Rash after a week on antibiotics

[Anonymous]

My DD has just taken 8.5 days worth of amoxycilin for the first time and has now broken out in a rash all over her body. It started on her cheeks and has spread to her stomach, back, legs, a little on her arms, hands and feet. She has no other symptoms, is not itching and is generally acting in good spirits. I took her to the ped this morning and they said it could be an "idiosynchratic" reaction to the medication. They said it was not an allergic reaction, though. She also said it could be viral. So basically I got 2 possible diagnoses and no real answers except that the doctor wasn't worried about it and we should wait and see. This is very confusing to me and I was wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar.

[Anonymous]

I'm allergic to penicillin and sulfa and that is the reaction I got both times I took those drugs (non-itchy rash over entire body after about 7 days of taking them). My doctors told me I was allergic and to avoid those drugs in the future, and I have.

If it makes you feel any better, I do agree that there really isn't anything you can do at this point but wait and see. The rash goes away pretty soon after stopping the medication. For me, it wasn't itchy or painful at all. Personally, I might get a second opinion on the allergy diagnosis, or at the very least, have your DD avoid amoxycilin from know on.

[Anonymous]

I am also allergic to the "cillins" and a rash is how my allergy manifests. I would get a second opinion, from either another pediatrician or from a dermatologist or allergist. Although I agree with the previous poster that there isn't much you can do about a drug allergy rash beyond Benadryl, if your child is allergic to this antibiotic, he or she needs to be watched carefully, and can never, ever, EVER take this drug again -- or any other "cillin." A second exposure could lead to a COLOSSAL reaction -- with problems breathing.

I have never heard of an idiosyncratic rash.

[Anonymous]

My son had the same thing - a rash on day 9 of amox. The ped. said he was allergic and we haven't tried it again since.

[Anonymous]

I had a similar rash appear after about 5 days on sulfer-based antibiotics. The doctor said it was an allergy. When I stopped the antibiotics, the rash went away.

[Anonymous]

I get the rash and fever. DS, same thing. I will never take that poison again!

[Anonymous]

This same thing happened to my DS at 9 months old. He had been taking amoxycillan for 8 days, and broke out in a rash ALL over his body. It was awful to look at, but it didn't really seem to bother him that much. We took him to the doctor, and they confirmed he is probably allergic to penicillin and to never give it to him again.
DS's rash actually was pretty severe, and lasted a long time (ended up at a pediatric dermatologist). It didn't completely clear up for 4 weeks. So if it doesn't go away quickly, don't panic. DS did eventually fully recover. But no more penicillin for him, EVER!