Strange Rash on Hands

K.,
My son(5) when he was 2 had a rash on his hands and it was itching him.I took him to the doctors and they told me he had hand foot and mouth disease. You can get it from schools,shopping carts are the main place. I kept putting cream on to stop the itching and it went away pretty fast. I remember doing some research and some cases got really bad. I know have learned if I am going to the store to bring some antibacterial wipes to wipe the cart before my son touches it.

Sounds like hand, foot and mouth. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it if it is and it is likely all the boys will get it as it is highly contagious if they have not been exposed before. When my oldest had it I was told most kids get it by the time they are 7. I think time is the only cure for that one. Sounds just like what we experienced. Check out his feet for similar bumps.

My daughter once had what I thought were mosquito bites, but it turned out to be hives. She doesn't get them badly...usually a dozen or so spread over her trunk or legs. They look exactly like bites, but to tell the difference you can pull gently on either side of the mark (kind of like you're trying to stretch the skin in that area) and while a bite will still look pink, a hive will turn white or skin-colored. If this is the case, Benadryl and hydrocortisone should help somewhat.

However, I've never seen Hand Foot & Mouth disease, so it could very well be that...noticed a lot of moms are suggesting it. I just thought I'd share the idea of hives, since they look exactly like large mosquito-bump bites on my little girl.

Hi K.,

My kids had what is called hand foot and mouth disease. It also spreads to the the genitals. Check his feet for bumps, his hands, inside his mouth. A very mild fever is also a common symptom.

If it is that, all you do is let it run ints course. My kids didn't want to eat much since the soars in their mouth hurt.

Sounds like scabies to me. I would get him to the dr, you can only get rid of scabies with a prescription and you'll need to wash everything possible in your house and vacuum everything, including furniture. It spreads VERY quickly to family members, but if you nick it now, it's easily stopped. My nephew just had this in the spring. His dad kept treating it with cortizone cream, and it spread to his stomach and back too, but it started on his hands. This is very commonly spread at the beginning of school!!

Go to the dr,he is the only one who can tell you for sure. It could also be impetigo.

Has he been playing outside? Could be nettles or even poison oak/ivy. You could do an internet search on those and see if they are similar to what he has on his hands. As long as it doesn't spread or begin to cause other problems a doctor's visit on Monday will be fine.

Check his mouth and bottoms of his feet. Sounds like Hand, Foot & Mouth to me. It is very uncomfortable and highly contagious. I would definitely get him into the docs.

It could be poison ivy, they get kind of blistery and odd shaped, might want to get it checked out.

The way you describe what the bumps look like it kind of sounds like either poision ivy or poision oak. I had a rash on my elbow this spring that was kinda like what you describe. It only itched when I touched it. I never knew what it was and it dried up and went away after a couple of weeks. I had been playing ball with my neighbor's girls in their back yard the day before I got it. I don't get poision ivy, so I guessed it was poision oak. Anyway, I know that poision ivy and poision oak can get into the eyes as well. If it's on the hands and someone rubs their eyes, then it will spread. Of course red, swollen eyes can also be "pink eye", but that is usually pretty painful. If it's not causing him any real discomfort, then I'd wait until Monday to call his doctor if it continues. If it starts to become a real problem or is spreading else where, then I wouldn't think twice about taking him to an urgent care if you have one in your town or even to the ER if there isn't one.

It sounds to me like Hand, Foot & Mouth disease. It is a common childhood illness and very contagious. Does he have any sores on his feet or in his mouth? I would take him to the doctor on Monday to see what it is for sure.

Does he have any symptoms in his mouth or the bottome of his feet. My son has had hand foot and mouth disease twice. Once when he was around 3-4 and again at 17. It's no fun and kinda sounds like what you are describing to me. Not a lot you can do other than keep them comfortable since it's viral. Good luck and I hope he gets to feeling better soon!!

Could be an allergy, could be nerve bumps, I would stick with the action you have all ready taken and see the Dr. on Monday.

Have it checked out by the dr. Sounds like mites. Little tiny bugs and it will only get worse. My Grandson has it on his side. You usually get them from playing with a wild animal usually a bird. Or at least I have known of otthers andthey traced the exposure to finding a baby bird. Sometimes they were dead and sometimes alive. While I have handled them I have never got mites. Some old wives tales say to paint the bumps with clear nail polish and leave it on a few days. The bugs get their air thought the bit marks. They are actually burrowing under the skin.

It could be hand, foot and mouth disease. It is going around here in Indiana in our local schools.

Is his eye goopy? If so, it could be pink eye. If it is, it's highly contagious. The red bumps sound like an allergic reaction to something. If it were me, and the benadryl and cream don't work, I'd take him to urgent care this afternoon.