About a week or so ago, in this post, I shared that Autumn Joy caught ringworm. I was pretty okay with that since ringworm is easily contracted and easily treatable. No stigma needs to be attached (yeah right) as many kids in school catch it. –
One week after treating her ringworm with prescription strength ointment, I realized that it was not going away. What’s worse is that small patches of bumps were beginning to erupt on various parts of her upper body.
–
“Mommy, I’m Ringworm Girl!” I overheard her excitedly exclaim as I stood at the sink washing dishes.
Ringworm Girl?
My eyes opened up as large as two watermelons. “Oh no she didn’t,” I thought to myself. “What did I just hear her say?” I mean, I’m glad she has a good attitude about the situation, but let’s not get carried away here. Ringworm Girl? Don’t say that too loudly; the neighbors might hear. What’s worse, what if she said that in school? She’d be a first grader scorned.
–
Oh, my! Please don’t say it’s spreading all over her body! What type of cream did the doc prescribe? I’m so upset! It should have been stronger. How are we supposed to fight it off now that it’s spread?
–
When Autumn hit the two week mark and her condition had worsened, I took her back to the doctor, and after examining all the facts, the doctor’s diagnosis was that it was not ringworm at all, but rather, it was pityriasis rosea (Pit-ih-RYE-ah-sis-Ro-ZEA).
–
Pityriasis rosea is easily mistaken for ringworm since it often begins as a large single pink patch which is called a “herald” or “mother” patch. Then, within a week or two, smaller pink patches appear on the body and the arms and the legs. This was certainly true in Autumn’s case. It’s definitely not a fungus; and while it may be caused by a virus, the virus theory has yet to be proven. Unlike many viruses, however, pityriasis rosea is not contagious…NOT CONTAGIOUS…Yippie!
So, it looks like Autumn will not be able to call herself “Ringworm Girl!” after all. All I can say is that I’m glad she can’t pronounce Pityriasis Rosea!
Leave a Reply