What Causes Raised Red Rashes Throughout Body?

Posted on Thu, 11 Jun 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 Answered on

Fri, 3 Jul 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : My daughter has a rash covering most of her body. She had been on amoxicillin, and the doctors here have put her on a steroid and Benadryl. Problem is, it isn't getting any better, and looks like it is getting worse. The rash itself is circular (?). it is raised around the edges and red, but flat and not red in the center. We are on vacation in an area without a lot of pediatricians, and I've taken her to urgent care twice in 3 days. Any ideas?

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (20 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Could be due to a viral cause.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

Most often, such rashes are caused either due to allergic reactions or due to viral infections. In either of them, antibiotics like amoxycillin is not likely to be helpful. Rather, in certain viral infections like Epstein Barr virus, giving amoxycillin can give rise to rashes.

Could you please upload an image of the rashes using the facility on upper right of this page? It will better enable me to comment on the cause of the rash. Also mention if other symptoms are present and the duration that amoxycillin is being given.

I would await your response. In the meantime, giving some antiallergic like cetirizine should help.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar