This morning the rash got worse, so I decided I had better employ Google Doctor and find out what she had. The answer, it seemed, was Roseola. She seemed a bit happier today, so I looked for information on contagiousness. In the true spirit of the Internet, I found three answers:
1. Once the rash starts, it is no longer contagious
2. Once the rash starts, it is less contagious
3. Once the rash starts, it is at its most contagious
Excellent, I'm so glad I asked. So the decision was to not take her to the 1st birthday party we were going to. I took the boys, who had a ball.
This evening, she was steadfastly refusing to go to sleep. This is sufficiently out of character that I started to doubt my Google Doctor expertise, and decided a trip to the doctor was in order. Balmain Hospital has a 24hr GP service, and I decided to schlep on over there.
Wow, what an experience. Firstly, it's much closer than I thought, took less than 20 minutes, even with post-grand final traffic and people eating out in Balmain. Secondly, all Elissa's records are online from RPAH, so I don't even have to fill out any paperwork or produce a Medicare card. Thirdly, they take her straight through, we wait maybe 5 minutes for the doctor, who looks her over after reading the triage nurse's notes, goes and checks her books and decides it's Roseola. Comfortingly, she shows me the differential diagnoses and explains why it isn't any of them. Cool. In fact, what more can you ask for? And we were home in just over an hour. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention parking immediately in front of the building. Anyone in the feed area for this service, give it a shot if you find yourself doubtful about your own Google Doctor proficiency. Who says public health is inefficient and poor quality?
Oh yeah, and that doctor plumped for option 2 on the contagiousness list, but I'm not sure she felt strongly committed to her answer...
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