A Scalp Scare

Sadly and unfortunately and I-can't-believe-it and boo: Anna and I didn't make it to the Food Truck Extravaganza.

So where were we?

The doctor.

Sometime last week, or maybe even the weekend, I noticed these yellow crusty patches on Anna's scalp. I tried removing them and we did the usual hair washing on Saturday. Despite my best attempts, the stuff spread like crazy, covering 3/4 of her scalp by yesterday. To say I was worried is an understatement. I am a first-time mom, you know.

It totally looked like cradle cap--maybe the worse cradle cap you've ever seen. I was confused/concerned why she was getting cradle cap now when she's not had any problems with it before. So for two nights, Bryan and I bathed Anna, dousing her scalp in olive oil and brushing her scalp with a toothbrush to remove the ick. Again, we saw minimum improvement, if any really.

Yesterday, I sent an email to the doc just asking what he'd recommend to get rid of it. The nurse phoned this morning as we rushed to music class with tips and one caution: If the irritation moves beyond her scalp, call us.

By the end of music class, I noticed a dry scaly patch on her eyelid and few bumps trailing from her eye. Within the next hour, Anna had a rash by her ear, up and down her left arm, on her leg, and all over her back. Talk about the power of suggestion--ha.

We'd already planned to stop by Bryan's office on our way to the food truck fundraiser, but this visit turned into a Dr. Daddy consultation. Alas, with one look, he suggested we make an appointment.

Thankfully (and miraculously) the doc had an open slot just 20 min later. At first, he thought it was cradle cap too. I was getting arsenal of questions--as any good doc will do--about hair care routine, allergies, new foods, etc. Then we were ushered back for a sample of the crusties to be taken at the lab.

The verdict: inflammatory tinea capitis. You know exactly what that is, right? :-)

In other words, Anna has a fungal infection on her scalp. This fungus is in the same family as the ringworm fungus. It is essentially identical but presents differently on the scalp. And her rash could be the spreading of the fungus; or it could be her immune system's response. While this form of fungus is slow-growing, the doc said once it takes hold it can replicate "exponentially"--the word he used. (Such a comforting term to a mother's ear . . .)

And even better, it's contagious. Before you completely freak out, it's not that contagious as in air-born. For those who've fixed Anna's hair, played with her hair bows, touch her head, you could likely pick up the fungus. However, most adults already have immune resistance to this; thus, the reason why toddlers and young school kids are the most common patients. But those adults can be carriers. There's no way to know if you have it or where Anna picked it up for that matter. We just have to toss out her brushes, wash her sheets in hot water, disinfect her hair bows in a plastic bag for one week, give her oral medication, and wash her head in this special shampoo for  . . . wait for it . . . TWO MONTHS. In addition, Bryan, our babysitter, and I will be washing our head in special shampoo for two months too.

I realize this isn't life or death, but with the thought of an impending move within two months and what not, the idea of battling a fungus infection for 8 weeks seems daunting. I know, I know, it could be so much worse. I'm grateful. Really.

I'm relieved too. Here's a confession: I have little confidence--dare I say even some insecurities--about maintaining Anna's hair and scalp in a healthy way. When this scalp issue arose, I was so concerned I had done something wrong to cause it. So learning she has a fungus that I had nothing to do with makes me feel like maybe, just maybe, I am not the worst mother in the world. :-) Come on--all you other moms know. We beat ourselves up when we think we've done something to harm our little one, even if that means just a dry scalp, a head cold, or whatever.

So this mama is now praying for a good response to the meds, no high fevers, no super infections.

Oh, and I should note to all my friends with kids who we have contact with, as soon as Anna starts the meds, she will be okay to be around. No quarantine for us.