Thursday, March 5, 2009

Sorry for the measles

I took Izzy to the doctor last week for his 15 month appointment. He received his MMR shot that day, and everything seemed normal. However, a few days later he developed a nasty rash. It started on his butt, so I originally thought it was diaper rash. The next day the rash had spread up his back. I thought that perhaps it was eczema, so I rubbed him down with lotion. The next day, the rash had spread to his shoulders and arms. And Izzy started itching. He scratched and scratched and scratched his little body. He scratched until he started bleeding.

Over the weekend, we alternated using lotion and hydrocortisone. The rash continued to grow, and Izzy continued to itch. After doing a little research on Google, I determined that Izzy was experiencing a reaction to his MMR shot. Armed with my information, I made an appointment to take him to the pediatrician.

The doctor quickly dismissed my MMR reaction theory. According to him, that rash is usually head to toe, and it isn't itchy. Instead, the doctor thought it was an allergic reaction to something in his environment. I find this hard to believe, because nothing has changed around here. We use the same soap, shampoo, lotion, detergent, etc. Anyways, the doctor prescribed my little guy a corticosteroid cream. We're on day three with the cream, and the rash doesn't look much better. Here are some pictures...


I know that this sounds crazy, but I keep thinking that I have intentionally infected my kid with measles. I felt so guilty that I went out and bought Izzy a new tool set...

Mommy is sorry for letting the doctor inject you with Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.

17 comments:

Danielle said...

It probably is a reaction to the shot. E had a few pox after her chicken shot. She is not getting MMR til she is 2. I feel so sorry for your lil Izzzy-I hope his rash is better soon.

Amber said...

Oh no, I hope he feels better soon! That rash doesn't look comfortable :(

Kris said...

Oh no! I agree... reaction. And am not surprised the dr dismissed it. If they admit it's the shot they have to report it... they don't like to do that.

We've been lucky and had no reactions so far... but my cousins daughter got the chicken pox from that one.

Hope he gets better soon!

Laura Marchant said...

Oh No! That is just to coincidental not to be related right? BG gets "eczema" that's what they call I think it is something else. Anyway it looks like what Izzy has but she gets patches of it, to me it looks like he has it head to toe. Can you go to a different doctor for a second opinion?

Laura Marchant said...

I looked again, could it be shingles? Is it in a line like it is following a nerve. Poor kid, I feel so bad for him.

Lainey-Paney said...

Oh gosh!
bless his little heart.

...and bless yours too! you should not feel guilty about this one bit.

Marni's Organized Mess said...

Those pics make me so sad. :(

Bon said...

poor Izzy. that looks rotten. (erm...not as in "rotting." just as in sucky. and i am not a doctor even on my best days).

here's hoping he feels better soon.

Jen said...

Oh man! Poor Izzy! I am ALWAYS freaked out about getting immunizations. I am always suspicious about what they will do to my kid. Better than not being immunized at all though, I guess!

Amanda said...

The MMR vaccine is a live vaccine ~ meaning it contains a tiny amount of the diseases Measles, Mumps and Rubella. This then allows the body to recognise these diseases ~ the body then develops an immunity. I'm not surprised that Izzy developed a mild case of the measles.
Poor thing.
Or Dr's over here usually just blame a rash on a "Virus". So irritating! If they don't know the diagnosis then it must be a virus.
Grrr...

Hope he is all better soon ~ he looks all chuffed with his new tools!

Love,
Amanda x

Kate Coveny Hood said...

Reactions to shots are the worst! You just never know what to expect...

amanda said...

oh poor baby!! but i think you are right - it does look like some sort of reaction to the shot. is it getting any better??

btw - love the mama guilt tool purchase!! we are such suckers aren't we??

Tabitha said...

It is so funny that you should post this ~ when my daughter had her MMR she came out in a rash which looked just like this and the doctor said that she had a mild case of measles ~ because of being injected with the MMR ~ it was not contagious and she was not at all unwell ~ just had the spots!! Just thought that I would share that with you!
Hope that your little guy is all better soon ~ it is so not fun being itchy!
Love and hugs Tabitha XXX

Just Jiff said...

Def sounds like a reaction to the shot. Jerk of a doctor. :(

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx said...

Let's round up a posse and kick some dr butt!

Hope Izz feels better very soon! I hear the Aveeno lotion is good for itch.

Anonymous said...

Oh hon. It probably IS a reaction to the MMR. I hate when Dr's dismiss your concern or suggestion cuz they think you are just a silly uneducated parent. Get a 2nd opinion.

I have a good dr. story. My mom was misdiagnosed for months with asthma and other respiratory problems when all along she actually had a blood clot in her leg that had broken off and gone to her lungs, she had a pulmonary embolism, and I told her I thought that was what she had. I had looked up in my medical books (in college I was into anatomy and phys classes) and I'd easily done a symptom checker and determined this was what it was. After months of her dr shoo shooing my suggestion he finally agreed to check her lungs (even though he said he's "be VERY surprised if she had a pulmonary embolism"... sure enough... that's what she had. She's lucky one didn't leave her lungs and make it's way to her brain or she'd be gone now. And the prick came to me afterwards and asked me why I hadn't become a dr.

Sometimes I hate dr's.

That was a long story. sorry! :)

Rachel said...

You can try calendula cream at whole foods or a health store, They may also be able to recommend some homeopathy for his rash. I love calendual and find it works great to get rid of the rash. he probably has some reaction to it and yes, it is so hard to deal with that stuff as a mom and a baby.