Little Leopard Boy
In the world of spots, my kid has hollowed out his own little niche as the munchkin with the most rashes. Okay, gross. But if you really think about it, most things fit for print on an about-my-kid blog are pretty disgusting. Onward, then.
When he was born, he had every form of baby acne known to medical science, and probably a few they don't even have names for yet. I was worried, and then my mom showed up after the birth and in a very off-hand way said I looked exactly the same. Then, two weeks after his birth, Little J breaks out with more (though typical) baby acne. Of course, he had to have cradle cap to complement is ruddy cheeks. At four and a half months, I got desparate for a break from 45-minute feedings, so I tried solid foods. Whoops, allergic reaction indicated by a rash. His skin doesn't like the baby soap I started out using - raised bumps on his abdomen. His skin also doesn't like whatever they put in our water in the winter - allover bumps that feel like sandpaper. It seems to me that from the day this one was born, he's been covered in something red, spotty, and a often oozing. Don't get me started on yeast infections and general irritation in his diaper area.
So last week, he got a mysterious fever for two days that made him generally grumpy and over tired. Yesterday, things seem to be mostly back to normal. This morning, however, he woke up covered in a pinkish-red rash starting on his neck and working its way out. After doing some reading and talking to a nurse, it is possible he has Chicken Pox. But we won't know for several days, and only when the bumps have turned to blisters, popped and started to crust over. Yum-O.
For the most part, I do not lament or get very worked up over his skin issues. The allergy thing has been a great indicator - I know really quickly what not to feed the little guy. The water, well, I feel like there isn't a whole lot I can do. The kid is lucky to have my skin in a lot of ways: I had very little acne as a teen, I tan very well but don't burn much (and since he's blond, hooray for that), and my skin hasn't aged very quickly at all. But I will lament his getting the Chicken Pox now because I have three weeks to get the majority of our packing done, and Mr. Spots will kill a whole week with Aveeno baths if the diagnosis turns up positive.
I must remind myself that all of this goes with the parenting territory. Ultimately, I'll be glad if he has a good case of Pox now because, A) he won't be getting the vaccine unless he doesn't get them in his first ten years, and B) he won't have a terrible case and a lot of scarring if this is the dreaded Chicken Pox. No vaccine, you say? Are you insane? Well, yes, but that isn't the point. However, the vaccine issue is a whole other post.
When he was born, he had every form of baby acne known to medical science, and probably a few they don't even have names for yet. I was worried, and then my mom showed up after the birth and in a very off-hand way said I looked exactly the same. Then, two weeks after his birth, Little J breaks out with more (though typical) baby acne. Of course, he had to have cradle cap to complement is ruddy cheeks. At four and a half months, I got desparate for a break from 45-minute feedings, so I tried solid foods. Whoops, allergic reaction indicated by a rash. His skin doesn't like the baby soap I started out using - raised bumps on his abdomen. His skin also doesn't like whatever they put in our water in the winter - allover bumps that feel like sandpaper. It seems to me that from the day this one was born, he's been covered in something red, spotty, and a often oozing. Don't get me started on yeast infections and general irritation in his diaper area.
So last week, he got a mysterious fever for two days that made him generally grumpy and over tired. Yesterday, things seem to be mostly back to normal. This morning, however, he woke up covered in a pinkish-red rash starting on his neck and working its way out. After doing some reading and talking to a nurse, it is possible he has Chicken Pox. But we won't know for several days, and only when the bumps have turned to blisters, popped and started to crust over. Yum-O.
For the most part, I do not lament or get very worked up over his skin issues. The allergy thing has been a great indicator - I know really quickly what not to feed the little guy. The water, well, I feel like there isn't a whole lot I can do. The kid is lucky to have my skin in a lot of ways: I had very little acne as a teen, I tan very well but don't burn much (and since he's blond, hooray for that), and my skin hasn't aged very quickly at all. But I will lament his getting the Chicken Pox now because I have three weeks to get the majority of our packing done, and Mr. Spots will kill a whole week with Aveeno baths if the diagnosis turns up positive.
I must remind myself that all of this goes with the parenting territory. Ultimately, I'll be glad if he has a good case of Pox now because, A) he won't be getting the vaccine unless he doesn't get them in his first ten years, and B) he won't have a terrible case and a lot of scarring if this is the dreaded Chicken Pox. No vaccine, you say? Are you insane? Well, yes, but that isn't the point. However, the vaccine issue is a whole other post.
