Wants to Know What Is Growing on My Son

Updated on July 11, 2009
A.M. asks from Naperville, IL
30 answers

I noticed about a year ago that my son had these small bumps right in fromt of his armpit. First there was only one, but within a couple of months there were three. Then 6 months later there was one on the underside of his arm where he he swings and it hits the other 3 by his armpit. So I guess you can say that they are spreading. Since the beginning of summer his torso has been "bumpy"- not as big as the ones that were the originals. Then, because my kids still took baths together, I noticed the same small one growth on my daughter!! Now they shower...
I looked it up online and thought that they may just be warts, so I froze them. They got smaller but didn't disappear. They look like little pimples, round and some have a white type tip on top. Clearly they are spreading so it must be a virus not just a skin tag. They don't itch and is not painful at all, but I don't want them to spread anymore. I don't know what to do- freeze them again or get some type of cream. Has anyone heard of this?

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all your responses. I have an appointment tomorrow with his Dr. and we'll know for sure what we are dealing with. I did look up online and it does look like the Molluscum that everyone seems to have experienced. I have actually seen a Dr. when the first 3 bumps started, and he said to let them run it's course and it didn't look bad. I just got concerned when it spread to my daughter and needed additional Mama support. Thanks and cross your fingers for the Dr. tomorrow!!

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A.W.

answers from Chicago on

Go to a Dr. ASAP. These are obviousley contagious. Could also be Mrsa Virus which is a staph infection.

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E.M.

answers from Chicago on

There is a cream I had them once they are like warts but they might have ezema look it up. Go to the doctor and get the precription for the cream.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

Sorry not to be harsh but you need to take them to the Dr. to confirm a diagnosis! A year is a long time to leave something untreated.

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P.M.

answers from Chicago on

Sounds like this has been going one too long. I would consult a doctor and not try to self medicate. It could be an alergy or something else in his system that is causing the outbreak. A virus usaually runs its course and usually does not keep reappearing. good luck.

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

My best advice is to seek out a dermatologist.

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B.J.

answers from Chicago on

Hello A.:

You need to check the diet first for he/she may be allergic to something. Then check the kind of detergent and/or soap you are using. Moreover, do you have pets in the home for it may be ringworms from the animal. I contracted one when I was a pre-teen many years ago from a cousin's dog. Additonally, are they in the yard often? Is the grass chemically treated throughout the year? It may be something there too.

Lastly, it could be too much exposure to the sun (if this is the case). However, with skin problems you are ultimately better off seeking advice from a dermatologist. Please contact your doctor for a referral just to be sure it isn't skin cancer.

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B.B.

answers from Chicago on

Have you tried taking them to a pediatrician? If your two littles ones were taking baths together and, now, your daughter has them, why are you allowing them to shower together?? Obviously, whatever your son has, is contagious. To me,they sound like boils. When your body tries to fight off infection, in some cases, little or big boils appear on your body. Sometimes, around the private area. I'm just guessing but to be perfectly sure, take them to a doctor.
A little about me: I'm a mother of 5 boys and four girls and, a grandmother of 14. I work for an advertising agency and have been married (2nd time) to a wonderful man and provider for 32 years in October!

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K.S.

answers from Chicago on

molloscum contagiosum (pardon spelling) silver cure is the only thing that worked for my two. Keep him out of hte same bath water etc as your daughter. HIGHLY contagious and could get infected and leave scars

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L.H.

answers from Chicago on

Stop trying to treat on your own and take your kids to the doctor. You could be making it worse with all of your home remedies.

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V.L.

answers from Chicago on

They could be warts which are contagious. Glad you are going to the doctor~

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J.W.

answers from Chicago on

I had those all over my cheeks when I got back from my first year of college. It had something to do with using the community showers. They were called "molluscum" and at the time I had my dermatologist treat them. Harmless, but contagious and icky-looking. Definitely get your ped to refer you to a dermatologist ASAP!

Good luck.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

I would take him to a skin doctor.

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S.L.

answers from Chicago on

It sounds like molluscum, which we've been battling with my youngest two for months! A dermatologist can put some liquid on them or scrape them off. Good luck!

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W.I.

answers from Chicago on

I would take them to the dermatologist

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K.G.

answers from Chicago on

A., have you asked doctor about that? I'd see a doctor.

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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

A.,

Sounds like Molluscum Contagiosum. See your pediatrician to see what they recommend.

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J.D.

answers from Chicago on

Hi I've never seen or heard of this before but take him to his doctor instead of tryig to treat it yourself.

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S.B.

answers from Chicago on

Both of my sets of twins have had what you're describing -- molluscum. With the older set, the dermatologist "froze" them off, but we had to go back repeatedly. (The last time the dr. office billed it as "surgery"- still trying to figure that one out with them - so be careful when you go in to ask how it will be billed!) With my younger set of twins, they used that beetle juice others have talked about. It did not bother them but do follow directions about washing it off later, etc. I have also heard that putting a bandaid over the bump can help too. The dermatologist also mentioned swimming pools, but he said the chlorine in them usually takes care of that problem. Good luck! It may take a while to get rid of them.

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G.H.

answers from Chicago on

Don't ever remove something when you don't know what it is. What did you ped. say when your son was born or very young? I would take the children to a skin dr. to make sure the things are removed properly and not contageous.

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G.E.

answers from Chicago on

It sounds like moluscum. My son had this last summer. It spread as the summer went on. I had it treated with beetle juice, and it was the worst medical thing my son has experienced. It burned like crazy when they put the stuff on, and then it hurt even when I had to rinse it off later that day. (part of the problem was the dermatologist put the sticky part of the band-aid right on the a couple of the bumps, and it caused them to rip off!)

Luckily one treatment worked for him. But I read more later that it doesn't need to be treated and it does go away eventually. However it can spread to others, that is why they like to remove them.

Of course, talk to the pediatrician, but do your research, too.

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S.E.

answers from Chicago on

You sound very concerned and you have every reason to be. I have no idea what your children might have but I think I would get them to the doctor ASAP. Better to lean on the safe side.

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D.S.

answers from Bloomington on

Sounds like it could be molescum. It is very contagious and can be hard to clear up. You should have your doctor take a look to confirm. They spread when they have those white tips. They can spread fast. My suggestion is to get it looked at and try to get it under control before it continues to spread. The more there are the harder it is to treat. good luck!

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K.N.

answers from Peoria on

Sounds like I'm reading my own story! It is definitely molluscum (in the wart family I think). It's highly contagious. My son started with one bump and then it rapidly spread. He had close to 100. The doctor said it was one of the worse cases he had seen but regardless, it's best to get it taken care of. It's not serious and some doctors even say to let it runs it's course but that can take a while! I wanted it treated so it wouldn't spread to other kids. If your insurance lets you go straight to a dermatoligist, do that cause that's who will treat it. It's expensive but worth it to get it under control now. The doctor used something called beetle juice...I tried many other things but this is the only thing that worked for us. Be very careful and wash your hands if you touch it cause if an adult gets it...it will be genital warts. Let me know if you have any other questions and hope it clears up quickly.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

Haven't read the other posts, but it sounds like the things my mother tagged sweat pimples. But check with a skin doctor of course. AFter reading the other posts it would definitely make more sense to get to a doctor. Perhaps for now ask the pharmacist for a good skin cream. Or even have them stand in front of a mature wise pharmacist. They've seen so much, they might be able to let you know a doctor to go to.

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J.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.,
My daughter has the same thing. It's called Mollusca and it caused by a virus. Eventually your body should build up an immunity to them but if they continue to spread and are transferring between your kids I would go see a dermatologist. The ones on my daughter have been there for about a year and have spread quite a bit so I finally took her in. The dermatologist treated them with a freezing type product but then said it may take more than one application for them to go away completely. We are going back in a month for another application. So far it has reduced the size of them. She also said that Mollusca is extremely common with kids.

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M.S.

answers from Chicago on

Sounds like what the other two moms said. Mollescum (? sp). My son started with two or three and over time, 15 or so. My other son never caught it. Pediatrician sent us to dermatogist who gave him a cream and it started disappearing the second day. Within a week it was 100% cleared up!

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L.H.

answers from Chicago on

It's sounds like it could be muluscum. But ask your pediatrician. My son had it last summer. I noticed it on his torso. Took him to the ped who told me it was viral and would run its course. It's contagious so I made sure he always had a tshirt to cover it to prevent infecting other children. It continued to spread to his armpit and then to his arm. At that point I felt I couldn't wait for it to run it's course fearing it would spread to hands then face. I took him to the dermatologist who treated it with beetle juice. Not pleasant, it burns them off, but did the trick. FYI, they charged me per spot, so if you choose this route the sooner the better. Just want to add it was multiple treatments so pain was minimal but again not cheap.

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J.E.

answers from Chicago on

sounds like mollusc??? sp ladies help me here. It is very contagious so do not share towels or let them bath together or rub skin on anyone. Yes the dr freezes them in a way too. Get them to the dr before it spreads more. I hear it akes hears ot get rid of it. careful to not spred it.good luck.J.

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J.

answers from Chicago on

Ask your pediatrician.

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B.M.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.,
I am not a doctor, but this sounds exactly what I found on my son about a year ago. It sounds like molluscum, which is a virus in the pox family. My niece had it and it was bad and she actually needed to see a dermatologist (it spread to her face). Our pediatrician told us that it was very contagious and that our kids should not bathe together (so far he has not spread it to his brother) and that it could take up to 3 years for it to go away.

It has been a year and its definitely gotten better. I did begin to pop the ones with white heads (that's the virus, so it makes sense to get that out of their body!). And then clean the area really well with an astrigent.

Sometimes it gets really itchy, but for the most part it doesn't bother him (its on the backs of his legs). I do keep his nails cut really short to make sure that he's not scratching.

The other thing we were told is that he more than likely got it from being in water with other kids (ie, swimming pool), so if he's been around a pool a lot that might be the culprit.

Other tips...
when you bathe/shower him, make sure the water itsn't too hot
use gentle lotions (no scents, etc).

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any other questions.
B.

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