Has your child developed a rash on his face? Here are some helpful hints to diagnosing the cause.
Instructions
1. If rash is severe consult your doctor over the phone or in his office. If the rash is incredibly bad looking and causing a good deal of discomfort, or other symptoms with the rash seem extraordinary, consult your physician. It is not worth the risk in waiting or trying to figure it out on your own.
2. Check for other symptoms. Your child may be suffering from more than just a rash. Make sure your child doesn't have other symptoms such as a fever, trouble breathing, itchy throat or stomach upset. If so, these can help you diagnose the rash as different combinations of different symptoms can indicate certain viral or bacterial ailments.
3. Consult a medical book or online medical site that helps you diagnose symptoms step-by-step, such as WebMD. Sites like this walk you through each and every symptom and use your description to help you diagnose what the cause may be Keep in mind, if symptons are severe you should not diagnose solely on your own. With a splotchy rash, you will want to take note of the type of splotchiness (i.e., in a particular pattern or prickly versus round bumps), whether or not the rash is feverish, and whether or not the rash is seeping any sort of fluid.
4. Check more than one book or website to see if the conclusions are the same. Make sure that the answer you got is most likely correct. One great way to do this is by cross-referencing two or more sites. Other than WebMD.com, you can also use a site like YourDiagnosis.com. If you receive different answers from each site, you should consider taking your child to a physician right away.
5. Do not use any products on a child's rash without consulting a physician. Using the wrong product on his splotchy rash may result in a bad reaction or worsening.
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