…that Darius has ‘eczema’ and not ‘roseola’.

“No! Roseola is a virus infection!” He exclaimed.

“But,” I argued, “He did have a viral fever a few days ago and now he developed rashes.”

“Roseola’s rash is like a hand-slap mark across the cheeks.”

“So this is just normal eczema?” I asked.

“Yes, due to the infection.” The doctor said.

This was my first time visiting this GP because Darius’ family doctor is too far away for me to go to him alone. So I have no choice but to choose a clinic nearest my place.

In conclusion, he wasn’t very friendly to me, barely even giving me any eye contact and just smile at Darius as if I’m non-existent, answering my questions very curtly.

His first question was what I applied to Darius’ face. I was like “???”. Nothing ah.

I told him that Darius had high fever since Sunday, got well on Wednesday and now he has rashes.

His second question was what I use to bathe Darius. I really was exasperated. In my mind, I was thinking that Darius cannot be having eczema and he has never had eczema.

Eczema is a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis. These include dryness and recurring skin rashes which are characterized by one or more of these symptoms: redness, skin edema (swelling), itching and dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding.

He just have spots all over his body but they are non-itchy, flat, no pus, not cracking and definitely not dry or flaky.

I have this unhappy feeling that he thinks I’m an idiot and there’s no point speaking to me about his condition, ‘because I wouldn’t understand’. I’m a Biology graduate so I’m very sure I can understand if he let me know in details. I asked him more questions like, so how come he will have rashes right after the fever? (because Darius had fever before but never rashes). So why is he having phlegm now…blah blah.. He just answered, ‘due to the infection, due to the infection’. All the same answers, short and curt.

So I told him I need a medical certificate from him so that’s why I came to see him because Darius has enrichment class. I was thinking maybe I could get a one week’s MC for him so if the rash hasn’t cleared, I can still use the MC for makeup classes.

He was curtly saying again, “What enrichment class? what is it like?” His tone was all displeasure. I believe he thinks Darius is too young to attend any class.

So I told him what it was about and then, I need the MC because the school strictly disallows any student with rash to join in the class. Then, he finally give an “okay”. Don’t understand why it is so difficult to get an MC for a baby?!

I asked him how many days will the rash clear. He said need two to three days. And if it doesn’t, then I’ll need to come back again for stronger creams to apply for him. ( I don’t think he needs it frankly)

Since Darius was having some phlegm and coughing, he gave him cough medicine too.

When I paid up and collected the MC, then I noticed he only gave 1 day MC!!! Sigh. Blame myself for not asking him to give one week because he seemed so unfriendly.

Now I pray Darius will have his rashes cleared by next week or I have to miss classes again.

This has to happened just when I signed him up and til now, he hasn’t even begin his first lesson. Argh.

So what did he actually have? I think I’ll need a PD to answer that.

(Meanwhile, a search in Google on ‘Roseola’ shows me similar things that happened to Darius. Take a look. And this is a comprehensive page about ‘Roseola‘.)

Vincent’s Remarks:

 I was reading this post from the office and I really feel that this doctor CMI (Cannot Make It). There’s no reason why Darius would have developed eczema all of a sudden, as we have not changed any bathing lotion nor anything that are applied on his body. He had not come into contact with any irritable surfaces too.

Moreover, eczema looks completely different from what Darius is having now. For example, this photo of a baby having eczema shows what the ‘hand-slap mark’ as mentioned by the ‘doctor’ looks like, contrary to what he said. Also, eczema is usually itchy and uncomfortable, but Darius is completely undisturbed by it.

Some professionals (I’m not sure if we can still call them ‘professionals’) just refuse to say ‘I don’t know’ when they are faced with illness that they are unable to diagnose.

Imagine what would happen if they mis-diagonse an Influenza A case with a common flu. I’ve always thought only doctors from neighbouring countries are substandard; to think they exist here and now in Singapore too.

No related posts.