Calling the P-F docs please

[RoyGBiv]

My understanding is that spider bites are rare, and significantly overdiagnosed. Just statistically, I’d guess it’s likely a tick bite. If that was on me or any of my family, I’d go for a course of antibiotics.

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-...e-probably-not

Likely depends on where. I was a frequent spider bite (and biting tree ant) victim. Spiders made me blow up much like the OP's photo. Round, swollen, warm to the touch. Cortisone cream was the solution most of the time. Frequently the center of the bite would get black (necrotic?) and weep for several days. Debriding and Neosporin with lidocaine worked well there.

Also, the timing is an indicator. If you think you got a bite today and it looks like that, it's not likely Lyme. Lyme rash takes at least a few days to show up.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/syc-20374651

Spreading over days is also a Lyme indicator. Quickly resolving same-day with cortisone causes me to think spider or insect more than Lyme as well.

FWIW. Not a Doc but frequently bitten.

[Clusterfrack]

I was a frequent spider bite ... victim. Spiders made me blow up much like the OP's photo. Round, swollen, warm to the touch.

Did you see the spider bite you?

[UNK]

Even if it's a spider bite and not an infection (now), monitor that stuff. I got bitten by a spider and it seemed to be OK, but damaged tissue under the surface and created a whole infected cavity that required attention weeks later. I still have a pocket that fills with gunk and needs to be cleaned out 15 years later.

Thats typical for necrosis. Theres only a few spiders in the US that can cause that. Brown recluse are here where I live. The plant where I used to work had black widows in one area. My son was bitten by a spider in Peru and thankfully antibiotics took care of it.

https://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html

[Cookie Monster]

Not a doctor but I would take my kid with a rash like that - I would have the same thought of Lyme Disease.

[UNK]

Ok, wife took her to convenient care today. They aren’t sure if it’s a tick or a spider bite, said not serious enough to warrant antibiotics at this time.

It did look better this morning in the picture my wife sent me before they went to the doc. Doc gave a cortisone cream scrip which wife/mom applied when they got home. It looks a hell of a lot better now. Kid is totally fine and normal acting.

Doc did say if we see other symptoms to follow up.

Spider bite makes more sense than tick bite given location and other factors. Wife saw a pic on the net of a Parsons Spider bite that looks nearly identical to what’s on my girls arm. But the important thing is that for now, kid seems good to go.

Thanks to everyone that replied for the advice.

Glad to hear shes doing well. Thanks for the update.

[OlongJohnson]

Thats typical for necrosis. Theres only a few spiders in the US that can cause that. Brown recluse are here where I live. The plant where I used to work had black widows in one area. My son was bitten by a spider in Peru and thankfully antibiotics took care of it.

https://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html

The guess was it was a brown recluse. First week on a new job in an office that had been vacant. Put a shell jacket on a shelf when I got there in the morning. Put it on when I went home. A mile or two down the road, I felt something on my back. Never did figure out what happened to the critter, as I didn't take off my shirt and look at things until I got home, and there was no gushed spider in any of the clothes that I could find.

[UNK]

The guess was it was a brown recluse. First week on a new job in an office that had been vacant. Put a shell jacket on a shelf when I got there in the morning. Put it on when I went home. A mile or two down the road, I felt something on my back. Never did figure out what happened to the critter, as I didn't take off my shirt and look at things until I got home, and there was no gushed spider in any of the clothes that I could find.

In high school I had a buddy who was out in the woods shooting. He had that fro perm thing that was in style. He felt something crawling in his hair and tried to grab it or squash it. Anyway he got bitten and it put him on his ass immediately. I dont believe he ever found out what it was.

[camel]

Ok, wife took her to convenient care today. They aren’t sure if it’s a tick or a spider bite, said not serious enough to warrant antibiotics at this time.

It did look better this morning in the picture my wife sent me before they went to the doc. Doc gave a cortisone cream scrip which wife/mom applied when they got home. It looks a hell of a lot better now. Kid is totally fine and normal acting.

Doc did say if we see other symptoms to follow up.

Spider bite makes more sense than tick bite given location and other factors. Wife saw a pic on the net of a Parsons Spider bite that looks nearly identical to what’s on my girls arm. But the important thing is that for now, kid seems good to go.

Thanks to everyone that replied for the advice.

Best wishes to a speedy recovery. Sometime stuff happens

[GJM]

I spent a bunch of years around Lyme ticks in CT and hate them. That is an odd place for a tick bite. They like the groin, under arms, scalp and warmer places. I got bit by a bunch of ticks in CT, but also by a brown recluse spider that left what looks like a bullet wound in the back of my neck.

[Sensei]

My understanding is that spider bites are rare, and significantly overdiagnosed. Just statistically, I’d guess it’s likely a tick bite. If that was on me or any of my family, I’d go for a course of antibiotics.

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-...e-probably-not

This pretty much spot on. Most of what people call a “spider bite” is just a cutaneous abscess (often MRSA) from a folliculitis or some other break in the skin. The rest are just insect bites from thing like bees, fire ants, and wait for it….wait for it….waaait for it -ticks. Spiders are the extreme minority. Keep in mind that only 50% of people who get Lyme recall seeing the tick; it feeds and peaces out before being noticed.

The target rash of Lyme, called erythema migrans, can take on many different appearances and distinguishing it from other causes of target rashes is tough. Much of the decision to treat is based on local prevalence of Lyme.

If the OP lives in a Lyme endemic area, then a course of doxy is very reasonable and generally recommended. Wait and see is generally not the way to go because you are waiting for serious symptoms for a disease that has an exceedingly safe treatment. This is especially true for the sister spirochete disease, Rocky Mnt Spotted Fever, since that can kill you while you wait.

Someone else mentioned single dose prophylaxis which is not appropriate for someone with a rash that look like erythema migrans. Prophylaxis is for exposures without symptoms.