What’s that
rash? You are caring for a child, and you notice her itching what
looks to be a rash. For the most part, rashes are very common in
children and are usually nothing to be too concerned about. Rashes
can be caused by a number of different reasons.
Check out 10 common
childhood rashes so that you can be informed the next time you notice a rash.
- Diaper
rash is very common in infants. Every child will probably experience diaper rash at some point
before he is out of diapers. The rash can be caused by chafing,
contact with urine or stool for an extended period of time, and sometimes
the material the diaper is made out of. Treatment should be to
change the baby as soon as you can after they have a bowel movement or
urinate. Gently clean the infected area and apply a thick
coating of diaper cream, which will protect the skin in the future.
Soaking the area can also help. Try to get as much air to the
area as possible. This rash will only appear in the diaper
area.
- Heat
rashes are common ailments for children. Heat rash is most often caused by the
skin getting too warm. The sweat gets trapped under the skin
and causes irritation, which is why the skin turns red and itchy bumps
occur in the area of irritation. These areas are usually where
the skin is the warmest and typically include the under arms, inner
thighs, back, and arm pits. The rash will usually go away once
the skin has cooled down. Cooling the skin with a cold shower
and staying in an air conditioned environment for a day or two should
clear up the condition.
- Hives
are a common allergic reaction in children and also appear as a
rash. Hives are red
bumps or welts on the skin that are very itchy. This rash is
caused by a reaction to a certain medicine, food, or insect bite. If
your child gets hives make sure there is no swelling of the face
area. If there is you need to seek medical attention. Hives is
the most common rash where medical attention is necessary to figure out
the cause and determine a course of action for a cure.
- Pityriasis
Rosea is common in young adults. This rash starts out with a small pink rash on the chest or back
that is ¾ of an inch to 2 inches wide. The experts call this a
“herald patch” because it warns you of what is to come. In the
next week or two the child will break out in hundreds of small pink rashes
all over the arms, legs and body, but rarely on the face. The
sores will be shaped kind of like a Christmas tree. This rash
will run its course in 3 to 9 weeks and leave no scarring on the skin. Exposure
to the sun could speed up the healing.
- Warts
are considered to be a rash as well. Surprisingly warts are considered a type
of rash because children can get groups or clumps of them. They
usually appear on their feet and hands, and they can be contagious if
touched, but are not contagious any other way. Most doctors won’t
remove lots of warts off of children. According to Dr. Sheila
Friedlander, a leading dermatologist, children can be treated at home by
using a pumice stone to rough up the warts after a bath and then applying
an over-the-counter wart remedy. She also suggests trying
freezing treatments, which can now be purchased over-the-counter and can
be helpful in getting rid of the warts.
- Urushiol
or poison ivy is a common rash in children. This rash will have red, itchy bumps and
blisters. Treat with cool compresses and calamine lotion. If
the case appears to be very severe you may need to seek medical attention
for a prescription antihistamine. Poison ivy is a plant with
three shiny reddish green leaves. If the child has been in the
woods a day or two prior to the rash developing it could be poison ivy.
- Irritant
contact dermatitis can be red, swollen, or itchy. These kinds of rashes usually develop
when the skin comes into contact with an allergen like a new detergent or
soap. Avoid the irritant in the future. If a
severe reaction occurs, or if big blisters are present, seek medical
attention.
- Eczema
is usually located behind the knees and elbows. Infants as young as 1 month old can have
eczema, and in addition to the knees and elbows the rash can also appear
on the face. This condition is often itchy and can make an
infant very cranky. For treatment use an over-the-counter cream
that’s recommended by your physician.
- Phytophotodermatitis
is a rash that has often been confused with child abuse. This rash usually occurs in the summer
and is caused by a chemical reaction to certain enzymes that are found in
citrus fruits or vegetables such as parsnips. The rash is
caused when an infant or child gets the juice on their skin and is then
exposed to the sun. For example, mom is squeezing limes into a
drink while on the beach and the child goes running by and she grabs
him. Now the lime juice is on the child’s skin and he’s at the
beach exposed to the sun. The rash often appears in the shape
of a hand print because of this transfer method, which is why it is often
confused with child abuse.
- Roseola
is probably the most common childhood rash. Roseola is a type of viral infection,
and will cause children to have a sudden high fever lasting 3 to 7
days. When the fever goes away a red rash will develop starting
on the tummy and then spreading to the rest of the
body. Children get this from being exposed to another child
that has it. Most kids contract this prior to entering
kindergarten. Room temperature sponge baths and mild fever reducing
medicine should be all the treatment that is needed.
Contacts and sources:
Anne Laurie
No comments:
Post a Comment