It couldn't be a simple rash...

Last month for his 4 month checkup Logan sported a little rash/dry skin just a day or two before his checkup. The doctor said it wasn't a big deal and to put Aquaphor on it or just lotion. Okay fine. In the meantime, I noticed 2 dry skin spots on the outside of his calf - so I Aquaphor'd them and lotioned them a little extra. His stomach started to have a feel of really fine sandpaper - a little rough, not smooth like a 'baby's butt'. Yesterday I noticed some more dry patches - some red, but all scaly - on his legs, his stomach, back, butt, elbows and shoulders - just a little bit everywhere. Hm. Not good. We were on Day 3 of peas, but honestly this was not the type of 'allergic reaction' I would expect. John was hoping it was an allergic reaction as peas are his arch enemy vegetable and he would like it if Logan despised them too - I told him to get over it.

So I made a doctor appointment. I thought I may just be paying a co-pay for them to tell me that he has dry skin. But because a couple of the dry patches seemed to be circular and this didn't look like a typical rash - eh, I didn't want to mess around. He's my first and while I don't want to be somebody that runs to the doctor for just anything, I also don't want to ignore a potential problem.

So we arrived and the nurse weighed him (18 lbs. 6 oz.) and took his temperature - 103!!!! Ack. I was shocked - he didn't feel warm, he looked fine and he was being his normal cute self. So she took the other armpit - 102....whaat?!? I started wondering what I was missing. So the doctor came in and scoped Logan out - I showed him all the places of the 'rash' and he said that it looked like a classic case of eczema. Oh no! I immediately grew a little nervous as my mother had this as a baby, then child, now adult - she still has it. She was apparently so crippled by it that she was in a wheelchair for some of her childhood. I also knew that John's niece Ashley had it as a baby - they didn't take a ton of pictures because she had it all over her face - poor little one (she is gorgeous now!). So all I knew was it dramatically affected 2 people I knew as 'babies/toddlers'. I asked the doctor if it would go away; he said 'someday'. He said that we should keep putting Aquaphor on it and over the counter Cortizone cream - it was mild enough for a baby, but shouldn't go on his hands so he doesn't ingest any of it. I asked if the cream would make it disapper; he said 'possibly'. Boy, he wasn't giving me much hope. But he said that if I was brining a 5 month old in for a red rash, this one was the best one to have (he was trying to give me something positive). He asked if Logan seemed bothered from it and I said no - he's not irritated. He said to not put him in really warm baths for a long period of time - no playing around right now in the tub, which is okay as we just started keeping him in there a couple extra minutes since he can sit.

I then mentioned the high fever and him and the 2 nurses (in the room observing) looked just as shocked as I initially had been. He said well it really looks like eczema, but a fever could change things. They re-took his temperature and it was 98.6. They then got the same device they used previously on him and it was 98.7. Hm. Weird. The doctor said he wished all fevers went away like that. :) They said he must've been bundled or just really warm. He was in his car seat with his Bundle me on him, but it's 40 degree out - so he wasn't baking by any means.

Anyway, no fever, but he has eczema. After we left, I drove to Target to get both Cortizone cream and Aquaphor. On my drive, I called both 'Grandma's' as I always do when I leave the doctor's office. My Mom was bummed to hear the news as she immediately had icky flashbacks of the struggles she went through. She mentioned that she was always surprised that none of her kids got it - and so far, same thing with her grandchildren. She did say that she was an exception to the 'norm' (as she is with almost everything, it seems). When I talked to John's Mom she too was bummed, but said that many babies/kids get it and grow out of it. She said that Ashley had a bad case and it cleared around 3 years of age. Then she also mentioned that John had it as a baby as well - she didn't remember it, but there it was written in his baby book that she keeps handy for me (love it!). She said his was induced from teething. So who knows, Logan is of age to start developing teeth - perhaps his is teething-induced as well. She also mentioned that being in the sun usually helps clear it up as well - that is good to hear as summer is around the corner and I certainly plan to have us out and about as much as possible. :)

I am hopeful that he just has a mild case and pray very hard that he doesn't have a case like my Mom had.