This is a very sick boy.
See the flushed cheeks and the paleness around the mouth?
Combine that with a sore throat, high fever, and a RASH all over his trunk and you've got:
SCARLET FEVER is a disease caused by an
exotoxin released by
Streptococcus pyogenes. Group A occurs rarely with
impetigo or other streptococcal infections. It is characterized by sore throat, fever, a '
strawberry tongue', and a fine sandpaper
rash over the upper body that may spread to cover almost the entire body. Scarlet fever is not
rheumatic fever, but may progress into that condition. The rate of development of rheumatic fever in individuals with untreated streptococcal infection is estimated to be 3%. The rate of development is far lower in individuals who have received antibiotic treatment. (From Wikipedia)
So, basically it is just a strand of strep throat. BUT...you would not believe the fear that seized my heart when I heard my sweet pediatrician say in her oh-so-calm, soothing voice, "This looks like a classic case of SCARLET FEVER." I suddenly had flashes before my eyes from childhood books...you remember the ones, don't you? I had visions of all of us contracting this dreaded disease. (We still may...)
Thank you, Wikipedia for this walk down memory lane:
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868) - Beth contracts scarlet fever, seems to recover, but progresses to rheumatic fever and ultimately succumbs to congestive heart failure.
- By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder - Laura's sisters Mary, Carrie, and Grace and their mother contract scarlet fever, the family recovers, but Mary is left blind as a result.
- The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (1922) - The main protagonist, a small boy, contracts scarlet fever and his toys are all burned. Indeed, the velveteen rabbit itself, the boy's favorite toy, was going to be burned by a nurse, but at the book's climax, the toy rabbit comes alive and joins the "real" rabbits outside in the garden..
But, I don't want to bore you. :) Here are some things my boy said today:
9:30 AM: "Mommy, maybe we should pray and ask God to make me feel better."
I was convicted immediately. Why hadn't I already done this aloud with him?? So, we prayed and then we went outside to play. (Where the above picture was taken.)
After the drama of the afternoon when his fever spiked and he couldn't stop crying/screaming in pain, and then finally getting him into the doctor at 4:00, he says, "Mommy, I think I want to go to the doctor every day to make me feel better." It's amazing what an extra dose of Tylenol will do. He's convinced that just walking into that office healed him.
Coincidently (?!) we read the story about Jesus raising Jarius' daughter from the dead and his healing of the "very sick woman" (who had been bleeding for 12 years) tonight. It was a great time to talk about His power to heal. Isn't it cool how God did that? G-Money was listening so intently, and I think I cried through the whole story. I could relate so much more to Jarius after today.
Bryan was home for the most critical 3 hours of the day before he had to leave again for the Session retreat. What a blessing that I could go to the doctor with only the one, sick child and not all three of them.
My dear doctor wrote a prescription for all three children. This is highly contagious, so we may all get it. :) Fun, fun. I'm praying against that. Aloud. With my children. :)
