Be it a sunny evening or a rainy one, you cannot stop your child from running into the playground. Most of their evenings are spent playing, exploring, splashing, and wandering.
Even if you give the utmost care of keeping them clean and secure from infections and rashes, you might not be successful every time.
One such type of skin infection that you might have noticed but not very aware of it is molluscum contagiosum. Most of them occur and resolve within a few days.
But if your kids immune system is weak the infection stays back, in such case what are the possible ways to get rid of it?
Molluscum Contagiosum
It is a contagious skin infection caused by molluscum contagiosum virus. The infection appears as small benign raised bumps or lesions on the upper layers of skin. The bumps are usually painless. They can resolve and leave no scars in most of the cases. The bumps may remain for a shorter or longer period of time depending on each person.
Molluscum Contagiosum Symptoms
In most of the cases, your child will not exhibit any symptoms for up to six months. The average incubation period for the virus is between 2-7 weeks.
The bumps will appear on the skin alone or in patches as many as 20 in number.
The bumps are small, shiny and smooth in appearance. They are dome-like and filled with a central core of waxy material. They can appear all over your body except on the palms of hands and soles of feet.
If your child has a very weak immune system, then you will notice more significant symptoms.
How Is It Caused?
If your child comes in contact with lesions of an infected person it spreads. Mostly children transmit while they play around with other children.
Sharing sports equipment, gloves, bats, balls – all these can cause the infection. In the case of teenagers and adults, the infection is transmitted if they have sexual contact.
The infection can spread throughout the body if it occurs even in one place, by touching, scratching, etc.
Who Is At Risk?
Mostly children between the age of 1-10 are vulnerable if they have a weak immune system. And also if you live in a tropical climate you face greater risks.
Molluscum Contagiosum Treatment
If your child has a healthy immune system, he or she does not require any medical treatment but some circumstances need a treatment. The treatment is a must if your child has
- Lesions that are large and located on face or neck
- Diagnosed with skin disease like atopic dermatitis
The most effective molluscum contagiosum treatment are
- Cryotherapy: The bumps are frozen with liquid nitrogen
- Curettage: It involves piercing and scraping out the bump
- Laser therapy: Lasers are used to destroy the bumps
- Topical therapy: Applying chemical creams to the bumps so that the upper layer of skin peels off.
All the above-said treatments are performed by a doctor. Treating these bumps may require more than one session, new bumps keep on appearing as one is treated. In such cases, the doctor will recommend medications like
- Trichloroacetic acid
- Topical podophyllotoxin cream
- Cantharidin
- Imiquimod
Molluscum Contagiosum Prevention
As a parent, you have got more responsibility to take care of your child. Some of the tips that you can rely on to make sure that your kid does not develop any skin infections are
- Make sure that your kid follows proper hand-wash techniques.
- Give your child a warm water bath as soon as they come from play
- Instruct your child not to share or use sports equipment with others
- Keep the children’s personal stuff clean
- If they develop a bump of infection tells them not to pick it or touch it.
Your kids’ health is in your hands, even if you had been very careful about your kid, but there are chances of you missing out somewhere. In that case, do not worry or panic if you encounter such skin infections. The doctors at Siva Children Hospital are always here for you. We ensure that your child gets the best health care and support.
About the Hospital:
Sai Siva Childrens 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.