Hi Moms,
My 2 year old son has had a flare up on his left cheek four or five times in the last month. It looks like a bug bit with raised lump and red. It goes away and then flares up when he really cries. The two big times it flared up was when he was at urgent care and at his regular doctor when he was mad, mad , mad! One other time I thought he was a little hot (not fever wise just hot in the house).
my question is how could a bug bite keep getting flared up after many weeks? is it hives? is he allergic to something? Why would it just flare up at the same spot?
He has eczema but this looks different.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
My daughter had the same thing. The doctor said that it was cellulitis and he gave antibiotics to treat it, and we never saw it again.
No, a bug bit wouldn't flare up. The inflammation, pain, itching of a bug bite is usually from an allergic reaction to the bite.
I'd really advise calling the pediatrician to be sure it's normal. In my short time as a mom, I have learned that anything is possible and probable. No harm in calling to see what they think.
Good luck.
I have a birth mark that you don't see usually but it gets red when i cry or get angry... just a thought
It sounds like Herpes Simplex, the same one that causes cold sores on the mouth. If someone with a cold sore has kissed him anywhere on the face (mouth, cheek, etc.) the cold sore virus can be passed on and appear as a raised, red area on the cheek. If you look closely sometimes you can see a cluster of small, clear "blisters" at the center of the raised area. Herpes simplex has a tendency to appear when someone is sick, with fever, stressed, etc. The virus can be painful and/or itchy. If the sore gets scratched or is open and oozing, it is quite contagious to others through the use of shared washcloths, towels, etc. The same virus is related to chicken pox, shingles, etc. It is not serious or life threatening, but a nuisance. I'm 63 yrs. old and my father always had cold sores. I'm guessing I was kissed by him and the virus was passed to me. A sister gets it in her eyes which can be quite serious and damaging. She's had one corneal implant because of this herpes virus. Sister only gets it in her eyes but I always get it on my left cheek every time. I've had it since middle school. I had the problem more frequently & severely in high school school. A dermotologist recommended getting vaccinated (again) for chicken pox. I did, and for the past 40 yrs. I've only had a very mild case of it about twice a year - always when I'm really stressed or ill with a cold, flu, etc. I don't know of any cure.
