Question: My 22 month old daughter seems to have multiple skin issues. Her skin appears flushed quite easily and she has marks like sub dermal bruises on occasion. We've seen 3 pediatricians and they all have a different answer. One said Dermatographic urticaria and it was common. Another said, after looking at a picture of what appeared to be an insect bite near her groin, it could have been an ant bite infected by staph. The other said her body temp is still regulating. I'm concerned with an infection. We brought her to a dermatologist who recommended a bleach bath and prescribed a topical steroid. I want to get to the bottom of this. Is there any genetic tests to rule out viral or bacterial infections?

Dr. XXXXXXX

Thank you for the quick response.
I will try to answer your questions below.
1. The flushed skin has been a constant since birth. We were told it was her body learning to regulate her temp and would settle down as she got older. Its still occuring
2. It seems persistant, however there are times that are worse than others.
3. There does appear to be a slight fever when this skin writing worsens. Im not sure if a fever is always present when her skins acts up.
4. Shes only 22 months. We've not considered allergies due to her age, but were paying more attention to it now.
5. Her Mom is allergic to mold, dust mites and possibly pollen. She's checking now
6. We havent seen any vomiting or abdominal pains associated with her skin issues

A couple more items that may be relevant. She woke up one day with a swollen eye. The day prior her skin was very flushed and she had a temp of 101. The Dr. said it was probably a hair that got in her eye which became infected and prescribed 10 days or oral augmentin. Maybe 4-5 weeks later, her other eye became swollen. That same Pediatrician said to apply a warm compress. We got a second opinion and the other Dr. said it was "dacryocystitis" and prescribed an eye gel, i believe it was called zythromycin or erythromycin.

Other items we've noticed. Her feet have since birth been very red, like a flushed red. So much that a couple of friends have commented. We've also noticed popping in her joints. This was brushed off by the pediatrician as growth during her first year. However, during her course of augmentin, the popping went away... COMPLETELY... It was so noticable that my wife noticed and shes usually less observent. The popping has come back full swing several weeks after the augmentin cycle was complete.

This is my concern, it seems like an infection. Are there any tests you would recommend? I will upload pics this evening from my home computer.

Please note. She's 34" height and appx 33lbs. They say she's doing well because of her size, bit i'm 6"5 so i imagine its expected.


Thank you Doctor XXXXXXX

My apologies Dr. I thought the photos had uploaded successfully. You only saw the photo where she presses on her clavicle. I hope these photos upload successfully.

Regarding the Pediatricians comment on staph, and the eye infection, now an Dermatologist recommending a bleach bath. You think this could be an allergy? If there were still concern for infection, is there any genetic testing that could be done to rule out an infection. I apologize for not including relevent details. Im going to a Dr. for testing of rhuematic like conditions at 40, and nobody in my immediate or extended family has ever had RA or lupus. Going back several years, ive had recurrent health anomolies, including significant skin issues after a one night stand (unprotected) with a high risk woman (she was bisexual, not a sex worker) prior to meeting my wife. I was sick for months, ear infection, swollen lymph nodes, etc. ive been tested for hiv 1/2, herpes, syphillis and likely gonoreah amd chlamydia. Sorry for dragging this out. I should probably have started another question with a specialst regarding my own health issues and concerns. I just worry its something affecting my daughter. If you can recommend anything, it would be greatly appreciated. If you recommend i open a new question, I will.

Thank you Doctor XXXXXXX
h

Dr. XXXXXXX

Yes, I was given negatinve results for hiv 1/2 and the other STDs as well. Our medical system im the US treats everyone like cattle. We have incredible insurance and I'm still trying to find a good Doctor. My long term symtomps are indicative of lyme disease, which supposedly can be spread sexually per current research.

My daughter probably just had a couple bottles of milk, but we did take her to the Dr. after seeing the rash on her stomach.

Thank you so much Dr... You've been very responsive and informative. I will need toanswer question 3 this evening. Off to work. Thank you and have a wonderful day!

It has been appx 8 years since I became sick after a one night stand. This happened just prior to dating the girl who would eventually become my wife, and with whom I now have a beautiful 22 month old daughter that means the world to me. During the last several years I've been seen by 3 different GPs. The initial Dr, after 4 years of complaints about the original illness possibly causing all of the strange skin ailments and aches and pains, mentioned I could have vasculitis. This is because I was diagnosed as having transient osteoporosis. A very rare diagnosis, and one that they determined only after a PET scan to determine how I managed to injure myself so greatly after doing squats, which I never do.

So I went to visit a Dr in osteopathic medicine who performed the usual test for STDs to make the determination that it was Mononucleosis because of an elevated titer at the time of the test. Perhaps...but several years later I have an elevated titer? Actually, it's very likely I've been exposed to mono at some point in my lifetime and I do seem to have periods of time I feel worse than others, tired, skin starts breaking out in places. However, I was 35 when I had the one night stand and became sick. My wife became sick shortly after we started dating with almost duplicate symptoms. Her Dr gave her a shot of penicillin which cleared it up, however the aching Achilles, the occasional pain in the tailbone, the issues with her knee and foot requiring physical therapy that knocked her out of doing kickboxing aerobics without taping half of her body up... Very coincidental considering her Achilles pain started about 6 months after mine as did her tailbone hurting which both of these symptoms seem to flare up on occasion with both of us. Not to mention, what is the likelihood of both of us managing to avoid being exposed to mono until we were in our 30s?

Sorry I'm all over the place with this... It's probably slightly difficult to read... It's been so long and so many dr visits. I'm finally considering an infectious disease specialist but more of that in a moment.

So I went to another Dr who documented that there was nothing wrong with me, and only until I recently visited him again, after the Transient osteoporosis diagnosis, and the mono diagnosis, did he order an xray to be informed by the radiologist that I have what papers to be an early onset of arthritis. He recommended I see a rheumatologist. He also said he guarantees whatever I had, it wasn't mono.

So this is why I'm considering seeing an ID specialist. I was almost to the point of giving up and accepting whatever they ended up calling it... Even though NOBODY on either side of my family has had anything like an autoimmune disorder. But I can't give up, I'm so worried there could be some obscure infection affecting my daughter... what would explain the issues with my femur, the tendons and the eventual likely autoimmune diagnosis. I read about a family that had a staph infection going from family member to family member, the husband being diagnosed eventually with Lupus. This ID I'm seeing on Monday has reviews saying they're happy he was able to diagnose their autoimmune illnesses. I'm leaning towards he's not going to find anything.

That's where I'm hoping you can help me. I just don't know what type of technologies are out there that can help us determine a way forward. That was the reason for the question on genetic testing for obscure bacteria or viruses.

Side note, when I went to the first Dr in early 2006, well before the eventual Mono diagnosis in 2012, the Dr prescribed some levoquin. It was a 2 week cycle that seemed to clear up my skin irritation and tingling sensations that I had been experiencing. A couple weeks after the cycle, the symptoms all came back with friends. It all comes and goes which is why it's been so hard to deal with. However, my body seems to be falling apart and I'm tremendously worried about my daughter who seems to have very sensitive skin, wierd little rashes, and what appears to be grinding in her knees and popping in her joints that I notice constantly when I'm holding her... These anomalies went away when she was on the day day cycle of antibiotics for the "eye infection"

I'm just very worried about my daughter Dr. XXXXXXX I wish I could pay you directly for the time your putting into this.... Thank you

Dr. XXXXXXX

I developed these conditions after the initial infection. You never explained my daughters popping joints which were alleviated during a course of antibiotics and returned shortly after. I also asked if there were any dna tests to rule out a possible infection.

With no family history of autoimmune deficiency for myself or my wife and with both my wife and I having similar issues... I do not want to write this off as lupus or RA. I have a significantly deviated nasal septum from my youth. I went to an ENT two weeks ago who prescribed clindamycin hcl because he suspects chronic sinusitis. I havent started taking it, because I want to do any testing I can to rule out an infection. My wife has just been prescribed augmentin! Sorry... The details just keep coming. I didnt realize this until just now. These two visits for her and I are very recent. For my previous message, I typed everything I could think of at 2 am... She's awake now too, and i asked her about what the GP said when she went to him for nasal pressure, sinus issues. We're not the typical, frequently visiting the doctor hypochondriacs you may encounter with frequency. We both work mon-fri, XXXXXXX positions within our organizations... Just looking for a recommendation for testing. If you could recommend testin, or someone to speak with, I would be more than happy to accept your response. g

Dr. XXXXXXX

The popping of joints occured prior to antibiotics. They went away "during" the course of her antibiotics. They resurfaced a few weeks after the antibotics were stopped.

My wife and i both being diagnosed with chronic sinusitis seems to coincedental. I will post a new question discussing this. Thank you for your time

VR
Concerned Parent