Family Forum / Parenting / Parenting / July 2004

Sounds like a skin infection - might have originally been a bite & then
got infected.  Can't see any possible connection to the MMR.  These
types of infections are usually caused by a germ that commonly lives on
the skin & that sometimes causes infections in children (if you're
interested, the usual germ is Staph. aureus, & the infection itself is
called impetigo).

Antibiotic cream applied directly to the infection will generally clear
it up, & is worth trying before resorting to oral antibiotics, as oral
antibiotics are more likely to cause side-effects & resistances.  I'd
start treating something like this with Fucidin cream, & if that didn't
work try Mupirocin cream.  If still no luck then I'd go to an oral
antibiotic called flucloxacillin (though this is a type of penicillin &
not recommended if he's penicillin-allergic).  All of these are
prescription-only, BTW, so you're right to go to your doctor - just
letting you know what he might give.

Oh, & impetigo often develops a sort of yellowish crust.  Quite normal,
but make sure to soak it off (try a warm wet flannel) before putting the
cream on each time, so that the cream can actually get to the skin.  And
use a separate towel & flannel for Morgan, 'cos this is quite
infectious.

All the best,

Sarah