My son came home from a sports camp tonight and has extremely painful big red welts in his armpits. He was wearing a new loose-fitting polyester soccer shirt...I'm not sure that has anything to do with it. He doesn't wear deoderant yet on a regular basis so it's not that. Wondering if it's chafed? Or swollen sweat glands? We put some ice on them and he took some Tylenol but the relief is not coming fast enough. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much for all the helpful tips and advice. After that first night the rash calmed down quite a bit and isn't painful anymore. It seems to have been a reaction to the new shirt mixed with the heat and sweat from his football camp that evening. There was never any indication that is was more than a rash similar to diaper rash...no small red or white bumps...just a red rash. In fact, my first instinct was to put Desitin on it but he would have none of that! My son agrees that he will wear an undershirt next time he wears his new soccer shirt!
Thanks!
It's been a while since i've had little ones, but it sounds like bedbugs or chiggers. You say he had them when he came back from camp. If they did any field trips out in the woods, chiggers are a possibility. Most camps are not on a regular cleaning and airing schedule, so it could also be bedbugs!
I hope this helps
B.
If it is lymph nodes take him to the Dr. my children had cat scratch fever and that was the symptom. They presented with swollen lymph nodes under the arm. Eventually they started running a fever. Do you have and kittens, or has he been around ANY in the last couple of weeks?? Good luck!
Have you tried Benadryl? That may give him some relief. Good luck.
Because of the glands that are in the armpits I would take him to the doctor if it's not better soon. It's best to be safe, there are a lot of weird illnesses that can be unpleasant that aren't too uncommon.
My son had something like this, we use Caldesene powder for it, he's used it for years under his arms on his legs wherever sweat collects and then would rub together. He's been using this for years and now knows when to ask for the powder.
I would guess this is the problem as long as it's not a swollen gland, but being at the camp I would guess this is what it is, my son usually comes home walking funny because he needs the powder in a whole different place so you might have your husband ask him if he needs the powder for that area too, or if you have good communication just let him know the powder can be used anywhere he's having the chafing problem.
I would call your pediatrician right away...
If the shirt was new and had not been laundered it could be a sensitivity to formaldahyde, which is in the chemicles used for sizing. If he was sweating and doing some sport activity that rubbed the arm pits over the shirt, such as rowing a boat, it would make sense.
Also, I have seen welts come up on the arms of people who recently had a metal dental filling that contained mercury. The recommended childhood vaccines before 2004 usually contained mercury. People who have received mercury containing injections or have many mercury based fillings, will of develop sensitivity reactions of some sort.
I'm not suggesting that this is exactly what caused your son's problem, but you might want to think back to what he was exposed to during the days prior to attending sports camp.
You do not mention your son's age, but you mention that he has started using deoderant on occasion. It could be hormonal changes of puberty activating sweat glands and hair growth.
So, the possibilities really are many and various and requires some detective work to figure out. Although I do think it would be helpful to ask the child's MD, DO, ND, or DC, I would refrain from using Tylenol. Even if a doctor recommends Tylenol, I would question the doctor or ask a pharmasist. If the condition is a reaction to something toxic, Tylenol can be detrimental to liver function, and one of the liver's main functions is to detoxify the body. The FDA recently released new warnings about liver damage caused by Tylenol. Unless a child is suffering a severe flu virus, asprin might be preferable for minor discomforts.
my sons & husband all get that in the summer. They use... are you ready??.....Desitin (diaper ointment)! It works!
Their problem is not so much the armpits, but chafing Down Below because of the mesh lining in swim trunks. Or from wearing boxers when physically active....they've learned whitey-tightys all the way for sports!
Try cold-packs under his arms...however, you also need to check his temperature and ensure he isn't having an allergic reaction to something... This can present with swollen lymph nodes (armpits, neck, abdomen). I might take him to the doctor tomorrow morning for a check up....
Sports camp? Check for MRSA. The 3 main spots physicians know to look for MRSA at(besides an obvious boil) are the groin, the armpits, and the nasal passages. My SIL has had two seperate outbreaks of MRSA in the past month and a half.
Whitchhazel (it's sold in regular pharm. right by the alcohol and hydro. preox. bottles). It works great...! Also Tea Tree Oil will help it heal.
Good Morning C., I am guessing here, but it sounds like he may be allergic to the material. Try having him wear a white t shirt under his uniform shirt and see if that helps at all.
That sounds so painful.
God Bless you C.
K. Nana of 5
Take him to the doctor, I had what they doctor though was blocked glands, but he cultured them anyways and it was a staff infection. It really isn't something to play with. I could be nothing but why risk it.
I would definitely get him in to the doctor. It might not be anything serious, but I think it is better to be certain. If it is swollen lymph nodes, it might be a sign of something else.
You got some great advice here - but I saw someone else with a similar response so I thought I would chime in! We use Boudreauxs Butt Paste on my 5 year old who gets the same thing occasionally. We tried it a long time ago because it looked exactly like a diaper rash only under his arms - it worked and we've been using it since. It immediately soothes the area and within a few hours the red and swelling are gone. Oh, I should mention this has only happened in the summer.
