlc]

Good idea, thanks I will do that also. I will call first thing tomorrow.

[Alty]

Thanks wondergirl for trying to help with this, There was another child at zoo with us and so far she is ok. She stayed i stroller the whole time though. My son was not in it that much as he is older. Also none of the adults have any symptoms either. The only thing i can think of that he did but no one else did was play in the water mister that they have there for the kids to run through.

The water mister raises all sorts of alarms for me. Big time!

Now, this is not a diagnosis. I couldn't diagnose even if I wanted to, and I wouldn't try even if I could. This is just a guess, and not even an accurate one, I can't give it a name, I can only tell you that this is something you definitely should mention to your doctor.

Water, stagnant water, or water that isn't properly treated, is a huge red flag. Not so much the water coming out of the mist, but the water pooling around it. Think of all the kids that go through that water, and the possibilities of contamination. A child that is in a diaper, what is leaking into the water? A child with any sort of illness, in the water, which is likely not chlorinated, not treated. So many possibilities.

It reminds me of the time I went to a friends house for a hot tub party. The hot tub was not properly treated. For 1 week after that party I had an itchy rash all over my body. It was the hot tub. I got lucky. Not treating a hot tub properly can actually result in fatal illness to the people using the tub. In fact, a few years ago I read about a cruise ship with a hot tub, that didn't treat the tub properly. Many of the passengers that used the tub, died. Not to scare you. If it's just a rash, it's most likely treatable. But, the mister is definitely something to consider in this case.

Again, not a diagnosis. Please, don't read my words, go into a panic, and think that your son has some sore of parasite from the mister at the zoo. This is simply something I really think you should mention to his doctor.

Also, I'm not sure if you responded, but, did the doctor you saw do any tests, blood work, a skin scraping, anything, or did he/she just look at the rash and guess?

[Wondergirl]

Or even say your son picked up a rash so you are backtracking everywhere he has been and need to know about any chemicals.

[Connellyjlc]

He just looked at it and guessed no tests. That is very helpful, and I will definitely bring up the mister to him on Monday. That was not something I mentioned to him because I did not even think of it. I never thought of the water on the ground or the possible contaminants that could be in it. That is very helpful and I will bring it to the docs attention. Hopefully he will do some tests on Monday, because it is not clearing up with the benadryl. Thanks again

[Wondergirl]

See what we've done here? This is the beauty and wonder of the Internet--not for a diagnosis but to think things through and come up with new ideas and ways to look at a problem. Just like with my cancer radiation protocol.

[Alty]

He just looked at it and guessed no tests. That is very helpful, and i will definetly bring up the mister to him on monday. That was not something i mentioned to him because i did not even think of it. I never thought of the water on the ground or the possible contaminants that could be in it. That is very helpful and i will bring it to the docs attention. Hopefully he will do some tests on monday, because it is not clearing up with the benadryl. Thanks again

I just wrote to a friend of mine. He's not a doctor, yet. He's in med school, and brilliant. Wondergirl knows him as well. He used to be a member of this site.

I told him what you wrote here. Maybe he'll be able to give a better guess.

It ticks me off that they didn't do blood work, or even take a skin scraping, and just prescribed benadryl and sent your son on his way.

This is insane.

I'm sorry if I sounded harsh in the beginning. It's just that we get so many people coming here, unwilling to see a doctor, and hoping that we can diagnose cancer, AIDS, you name it. After a while you just post the "we can't diagnose on the internet, see a doctor", because really, there's no way we can diagnose.

My friend may be able to give you a better idea about what may be going on, but it still won't be a diagnosis. But, maybe he'll be able to say "tell her to go to the doctor, ask for these specific tests".

It could take a while. He's in his final year of med school, one month to go, final exams up the wazoo, and apparently it's not easy! ;) I skyped him, but I'm not sure when I'll hear from him. It could be in a hour, it could be in a week.

[Wondergirl]

And your son's hands could have gotten "infected" if he, as kids will do, reached down onto the ground and splashed at the standing water and then patty-caked or something. And I still wonder about all those chemicals in the mist water.

[Connellyjlc]

Thanks I completely understand and sorry if I seemed harsh too. Just trying to find ideas as to what's wrong with him. I was upset that I got sent us away without test either with wait and see. I want to know what is wrong a clear it up. I also don't want to expose anyone else if it is something contagious. He goes to day care but has not been there in over a week due to end of year break. He will not be going on Monday and I will not be going to work. I am a single mother so I would like to find out what it is so we can get rid of it and resume our lives and he can be better. I really appreciate your help and just want some suggestions or ideas to present to the doctor so we can get tests and find out what it is. Thank you and I understand that some people on here post crazy things and expect someone to figure it out and give them answers instead of seeing a doctor. That is not the case I am trying to work with the doctor to find out what it is. I appreciate any feedback that may help. This is the first time I have used this site and reading some of the questions on here completely make me understand your post about not getting an internet diagnosis. It seems that's what most are after instead of ideas to take to doctors to get correct diagnosis. Again thanks for trying to help

[Alty]

See what we've done here? This is the beauty and wonder of the Internet--not for a diagnosis but to think things through and come up with new ideas and ways to look at a problem. Just like with my cancer radiation protocol.

I agree WG, but this is a rare case. I answered a poster today that wanted to know if his 12 year old sister has cancer. He gave a list of symptoms that could be anything from the common cold to AIDS. There are literally 100's if not thousands of possibilities with the symptoms he listed.

I asked if they'd seen a doctor. His response, no, we went online, and asked for a diagnosis there.

There's no way to diagnose anything online. That's what has me frustrated, and I have to admit, I answered this post shortly after responding to the other.

It's frustrating, and it's maddening, because I actually picture these people, I start to care about them, and I know they're not getting the help they need by going to internet sites that claim to diagnose you. So I state right away that it's not possible. I don't want anyone dying on my watch. I don't want anyone thinking that because I guessed, they don't need to go to a doctor.

I hope you can understand why I post what I post. No matter what you find on the internet, it can't compare to an actual visit to your doctor. We can guess at best. But that's all we can do.

[Alty]

Thanks i completely understand and sorry if i seemed harsh too. Just trying to find ideas as to whats wrong with him. I was upset that i got sent us away without test either with wait and see. I want to know what is wrong a clear it up. I also dont want to expose anyone else if it is something contagious. He goes to day care but has not been there in over a week due to end of year break. He will not be going on monday and i will not be going to work. I am a single mother so i would like to find out what it is so we can get rid of it and resume our lives and he can be better. I really appreciate your help and just want some suggestions or ideas to present to the doctor so we can get tests and find out what it is. Thank you and i understand that some people on here post crazy things and expect someone to figure it out and give them answers instead of seeing a doctor. That is not the case i am trying to work with the doctor to find out what it is. I appreciate any feedback that may help. This is the first time i have used this site and reading some of the questions on here completely make me understand your post about not getting an internet diagnosis. It seems thats what most are after instead of ideas to take to doctors to get correct diagnosis. Again thanks for trying to help

Well now you're just bringing tears to my eyes. Thanks for understanding. Stick around and you'll understand even more. ;)

I really am upset with your doctor though. Right now I'd demand that they do blood work, a skin scraping, anything. Just looking at a rash can't diagnose. Did they even ask you any questions? If they had, they should have come to the same conclusion we did, because really, it didn't take long to get to the zoo, the mister, and question whether that had something to do with it.

Have you thought about getting a second opinion? I would, and I'd write a list of all the things you did before the rash came on. If none of the things your son was exposed to raises a red flag with the doctors, I'd say "okay then, what tests do you need to do, because I'm not leaving here without knowing what's going on, and without a way to fix it. A guess won't do, I can get that on the internet for free. I'm paying you, so earn your pay!". :)

[Connellyjlc]

Wonder girl, that is a good possibility also I will talk to doctor, he did put his hands in the water on the ground and splash it, and he was wearing shorts and sandals so that could make sense why it is not on his torso. I will talk to doc about it. And alty I can understand your point too many people today try to make their own diagnosis on internet instead of working with doctors and doing research to find out ideas to talk to them about. Doctors are your best bet when finding out health problems but they don't always know what is wrong and a little research and communication with them is always good. I would not have thought about the mister without the comments from wonder girl so sometimes people can help. It might not be what it is but it's a idea to point it out to the doctor. Which I did not do or think of Friday. Thanks again for both of your help

[Alty]

Wonder girl, that is a good possiblity also i will talk to doctor, he did put his hands in the water on the ground and splash it, and he was wearing shorts and sandals so that could make sense why it is not on his torso. I will talk to doc about it. And alty i can understand your point too many people today try to make their own diagnosis on internet instead of working with doctors and doing research to find out ideas to talk to them about. Doctors are your best bet when finding out health problems but they dont always know what is wrong and a little research and communication with them is always good. I would not have thought about the mister without the comments from wonder girl so sometimes people can help. It might not be what it is but its a idea to point it out to the doctor. Which i did not do or think of friday. Thanks again for both of your help

Please keep us posted, let us know how your baby is doing, and what happens. So many times people post, we offer advice, we pour our hearts into it, and we never know what happened.

I really hope that you find the answer. Maybe it is just chicken pox. If one of the kids playing in the mister had the pox, your son could easily have picked it up. Again, not a diagnosis. ;)

Right now I'm more upset with your doctor than anything. If it is chicken pox, a simple test could diagnose that. The fact that they didn't bother, makes my blood boil. This is a 3 year old child, with a rash, and a fever, and they diagnose benadryl and say "um, ah, I don't know what it is". I can do that! Maybe I should quit my job and become a doctor, doesn't sound like it's too hard. ;)

[Connellyjlc]

Thanks alty I will not be leaving Monday with out some tests. I took him to er for fever and vomiting. Told them we were at zoo all day and he got sick on way home. They did a urine test to check for dehydration and then gave him meds to stop the vomiting and sent us home. He was not dehydrated. He drank plenty of bottled fluids that day. Then when I noticed rash the next day I called doctor and they said it was probably bug bites cause it was just on his shins and they had scabs. I told them about zoo and they did ask about new soaps or foods. But I have not changed anything. So all they did was prescribe benadryl and sent us away and said if it does not improve call on Monday, if it worsens go back to er.

[Wondergirl]

Alty and I are going to hang out our shingle as the new pediatricians in town. I'll do the reference (medical) interview and she can figure out the treatment.

[Alty]

The more you post the more I think this has something to do with the water. It really makes sense. Not the mister, but the water that pools at the bottom where the mister is. If he put his hands in it, then, being a 3 year old, he probably put his hands in his mouth, which is why he has a rash in the mouth. The fact that the rash is just on the legs, makes sense too.

I'm going to do some research. My med school friend seems to be unavailable tonight. I just told him that I could do his job if all I had to say was "I don't know what it is, take benadryl", and that didn't get him to respond, so he's probably studying. LOL.

Let me see if I can find anything about water and rashes. Just remember, and I know I don't have to say it, but I'm covering my arse. Whatever I find is a guess, not a diagnosis. :)

[Connellyjlc]

I was not aware they could do a test for chicken pox, again good suggestion. I will definitely be talking to doc on Monday about getting some tests done. I will definitely let you know what we find out.

[Connellyjlc]

Thanks I completely understand its not a diagnosis. I will be calling the zoo first thing tomorrow to ask about chemicals. I already called school/daycare and no other kids have had chicken pox or any rashes. Even though he has not been there in over a week. He goes to a montessori school and is in preschool there even though he should not be in preschool until next year. He just turned three in march. I agree you guys are already giving it more thought than his doctor did. Im not discrediting doctors just think sometimes they just don't take enough time these days to ask enough questions. I really wish they would have just done a test to try to actually know what it is instead of sending us away with benadryl. I could have given him that myself without going. And it is not helping. And if it is contagious I don't want anyone else to get it. So without knowing what it is I don't know how long to keep him home so no other kids get it.

[Wondergirl]

I've trained my doctor to ask questions. :)

[J_9]

Alty and I are going to hang out our shingle as the new pediatricians in town. I'll do the reference (medical) interview and she can figure out the treatment.

Seriously? You do realize that this could be dangerous.

I have read the entire thread and it does indeed sound like hand foot and mouth (disease). Disease is a misnomer as it is actually a virus and will go away on it's own.

[Alty]

I was not aware they could do a test for chicken pox, again good suggestion. I will definetly be talking to doc on monday about getting some tests done. I will definetly let you know what we find out.

I'm fairly sure there is a test (not 100% positive). As far as I know, and I'm not a doctor, it's not a quick test, but there is a test (again, not 100% positive), it does take time though. Still, if chicken pox was suspected, they should have done the test, or told you that there isn't one. There is a blood test to check for immunity to chicken pox. But, that test can really only show if you've had chicken pox in the past, not if you have it now. I'll do more research on that.

One thing I can recommend. If you find out that it's not chicken pox, there is a chicken pox vaccine. I had both my kids vaccinated. Some people say that it's not a sure thing, that you can still get chicken pox, but, if you do it won't be nearly as bad as it would be were you not vaccinated. Both my kids are, one is 13, the other 9, and neither have gotten the chicken pox, and they've been exposed many times.

I do have to thank you. You've taught me something valuable. After 4 years on this site, I've become a bit jaded. You can only answer so many "Am I pregnant, do I have cancer, I have a lump on my penis, what is it?" questions before you start answering with the generic "see your doctor" response. You taught me that not everyone is here looking for a diagnosis, or expecting a cure. Some people just want ideas, something to take to the doctors that aren't listening. My main response will still be to see a doctor, but in the future, I think I will be a lot more open to discussion, and not so quick to say "just see your doctor".

I think you have given me far more than I can ever offer you, and I thank you for that. :)