duckabell Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 So my son (5) had a mosquito bite on the back of his neck that was itchy last night. To keep him from itching it I put a Band-aid on and when I took it off it this morning it looked like a small's bulls-eye rash about 1-1.5 inches across. He hasn't shown any other signs of being sick and I haven't seen any ticks on him, especially on his neck. Should I take him into the doctor? I called and they didn't seem too worried but said that I could bring him in. The only thing is that we had a high-deductible plan and it would cost $120.00 to take him in. Also, I don't have the car today and could maybe switch with my husband but it would probably be a pain for him to switch. I could probably have the car tomorrow. Do you think I need to take him in today or tomorrow? I took pictures so that if it fades I have the proof. I also put a pen mark around it in case it grows. We live in Indiana and go on walks under a shaded walking path, so my kids could potentially be exposed to ticks. What would you do if you were me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyto4 Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Was the band aid a circle one? It may just be a reaction to the sticky stuff on the bandaid??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 No. It wasn't a circular Band-aid. It was rectangular, but it did have a lot of sticky stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 I'm bumping this up for the afternoon crowd. I'm just curious if this bite/rash is enough of a reason to take my kid to the doctor when he hasn't presented any flu-like symptoms and I don't remember seeing a tick on his neck. My gut feeling is to wait it out a few days and then re-evaluate. My husband thinks if I take him in I might be overreacting, and we can't afford unnecessary doctor's office visits, especially if I'm not sure they would prescribe antibiotics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I would just put some antiobiotic cream on it, and watch it. My dd used to get huge lumps and bruises from mosquito bites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 (edited) Lyme is transmitted by ticks, not mosquitos. If it was itchy it probably wasn't a tick bite. It looks as if he has an infected mosquito bite. Not a big deal. It will heal quickly on its own. - I wouldn't bring him in. ETA - I'm a relaxed Momma re: doctor's visits. That doesn't mean you need to be. If this will keep you up at night, go ahead and bring him in. The peace of mind may be worth it. Edited September 17, 2012 by LibertyH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I might leave it alone and wait......at the first sign of fever and headache i'd be in the doc's office. OR I might go in to the doc's office anyway and ask for 45 days of doxycycline. It's kind of your call.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 That looks CLEARLY like a bull's eye rash to me. When my ds had Lyme (with the rash) they didn't even bother doing the test after they saw the bull's eye at the ER because they said nothing else causes a rash like that. Admittedly, his was much more pronounced, but still. Chronic Lyme is nothing to mess around with. And the sooner you treat it, the better. That deductible sucks, but knowing people with chronic Lyme, I'd go get the antibiotics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I might leave it alone and wait......at the first sign of fever and headache i'd be in the doc's office. OR I might go in to the doc's office anyway and ask for 45 days of doxycycline. It's kind of your call.:) :grouphug: Mariann, I am in your club now. Having gone through this with DH, the bull's eye rash makes me RUN for the doctor. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 :grouphug: Mariann, I am in your club now. Having gone through this with DH, the bull's eye rash makes me RUN for the doctor. Faith Totally agree -- to the OP, IF it is lyme's and you don't go, $120. is going to seem inexpensive compared to what you will be spending on supplements, whole foods, etc. I would err on the side of caution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 And as I understand it, not every case of Lyme has the fever (or the bull's eye). I actually feel really lucky that my ds had all the symptoms so there was no doubt... and now no lingering issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 So my son (5) had a mosquito bite on the back of his neck that was itchy last night. Do you KNOW it was a mosquito, or is it possible it was a tick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Do you KNOW it was a mosquito, or is it possible it was a tick? No, I'm not positive it was a mosquito bite. I just assumed it was because it looked big and was a little itchy; although my son could have just been touching it because it was a raised bump. I went ahead and left a message with a lyme specialist in our area to see about setting up an appointment. I would just hate to go to our normal pediatrician if she wouldn't prescribe an antibiotic if that's what's needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 No, I'm not positive it was a mosquito bite. I just assumed it was because it looked big and was a little itchy; although my son could have just been touching it because it was a raised bump. I went ahead and left a message with a lyme specialist in our area to see about setting up an appointment. I would just hate to go to our normal pediatrician if she wouldn't prescribe an antibiotic if that's what's needed. Here's the dilemma (and if it isn't, in your case, that's going to be really good news for you). Most lyme specialists won't take insurance, and you first visit will be upwards of $300 -- ask them these questions when you speak with them. Speak to the nurse in your peds office and ask her what their protocol is regarding a bulls eye and abx. Our former peds office had such specific criteria regarding a bulls eye, that they looked at ds' and said they 'weren't impressed with it.' Well, we weren't imnpressed with that, and off we went. The peds nurse should be able to tell you under what circumstances they will prescribe an antibiotic. If you have a good relationship with your ped and are comfortable with advocating for at least 28 days of doxy (48 days would be better), then be prepared to do that depending on their protocol. Believe it or not, the people i know who have done well getting abx are the ones who go into an ER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Yeah, I'm not sure why you need a specialist. I called our ped and she said, go to the ER. And at the ER, they were very prompt and gave us the antibiotics quick quick. I'm just struck with the fact that at the ER the doctor said nothing else caused a rash like that, which was why they didn't even need to test my ds. If that's the case, why would any doctor send someone away with a bull's eye rash without treatment?:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thanks for the heads up about the specialist. I know that they're not on our network but figured it would be a simple visit, but it sounds like perhaps it won't be. I will call my pediatrician again this morning and see what they say about the rash. I do know that an ER visit would be really expensive so I wonder if Urgent Care would be similar to ER if my pediatrician won't prescribe antibiotics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 I wanted to say that I have an appointment with his pediatrician tomorrow. He did briefly mention today that his head and neck hurt so I think that's probably another sign. So it sounds like I should ask for 30-45 days of antibiotics. Is that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arstephia Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I wouldn't mess around with Lyme's. My dd had it last year. Raised bump, no fever, but then the bull's eye rash. She was on antibiotics for 6 weeks. Blood test took 2 days to complete and came back positive for Lyme's. Thankfully the dr. didn't wait for the blood work to culture, he started her on antibiotics immediately. A year later she has no symptoms. The bull's eye is the first true Lyme's sign. If you wait until flu like symptoms or joint achiness occurs, the Lyme's has manifested at a deeper level. My dd was on antibiotics within 6 hours of the rash showing up which the doctor credits with her lack of symptoms now. Hopefully you have a proactive doctor as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Lyme is transmitted by ticks, not mosquitos. If it was itchy it probably wasn't a tick bite. It looks as if he has an infected mosquito bite. Not a big deal. It will heal quickly on its own. - I wouldn't bring him in. My son's lyme rash was SUPER itchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 (edited) I might leave it alone and wait......at the first sign of fever and headache i'd be in the doc's office. OR I might go in to the doc's office anyway and ask for 45 days of doxycycline. It's kind of your call.:) Lyme is rampant where I live. Caught early can save a lot of trouble later. I have it, my dogs have it, hsing friends and some of their children have it. We're a bunch of hippie moms who do antibiotics for Lyme. There doesn't need to be a fever. I never had a fever. My dogs never acted sick, except for a slight limp that could have meant anything. I have a friend whose son had Lyme for awhile, although they never found a tick on him. He never had a fever, but he started to have aches and pains, and started limping. They ran blood tests, and his Lyme count was scary. He was on anbx for a very long time. Edited September 18, 2012 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmomma Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 So my son (5) had a mosquito bite on the back of his neck that was itchy last night. To keep him from itching it I put a Band-aid on and when I took it off it this morning it looked like a small's bulls-eye rash about 1-1.5 inches across. He hasn't shown any other signs of being sick and I haven't seen any ticks on him, especially on his neck. Should I take him into the doctor? I called and they didn't seem too worried but said that I could bring him in. The only thing is that we had a high-deductible plan and it would cost $120.00 to take him in. Also, I don't have the car today and could maybe switch with my husband but it would probably be a pain for him to switch. I could probably have the car tomorrow. Do you think I need to take him in today or tomorrow? I took pictures so that if it fades I have the proof. I also put a pen mark around it in case it grows. We live in Indiana and go on walks under a shaded walking path, so my kids could potentially be exposed to ticks. What would you do if you were me? I don't know if it helps, but my dd's mosquito bites always look like that. And they often swell up huge. I was the exact same way. Her teacher has even asked about the marks on her. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I wanted to say that I have an appointment with his pediatrician tomorrow. He did briefly mention today that his head and neck hurt so I think that's probably another sign. So it sounds like I should ask for 30-45 days of antibiotics. Is that right? Stiff neck was one of dh's first signs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I;m not one to run to the Dr., but Lyme scares me. If you have him tested now, it might not show up yet on a blood test. It is a hard call, but if I chose not to do anbx, I would watch him carefully for a few weeks, and then take him in for a Lyme test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I wanted to say that I have an appointment with his pediatrician tomorrow. He did briefly mention today that his head and neck hurt so I think that's probably another sign. So it sounds like I should ask for 30-45 days of antibiotics. Is that right? Glad to hear that. A headache is a symptom that you need to get him the abx. Your ped will prescribe doxycycline probably. Try to get Doxy AND Ceftin -- you want ideally 60 days of each but your ped probably won't do that. Go with the 45 or 28 days and a return visit and then 28 days more. Same with the ceftin. The doxy is for the lyme infection. The ceftin is for the co-infections that the tick typically carries. You want BOTH. My dd 13 had it over the summer - because of a stupid misdiagnosis, the kids was sick for 8 weeks and missed ALL of her summer. The doxy did not really work well. It wasn't until we began the ceftin that she turned a corner -- literally 72 hours after starting the ceftin. If you want to know which supplements, give a holler -- i have that info. And, you would be doing him a huge favor if you went gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free while he was on the abx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 My son's lyme rash was SUPER itchy. My kid's Lyme rash was also really itchy. It's been months since he had it and I can still see the scar from it. The tick bite does not need to be at the site of the rash, by the way. Glad you're going in. I'm a pretty relaxed person about the doctor - we never go for most things, but like others said, I don't mess around about Lyme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 I want to thank everyone for your input. So I'm just curious if the doctor will ask for blood tests and how reliable those are. I'm hoping that I can just get the antibiotic without the tests as I assume the tests are expensive and I've heard often inconclusive. Would there be a benefit for having the tests done this early? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I want to thank everyone for your input. So I'm just curious if the doctor will ask for blood tests and how reliable those are. I'm hoping that I can just get the antibiotic without the tests as I assume the tests are expensive and I've heard often inconclusive. Would there be a benefit for having the tests done this early? The blood test is only good after antibodies show up which is not right away. Even then, because of how smart the borrelia bacteria is, there are many ways that the test will give a false negative. http://www.anapsid.org/lyme/lymeseroneg.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I want to thank everyone for your input. So I'm just curious if the doctor will ask for blood tests and how reliable those are. I'm hoping that I can just get the antibiotic without the tests as I assume the tests are expensive and I've heard often inconclusive. Would there be a benefit for having the tests done this early? Probably not. Also, lyme hides in the tissues more than the blood, so it really is hard to find, even in ideal circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 The blood test is only good after antibodies show up which is not right away. Even then, because of how smart the borrelia bacteria is, there are many ways that the test will give a false negative. http://www.anapsid.org/lyme/lymeseroneg.html :iagree: A bullseye rash indicates the earliest stage of being infected and it is not likely that anything would show up in a blood test. They will probably take the blood, however, and when your ds completes the abx, they will do another test.....or not. Different practices, different protocols (Hmmmm, is that a word?). And, as the poster said above, the test results are not always accurate. When my dd received a positive western blot, i nearly fell over. They had been treating her for pneumonia.:glare: Best case scenario: you get the abx and they do blood work. All symptoms go away. You return to the doc in 30 days, they do more blood work which shows antibodies. which means you all did the correct thing. Also, if your doc does blood work, ask them to check D3 levels and prescribe prescription strength D3 of your ds' are low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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