Your Child Has a Rash. Do You Know What to Do?

[Rivet]

Another good article by the Survival Doctor (James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.).

Your Child Has a Rash. Do You Know What to Do?

Everyone with kids knows the drill. Your two-year old awakens you in the middle of the night with, “Mommy, I don’t feel vewy good,” or, “Daddy, my throat hurts.” You fumble around and find their forehead with an, “I sorry.” But yikes. This time they’re burning up.

You flip on the light, and the kid looks like he’s been in a naked paintball fight—red splotches everywhere. What do you do?

Okay, you’ll probably call the hospital, or the nurse’s hotline, or your primary-care doc. You might even go to the hospital. But what if you can’t? What if the roads aren’t travelable and all you’re getting on the phone is a busy signal?

...

[Jessi]

I think I know the basic characteristics of some rashes. I could recognize chicken pox, for example, or localized allergic reactions, I think. I wouldn't be able to pick out any other random diseases, though.

[lrlady66]

If they have a red rash that starts at the forehead and works its way down the neck and the body and appears a little like sunburn and has a sandpapery feel to it, and there is a high fever of over 101 degrees then it may be Scarlet Fever....my son had this and it was amazing just how scarlet was the descriptive word of his rash. I was able to take him to the doctor and get antibiotics. I also learned that untreated Strep Throat progresses into Scarlet Fever.

[Victor Leigh]

My first thought would be to keep the body temperature from rising, especially in the head. Wiping down with a damp cloth may help. Ice would be good, if available.

[Sandra Piddock]

I can recognise most of the childhood rashes, and I'm also aware of the 'glass test' for meningitis. When my kids were small and had rashes, my mother always advised me to keep their temperature down, and make sure they were properly hydrated. That's a pretty good plan to start with.