Being the parent of an active kid is really adventurous. You cannot restrict your child when they go to play. But when they come back home, finding a rash, bumps, or lesions is very common. Do you feel worried when you notice them? Obviously, initially, you would try all the home-based medicines. Infections in children are very common and most of the time they aren’t serious. But still they should be treated, right? No matter how well you keep the home and surroundings clean, children and babies are susceptible to infections throughout the year. As parents, it is important that you should know about some of the common skin infections that occur in children.
How Does Your Child Develop Skin Infection?
If your child has wounded or bruised any part of their body, then it makes the job easier for the viruses, bacteria, and fungi to infect the skin.
Common Skin Infections In Children
Ringworm
It is caused by a fungus that infects the skin which is highly contagious. The affected region of skin becomes scaly and bumpy with a red patch. This infection can spread if your child comes in contact with others by infection or by sharing clothes. This is generally treated by applying antifungal creams.
Impetigo
This infection is caused by bacteria that are commonly found on your child’s body. This skin infection commonly occurs on the nose and around the mouth. It looks oozy, blistery, red, and yellowish crust. It can spread by contact. It is itchy, and scratching can worsen the infection. It is easily treated by taking antibiotics.
Warts
It is caused by a virus. Warts can spread from one part of the body to the other and also between two persons. This infection commonly occurs on hands. In most of the cases the infection resolve on its own.
Heat Rash
It is caused due to the blockage in the sweat glands. It occurs as the red pimply eruption on the head and neck of your child. Make sure that your child dresses appropriately. Heat rashes resolve on their own.
Fifth disease
It is caused by the parvovirus B19. you would find bright red rashes on the cheeks and all over the body. It is mild and resolves without any treatment. Giving antibiotics is not a right option in this case.
Chicken-pox
It is a very common infection found among children, but due to vaccination programmes, they have become less frequent. It is caused by the virus called varicella. The rashes are itchy and they appear as blister spots and crusty scabs. The infection can spread over the entire body. It lasts for more than a week and can resolve on its own.
Contact Dermatitis
It appears as a group of small red pimples or bumps on the skin. It is due to an allergy that is triggered by specific foods, lotions, chemicals, or plants. Depending on the sensitivity of the skin this can last for days to weeks. The symptoms can be reduced by taking topical antihistamines or steroids.
Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease(Coxsackie)
It is a highly contagious infection caused by coxsackievirus on foot, hand, and mouth. It can cause extremely painful mouth sores which inhibits eating and drinking in some cases. It can spread through contact, coughing, and sneezing. The symptoms are initially it occurs with a fever and develops into a non-itchy rash. It can resolve within a week on its own.
Atopic Dermatitis
It is also known as eczema, which is very common among children who have allergies and asthma. It appears as an itchy red patch specifically on the cheeks, elbow, or around the knees. The symptoms can be treated with lotions, ointments, creams, and topical steroids.
Hives
It is caused if your child has an allergic reaction caused by food or medicine also certain virus can lead to this infection. The rashes appear as red bumps or welts which are itchy and painful. The standard treatment for hives is antihistamines.
Scarlet Fever
It is an extremely contagious infection caused by streptococcal bacteria. The rashes feel like sandpaper which may or may not be itchy. It begins with a sore throat and fever. It can be treated with antibiotics even if it resolves on its own.
Roseola (Sixth disease)
It is caused by a virus, that has a very lacy appearance which is accompanied with high fever. The rashes appear on the chest or back first and later spreads to the other parts of the body. In this case, very rarely the fever can trigger a seizure.
Molluscum Contagiosum
The virus causes smooth molds on the skin with a dimple in the center. It is contagious. It can be itchy and painful which shows up on most of the parts in the body. It can last till 6-12 months. Molluscum Contagiosum can be treated with cream or the nodules can be removed by laser treatment. The immunity power of children is still in the developing stage so they are prone to infections. So as parents you should provide special care to children’s hygiene. Also, teach your children not to share their personal things. If your child still develops infections, do not panic. You can seek the help of doctors at Sai Siva Children’s Hospital. We hope that this information about skin infections in children will be useful to you.
About the Hospital:
Sai Siva Children’s Hospital, Chanda Nagar, is a full-fledged medical facility specially designed for pediatric patients as well as young adults. The hospital was started in the year 2008, with the aim of reaching out to schools and villages to educate the middle and high school students about health & hygiene.
Sai Siva Children’s Hospital is one of the most sought-after children’s hospitals in Hyderabad with a team of experienced doctors and skilled staff who aim to help your child have healthy growth and development. We believe that children today are the future of our world, and must have good health to make the world a better place to live in.