19 May 2015

All about spots, bites, rashes and fevers

It’s easy to panic if your child breaks out in a rash or spots, or his temperature shoots up. You may not know how to distinguish between a pimple and a bite, so we’ve put together some descriptions and a gallery for a few of the most common ones. You can familiarise yourself with these and minimise that panic.

Once bitten...

Wondering how to tell different rashes apart?

What’s that rash

Spots! Read here for information on all of these kinds of spots in:

Spot on!

Roseola (baby measles)
Measles (rubeola)
German measles (rubella)
Erythema infectiosum (‘slapped cheek disease’)
Kawasaki disease
Chickenpox (varicella)
Shingles (herpes zoster)
Cold sores (herpes simplex)
Hand, foot and mouth disease

You can also view a gallery of these here:

Spot on gallery

These are merely an introduction to these ailments, so remember:

You do need to see a doctor if...

Your baby is younger than three months and has a temperature of more than 38°C.
Your child is older than three months and has a temperature of more than 40 °C.
Your child is older than three months and has a temperature of between 38 °C and 40 °C but doesn’t want to eat or drink, has constant diarrhoea or nausea, shows signs of dehydration or has short spells of fever a few nights in a row, or if the fever doesn’t drop within 72 hours after sponging your child down and administering children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen.
Your child is younger than two years and the fever doesn’t drop within 24 hours of doing the above.

911 - Rush to your doctor if your child has a fever and...

Cries inconsolably for hours and is extremely irritable.
Is very listless and struggles to wake up.
Has a rash that looks like bruising.
Struggles to breathe.
Leans forward and drools.
Has what appears to be an epileptic attack or fit.
The lips, tongue and nails are blue.
His neck is stiff and he has a bad headache.
His body is limp and he struggles to move.
The fontanel on his head bulges.

Facebook or Google is not your doctor! Do consult a medical professional should you have concerns for your child's health.

How often does your child get sick? Comment below.

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