Impetigo

Impetigo: a contagious skin infection generally caused by one of two bacteria: staphylococcus aureus or group A streptococcus. A child may be more likely to develop impetigo if the skin has already been irritated by other skin problems, such as eczema, poison ivy, and insect bites.

This is part of my medical section and work towards an RN. :)

Tavis had a little rash in the corner of his mouth Friday and I thought it was a bug bite. By Friday night it looked a little worse and his cheek was very swollen (sorry, no pics) and he was talking slurred (from the swelling not from mental confusion). I then thought maybe it was poison ivy, although I can't say I've ever had poison ivy so I wasn't exactly sure what it should look like. I gave him benedryl and sent him to bed. By Saturday morning it was all crusted and gross and he was not happy about it. I kept putting Neosporin on it keep it from getting infected, but had no ideas what else to do. Sunday morning at church I had two nurses at church say it looked like impetigo.

Impe-what??

Of course, I googled it Sunday night and took Tavis to the doctor today (Monday). Sure enough, that was the diagnosis. An infection caused by either strep or staph that gets into another sore, whether that be poison ivy (maybe that is what it started as?), or a bug bite or just a cut.

We had to soak it with warm wash cloths and get all the scab/crust off to be able to medicate it with a prescription ointment.

Just another chapter in motherhood.