About Dr. Frederick Blount Expertise Pediatrician, retired. I trained at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia some years ago and I did private practice here in Winston-Salem for 30 years until I went full time to the Wake Forest Medical School until retirement.
You had kindly replied to a question I had Christmas Eve, about a rash my 2 yr old son developed on day eight of his Augmentin dose (for ear infections). We did find a physician open Christmas morning at an Emergi-Center, who identified his rash with great certainty, as an allergic rash/reaction to the Augmentin. He showed us how it was a characteristic "allergy/histimine" rash...how you can see where we touch it or where my son was scratching.
The rash comes and goes. Sometimes it is big red blotches, other times areas of it become raised with pimples or hives. It has improved...was better today but he still has it. Is it normal for it to linger this long? My son is not tremendously bothered by it...mostly itches where his diaper meets his shirt/sweater. He is healthy and happy otherwise. Our physician's office said to give it until Wednesday and if it's not gone, to bring him back in.
Is this sound advice? Do these allergic rashes last this long, typically? Thanks so much. Linda
Answer It is not rare for an allergic reaction to continue this long. If it doesn't bother him you don't need to do anything but it bothers him in any way 1/2 teaspoonful of Elixir Benadryl every 4 hours will help. I am not sure what the physician will do if the rash is still present Wednesday but to suggest you wait a little longer. If you ignore it, assuming it is not bothering the boy, you will realize that it is gone more than it is present until you will realize that it is not there any more. I suggest you be wary about Augmentin in the future but I wouldn't be so frightened as to not try it again if it is the drug of choice.
