Mystery Skin Disease Strikes Infant

JEDDAH – Zeyad, a one year-old boy, was taken to the Children’s and Maternity Hospital in Aziziyah District here Wednesday when the small red spots that had suddenly appeared on his skin rapidly grew within 24 hours, covering large parts of his tiny body.

 

Falah, Zeyad’s father, said the doctors at the hospital told him that they had never seen a similar case before and that they needed to take skin samples for testing.

 

The father was afraid that these tests would take too long since his son’s skin had changed so drastically in such a short period of time.

 

“I went to Dr. Sami Badawood, the Health Affairs Director in Jeddah,” said Faleh, “and he assured me that if the hospital could not make a diagnosis, my son would be transferred to King Faisal Specialist Hospital as they have much more sophisticated equipment.”

 

Dr. Jamal Abu Rokba, the Children’s and Maternity Hospital manager, told Saudi Gazette, “We will do everything that we can to help Zeyad. We have the equipment and qualified doctors but we just have to wait for the results of the skin tests.”

 

Dr. Abu Rokba said there was nothing to worry about since the child was not isolated and has no fever. “He must be suffering from a virus or allergy,” he said. – SG

 

 

Jassin Alghamdi - Saudi Gazette