My Toddler's Molluscum Journey & How Other Parents Can Navigate It

Thank you Aboutmolluscum.com for sponsoring this post. Please note that this post isn't medical advice, rather an experience that is personal to my family.

It's been over a year since my toddler first developed Molluscum on his leg. In fact, It took an entire year for us to get some sort of help. Because of that, I want to share about my son's real-life experience with Molluscum and guide parents who have children that are experiencing this skin condition.

My Toddler's Molluscum Journey

My son was around 2 years old when we first discovered bumps on the back of his leg, in the bend of the knee. These bumps looked and felt somewhat like warts. As a first time mom, I had never seen anything like this before. I immediately brought this concern to my pediatrician.

His pediatrician wasn't nearly as concerned.

We listened as she identified the rash-like bumps as Molluscum, which is a very common skin infection. She told us intervention wasn't necessary and advised us of how contagious Molluscum is. Her main advice was to not allow him to share towels or clothing with others to avoid spreading the virus to others.

In her defense, at this point, the bumps were not infected and didn't seem to bother him.

As the months passed, we noticed the bumps were slowly spreading up his thigh. Again, we mentioned it to the pediatrician and she reassured us that they will go away naturally.

Being the attentive parents we are, this kind of frustrated us. We asked for medication and she told us we could use Apple Cider Vinegar but it would cause him some irritation. Since he had yet to show us that the bumps bothered him, we decided not to intervene.

About 6 months later, we noticed the Molluscum became incredibly irritated. His skin around the area was red and the bumps now looked like large blisters.

Once again, we went to the pediatrician and we were told that after the blisters pop, the Molluscum will go away on its own. She recommended that we cover the area with a bandage to avoid him from touching.

Not knowing any better, we took her advice and waited it out.

Finally, we'd had enough. My toddler was now expressing a lot of pain from the bumps. The blisters were popping and bleeding, his skin was red, and he was telling us with his sweet little voice, “My leg hurts back there”.

More blisters. More irritation.

We very firmly told the pediatrician that we'd like something to be done for him. Previously, she made us feel as if she could help us there, in the office with a procedure or medication. However, that wasn't the case.

She handed us a referral for a Dermatologist. Which was another month wait to get an appointment.

Now, we are in the present day. We visited the Dermatologist two months ago who treated the Molluscum in-office with a cream and gave us a topical medication to use daily. Additionally, she gave us a timeline for what to expect in the next couple weeks.

Currently, we are seeing a massive improvement after visiting the dermatologist. The treatment from his first visit cut the number of his bumps in half. I'm confident that after his second Molluscum treatment, the infection will be gone.

My toddler getting his Molluscum Treatment on the back of his knee

This has been an exhausting journey for me, as a mother, and for my 3.5 year old who has lived with discomfort for longer than he should have. He now has scars on the back of his knee and his skin is discolored in the affected area. The area is also rough to the touch.

Thankfully, children are resilient. They don't dwell on the things that we, as parents, do. My little guy still lives a full and happy life. He's bigger than Molluscum and while he experiences a lot of discomfort, he still enjoys his days.

Advice for Parents dealing with Molluscum in Children

If I could give one piece of advice to another mother, it would be to request a referral to a dermatologist immediately. While I do believe cases vary, I think it's still very important to take control right away, even if your pediatrician doesn't recommend it.

Don't wait to see if the Molluscum spreads or becomes more irritated. I don't want your children to end up like mine – with scars and daily irritation.

I'd also like to tell you, parents, even if you waited it out – it isn't your fault. We all have to navigate parenthood on our own. The great thing is we have REAL STORIES, like that of my son's, that can offer you some sort of guidance.

I hope my son's Molluscum journey helped you to understand that your family isn't alone in this. So many little ones are experiences the same as your child. There is Molluscum help and support – don't hesitate to take advantage of it.