Bite like Marks on 3 Year Old

Hi! We had this happen with my daughter when she was about the same age. Sometimes it was really bad - almost like the chickenpox. It went on for a couple of months. We thought it might be fleas as we had an indoor dog and developed some flea problems. However, she had no ankle bites - it was all abdomen, lower back and groin area. We washed her in peppermint oil which helped some and then we resorted to repellant at night. Finally, the "bites" stopped. We're still puzzled. I still wonder if it could have been a juvenile version of hives. I wish I could be more helpful.
M. D.

I had a similar experience with my son except I took him to a dermatologist and they said it was molescum. (Harmless viral that he probably pickup at preschool) I would try taking him to a dermatologist before doing more to his room. Good luck

Do you have a hamster or guinea pig in the house? Any animal like that? We had a hamster that got mites (they can also come from outside, if you've been on a farm or around any animals...petting zoo etc) and they get everywhere; they bite and leave marks that are red - I noticed them particularly behind the knees and anywhere where there were skin folds. I had to get rid of the hamster, clean everything in the house, etc....not fun, but it fixed the problem.

We had something like that years ago. I tried everything and racked my brain for an answer. Well, it was scabies, which can be picked up anywhere. A simple test will confirm it, and a one-time application of lotion will cure it.

Have him checked for MRSA. (staff infection)

M. A

sounds like fleas... but the not itching makes me wonder... i would look in to the fleas tho if i were you

A.,

If they open and drain, or especially if they get large, hard red areas around them take him to the pediatrician and have them cultured. Unfortunately we're seeing a lot of MRSA infections in children that are easily treatable and show up as pimples that enlarge, open, then drain without causing any fever or anything like that. It is when it gets into the blood that it is a bad problem. Also, the linear pattern may suggest a mite that would need prescription medicaiton. A simple culture would identify if it is bacteria, which involves getting the drainage on a long q-tip. Unfortunately, this infection has nothing at all to do with cleanliness-so be sure to get it checked out.

Jess

Do you have pets? It could be fleas.

I would take him to a dermatologist. This just happened to my 5 year old nephew and my sister-in-law took him to his pediatrician twice. They were first told it was a mild case of chicken pox, then told it was fleas or chiggers. She had his bedroom fumigated and then decided to take him to a dermatologist instead before she paid for the whole house to be done. It ended up being a skin virus that can last for a couple years. There is nothing you can do about it, it just comes and goes, but does not bother the kids.

Go in at night and check a few hours after the lights are off. could be flees too if you have animals. If you have old wallpaper it could be silver fish - they bite too. Have you had him checked for shingles? -this is very unlikely but you never know.

A.,

The linear pattern could be a sign of scabies. Has your husband looked at that option? Does he go to day care where he could be exposed to it there?

My husband was in the pest control business for awhile and got them from a residence he sprayed. if they are scabies a cream is all that is needed to clear them up.

Good luck and I hope all turns out well

It is probably not bite marks but a virus in his skin. A ped dermatologist could tell you for sure. My great-niece has this. It is a virus that kids pass around. It usually last two weeks, but in some kids it will last up to two years.

Hi A.,

It most certainly could be an allergic reaction but it could also be ant bites. The ants here in the south bite and the mark they leave does indeed look like a pimple with a head.
The only thing that throws me off with the theory of ant bites, is that you say the marks do not itch. The ant bites can be extremely aggravating, they can itch and burn.

My son has what are commonly called "water warts." They look like little pimples, but like you said do not itch or bother him. The doctor said they may go away on their own. Just be on the watch if he gets any near his eyes. I have found that they only go away when irritated or scraped. I put some natural Melaleuca oil on the bumps to help the inflamation and irritation when they get scraped. Let me know if you have any questions or need info re: the oil. Good Luck! L

do you have animals? may be flea bites

Well, normally I'd say go see a doctor but seeing as you live with one, what does he say?

It may not be bite marks at all. My son had the same problem a few years back and it ended up being an allergy to our laundry detergent. Have you recently switched to a new brand or fragerance? Also you may want to change his sheets and buy new ones. Some kids have really sensitive skin.

do you have any pets that go out side? it could be flea bites. or it might be spider bites. if they don't seem to bother her though, it's probably just a slight case of dermatitis or some other kinds of reaction to something in the are or something she's come in contact with. kids have senstive skin that just about anything can irritate it. i'd take her to see her ped and maybe they will reccomend an allergist or dermatologist. my grandmother and little sister have very sensitive skin and ecsema. they have to wear white under shirts under their clothe because the die in their clothes casues them to break out in hives. my skin is some what senstive to changes in my routine. i can only use certain detergents/ fabric soffteners, certain soaps/ body washes, and i can not wear anything containing wool(even a trace amount) becasue it breaks my skin out.

Time to take your child to the pediatrician. :o)

My son had the same problem and it was scabies. With a treatment of ointment and a wash of all the linen and clothes, it was gone. Hope that helps. -- M.

Hi A.,
It sounds like your son has bites similar to what I had when we had bed bugs. They bite and left pimple like bites that look like pimples with white heads. They bite in bunches like a line of 3-4 of them and then another bunch here or there and they itched a lot for me. Did you buy anything, furniture, bed, carpet or anything in the last while for your sons room or your house that was used or from the thrift store or something? Is he the only one affected? Bed bugs are hard to get rid of but first find out if yuo have them.

Could it be some type of rash or ring type worm? Have you had a skin doc look at it?

best,
C., RN

Hi A..
being a mother of two and a grandmother of soon to be five, i was wondering if the children go to day care. If they do what ever in biting your son may be there, such as fleas my grandson gets flea bites from playing outside. i don't know if this will help its just a thought. Have a good day and good luck. Sincerley Jean

Usually a linear pattern suggests fleas. Ever had any pets? They tend to go to the people when the pet is gone. How about friends with pets? or ex pets?

A friends son had Moluscum Contagiosum … below is a site you can go to and check it out and see if that’s it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molluscum_contagiosum.... They took him to the dermatologist and got a lotion to take care of it (can't remember the lotion name... sorry).

Hi!

[Background]I have a 5-year old son who has ezcema and also has what is considered "an immune reaction to bug bites" (not an allergy according to several specialists). If he gets more than one mosquito bite, his whole body (mostly legs, arms, and neck) break out in small hive-like bumps that ooze and can become infected.

[Recent] It is now winter with not a mosquito in sight, and three days ago he broke out in roughly 30 pimple-like bumps on his back and a couple on his arms and torso. I chalked it up to a heat rash and have been watching it. For two days they seemed to be getting better, but last night about 15 red welts appeared on his arms, torso, and chest. The largest and most bothersome was on the back or his neck by the hairline and this one had pustules. While the pimples and welts are still there today, they have gone down alot and the one on the back of his neck has scabbed. He has so many strange skin reactions that I no longer run to the doctor with each rash, but did hear that there is a virus going around with a pimple-like rash symptom.

My guess would be that it's possibly staph. My son had very similar "bites" that often became whiteheads. They looked just like ant bites when they did that. But it turned out they were staph--MRSA, in fact. I was told to bathe my child alone (no more shared baths with brother), to use antibacterial soap, and to put Bactroban on the bumps. Also, cover the bumps with bandaids so they won't infect others. If the "bites" start to look "angry" or if they start to have red streaks, then the infection is spreading. Go to the pediatrician right away. L.

I would call the pediatrician and have the child checked out.

Hi, A.~
If the bite marks are in a straight line, they are most likely spider bites. If there is a spider somewhere in the room, it gets on the bed/bedding, and your little one rolls or puts his arm on it, it will bite. Spiders walk as they bite.
If he is not having a reaction, it must not be a dangerous spider (like the brown recluse), and he must not be allergic. I would try some spider killing spray.
Hope this helps.
Suzanne

Are you absolutely sure that it is not bedbugs? A linear bite pattern like you described is a typical sign of bedbugs. I think you have to spray everything in or around the house to get rid of them, not just his room. They can be in other parts of the house and travel to and from on clothing, or hide in another room, along baseboards, on other upholstered furniture in his room or other rooms, etc...
My 92 year old grandmother is a bedbug expert (if there is such a thing...LOL) and she says to stick some tape strips (sticky side up) around or on the bed and check them after a couple of days. If you have bugs, they will get trapped on the tape. Then you can identify the bug and hopefully get a solution! Good luck!

Do you have any animals or does he have access to animals? This sounds like flea bites. Based on the time of year, I wouldnt think they would be ant bites... Has he been playing outside anywhere? The only two bites that I have seen that look like little pimples are fleas and ants.

Hope this helps!

My 3 1/2 year old has had a similar thing over the past month. His "bites" seemed more prominent after waking up in the morning. The bumps continued after washing sheets so we decided it may be some type of allergy (after reading the responses I'm now thinking it is the preschool virus peple have have mentioned---molescum). We gave our son children's Benedryl and it would help. It has now gone away with the exception of little bumps that you can feel but not see. ----A dermatologist would be able to say for certain. ---P.S. I thought that scabies itched?

My daughter gets marks that look like littly pimples with a surounding red area (about the size of a nickel?) all the time. She's gotten them all her life and the doctor has seen them many times. He said that it was probably a slight allergy to something in the air...something that was almost impossible to figure out...and not to worry, if it wasn't bothering her. They seem to be more prevelant when she's dressed warmly. Not sure if this helps...just throwing it out there!

It's hard to tell without looking at the bumps, but my sons have both had pimply areas on their legs and back, their pediatrician usually says if it doesn't bother them don't do anything. Maybe for your son it's heat rash. Maybe it's a heat rash combined with a slight allergic reaction to his bath soap or laundry detergent.

I do have similar situation. My son was playing at a friend's house and came home with unknown insect bites on his back and face. A month has passed, the ones on his back no longer itch, but he keeps picking at his face.

Hi A.,
I read this post the other day and something was "biting" me in the back of my mind, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Just now I read it again and read Geri's post. Then I remembered. My friends son done this when he was little, it went on for quite awhile. Finally the dr. did do a scrape test and it turned out to be scabies. He had picked it up somewhere else, so it is catching. Don't know that is what it is, but after reading her post and remembering this, I would suggest you ask them to do the test. Can't hurt anything even if it rules it out.

It could be an allergy or perhaps areas that are breaking out? have you asked his dr about it? My skin did that, just in certain areas and come to find out it was my detergent. I hadn't switched, it was the same I had been using for as long as I could remember, so at that point I did switch detergent, and voila, the little bumps/bite looking things were gone. Check into other things that touch his skin, clothes, lotions, soaps, etc

good luck

Has anyone mentioned that it could be molluscum, a viral rash that is very common in children. It often looks like bug bites. It can take anywhere from a few months to a year or so to run it's course. Just a thought, maybe ask your pediatrician about that.

Hello A.,

It may be Scabies. Have you pediatrician take a look. I only say this because the "bites" are usually in a row like you describe. It is contagious so have it checked out soon. Good luck!

M.