He has these mysterious red bumps only on his lower legs. Oddly enough, they don't bother him. They don't itch or hurt him. But they sure do look terrible ... like he is being abused. :(
I posted this pic (below) in a FB group I belong to, and somebody suggested "erythema nodosum," which I have never heard of. I googled it and sure enough, sure does look like it!
- Erythema nodosum is a type of skin inflammation that is located in a certain portion of the fatty layer of skin.
- Erythema nodosum (also called EN) results in reddish, painful, tender lumps most commonly located in the front of the legs.
- The tender lumps, or nodules, of erythema nodosum range in size from one to five centimeters. The nodular swelling is caused by a inflammation in the fatty layer of skin.
- Erythema nodosum can be self-limited and resolve on its own in three to six weeks. Upon resolution, it may leave only a temporary bruised appearance or leave a chronic indentation in the skin where the fatty layer has been injured.
So I took Christian to "The Little Clinic" inside our grocery store and the nurse practitioner had no idea what it was. He gave us an RX for an ointment and Prednisone syrup.
I decided to start with the ointment because the Prednisone scares me, to be honest ... and the cream had no affect. So we got in to see the NP at Christian's pediatrician's office who agreed that it might be erythema nodosum. She said to take the prednisone. Sure enough, with one dose, his legs looked better the next day. The problem is that Prednisone tastes NASTY and terribly bitter. So getting Christian to take it is a nightmare.
But the very good news is that this skin condition is not contagious. WHEW!!!
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