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Molluscum contagiosum

(15 Posts)
Grandmama Fri 22-Apr-16 18:25:10

My five year old GD has some tiny warts on the back of her neck, I diagnosed skin tags but the doctor diagnosed molluscum contagiosum. It is infectious, can spread all over the body, can last for years and there isn't any treatment. DD and I had never heard of this, her teacher said this was the only school in which she had ever come across it (just a few children had had it, it wasn't endemic) and she had one or two horror stories about it. Have any grans come across this - any advice?

annsixty Fri 22-Apr-16 18:39:35

My GD had it when she was about 8, she is 17 now so it certainly doesn't last for years. It was mainly on her arms and abdomen. The GP printed a few pages off for us and I seem to remember that we were told that if she would let us we should squeeze them, this is where the name comes from as if you can manage to squeeze the "centre" come out like a snail. The belief was that once you got one of them "active" the body set up antibodies and the healing process would start. I am sure this sounds a bit New World but I think it worked. She didn't have it long.

annsixty Fri 22-Apr-16 18:40:29

I meant New Age not new world.

harrigran Fri 22-Apr-16 18:47:02

My GD has had this, probably for the last five years. I had GD staying when she bumped her leg in the garden and burst the offending lump, it was quite messy and I had to clean and dress it. Granddad had to carry her into the house when she went home, poor little wounded soldier.

annsixty Fri 22-Apr-16 18:49:08

I have just googled this condition and sadly there is nothing about my theory ,however we we definitely told this and she certainly didn't have it long, certainly not the 12/18 months quoted.

seasider Fri 22-Apr-16 21:02:07

My son had one outbreak with a huge sore on his leg . It went away about 8 years ago and he has never had one since.

harrigran Fri 22-Apr-16 23:42:22

GD's first one was on her eyelid followed by legs and hands, I noticed she had a new one on her hand when I saw her last Saturday.

SueDonim Sat 23-Apr-16 00:22:10

One of my children had MC when we lived in a hot country where it's easily caught. It began on the inside of her elbow and she later developed a few on her face. Some of the ones on her arm became angry and inflamed and oozed yucky stuff but they all went away eventually after about a year or so. It isn't uncommon so I'm amazed the teacher had never come across it before.

mumofmadboys Sat 23-Apr-16 07:00:21

I am a retired GP.MC is very common in kids Leave the spots alone. Will all heal up but may take months to a year.

hildajenniJ Sat 23-Apr-16 07:49:01

My little GS had this. With him it didn't last very long, no longer than six months. He was only 2 and was a very good boy and didn't pick at the spots.

baubles Sat 23-Apr-16 08:09:04

One of my granddaughters had this. All of her spots were on her torso; it lasted about a year if I remember correctly.

I hadn't heard of it when my own children were young but DD wasn't fazed, apparently it is very common.

Maggiemaybe Sat 23-Apr-16 09:14:12

Well, I was told by my GP that the four spots that suddenly appeared on my face were MC and would definitely spontaneously combust within 3 years. That was in 2004 and they're still there. Not causing any problems but certainly not enhancing my natural beauty grin I've mentioned them when I've been to the surgery in the interim and the doctors I've spoken to have seemed a bit shifty uncertain, just advising me to wait and see and being quick to point out that the NHS can't afford cosmetic procedures so I'm stuck with them unless I raid the pension pot. Has anybody any experience of having them removed? I tried all sorts of "cures" recommended on the internet in the early days, with no success at all (and a couple of nasty skin burns after using some of them).

mumofmadboys Sat 23-Apr-16 13:41:11

Hard to say Maggie maybe without seeing them .Could be skin tags ,papillomas, warts to name a few possible. Ask your GP what he/ she thinks they are exactly.

Maggiemaybe Sat 23-Apr-16 17:36:02

Thank you, mumofmadboys, I'll ask about them again next time I need to visit the surgery. They're obviously not serious in the scheme of things, but I'd be delighted if they did disappear!

Grandmama Sat 23-Apr-16 19:06:33

Thanks Grans for all the replies. I guess DD and GD will just have to sit it out and hope it doesn't spread all over.