Why does a child have a rash and what to do with it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Most often, pimples and redness are not dangerous.

Rash in children, especially in infancy and toddler age, is a common rash in infants and young children. The point is in the peculiarities of children's skin: it is thin, easily injured and susceptible to irritation and infections due to the still developing immunity.

Most often, pimples, blisters, redness, crusts and other rashes in children are not a sign of any serious problems and Rash - child under 2 years pass by themselves rather quickly. But there are exceptions to this rule.

What symptoms should you call an ambulance for?

Dial 112, 103 immediately, or go to the nearest emergency room if your child's skin has a scattering of red spots, and besides them there are the following symptoms of Rashes in babies and children:

• Neck muscles are numb or sore, making it difficult to bend your head. Doctors call this phenomenon a stiff neck.
• It hurts to look at the light.
• The child complains of a headache.
• Uncontrolled tremors occurred.
• The temperature is over 39 ° C and you cannot knock it down.
• Hands and feet became very cold.
• When you press a clear glass over the area with the rash, the red spots won't go away.

Such a picture may indicate meningitis. This is an extremely dangerous disease that requires urgent medical attention.

Why does a child have a rash

The reasons for Rashes in babies and children can be predicted by the appearance of the rash and the accompanying symptoms - primarily itching and fever. These are the most common factors that cause rashes in children.

1. Insect bites

Most often these are mosquitoes, but sand fleas, bed bugs, itch mites and other insects can also attack children. The bites itch, but this is the only unpleasant sign. The rest of the child's well-being does not change: he is active, he has a normal temperature and appetite.

2. Hives

Its main feature is convex light itchy spots, similar to those that occur with a nettle burn (hence the name). Urticaria is an allergic reaction that sometimes occurs to insect bites, certain foods, and medications.

This rash is usually itchy. But it is not dangerous and goes away by itself within one or two days. The only exception is hives around the mouth. If you notice it in this area, and even more so if the rash is pronounced, call the pediatrician or call an ambulance as soon as possible. Such an allergic reaction can lead to swelling of the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat and provoke choking.

3. Diaper rash (diaper dermatitis)

This skin irritation usually occurs in very young children who spend a lot of time in diapers. Diaper rash is caused by prolonged contact of the skin with urine and feces, therefore, it most often occurs when diapers are changed irregularly. But some babies develop diaper dermatitis with good hygiene.

4. Sweating

As a rule, pruritus looks like small, pinpoint pimples that rise above the reddened area of the skin. This irritation appears in poorly ventilated places where the child sweats a lot - folds of the skin, on the back and buttocks (if the baby spends a lot of time lying on his back), sometimes on the cheeks (after a long sleep on his stomach).

Prickly sweat is strictly localized: it does not spread beyond the affected areas.

5. Eczema

In typical eczema, the affected area of the skin becomes covered with tiny bubbles filled with fluid. They itch, tingle, burn. After a day or two, they break and dry out, leaving irritated flaky skin underneath. Most often, such bubbles appear on the cheeks, in the knee and elbow bends, on the hands, ears, neck, but can appear anywhere.

Eczema has dozens of causes - for example, allergies (in this case, eczema is called atopic dermatitis) or contact with irritants.

6. Ringworm

This is a fungal skin lesion that manifests itself as rounded itchy spots with a bright border.

7. Contagious molluscum

This disease makes itself felt with convex reddish-brown and, importantly, hard tubercles with a diameter of 1–5 mm, which can appear anywhere on the body. Despite the name, no shellfish lives under the skin. Such irritation is a symptom of a viral infection.

8. Chickenpox

Its characteristic feature is bright red specks, similar to mosquito bites, which quickly, within a few hours, turn into bubbles filled with liquid. After a day or two, they dry out, the crust disappears. Chickenpox rashes usually itch a lot.

Chickenpox often affects the entire body. But sometimes the rash manifests itself with just a few itchy blisters.

Chickenpox eruptions are necessarily accompanied by flu-like symptoms: fever, headache, malaise.

9. Measles

This disease usually begins with fever and photophobia, painful sensations that occur when looking at light. After a few days, a reddish-brown rash appears on the head or neck, which then spreads throughout the body.

10. Scarlet fever

One of the striking symptoms of scarlet fever is a pink-red rash, the skin under which looks like sandpaper. The rash covers large areas of the body and often coalesces to resemble a sunburn. In addition to them, the child complains of headache and sore throat, his temperature rises.

When to see a pediatrician

Consult your doctor as soon as possible if Rash is child under 2 years:

• the child does not feel well, he has a fever;
• a rash, be it pimples, blisters or just red spots, pronounced, thick and occupying large areas of the skin (for example, extending far beyond the diaper);
• the rash appeared in a child under three months old;
• the rash itches so badly that the baby scratches his skin;
• eruptions are fluid-filled blisters;
• the rash does not decrease, although more than three days have passed since its appearance.

Even if there are no such signs, but the rash seems unusual to you or just causes concern, going to the pediatrician will not be superfluous. There is a high probability that your child is okay. But the doctor will be able to establish this for sure, soothe and give several recommendations that will make it easier and faster to say goodbye to rashes.

How to treat a child's rash

To reduce irritation, a physician may advise the use of powders and anti-itching creams, ointments, and lotions. Additional treatment is prescribed depending on the cause of the child's rash.

If the pediatrician suggests an allergic reaction, he will prescribe antihistamines and give recommendations on the diet. You may have to change soap, shampoo, powder for washing baby clothes for hypoallergenic ones.

If the rash is caused by an infection, antipyretics (usually paracetamol-based) and, in some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed. Ringworm is also treated with a special anti-fungal antibiotic lotion.

How to help your child at home if they have a rash

To alleviate the condition of the child, follow Rash - child under 2 years as follows:

• keep your skin clean;
• wear soft and loose clothing made from breathable fabrics on your child;
• control the humidity in the room, the optimal value is 40-60%;
• try not to include in the child's diet those foods that have caused skin irritation in the past;
• give up long baths, especially in hot water - the skin after them quickly loses moisture, and this can increase irritation;
• Immediately after bathing, apply a moisturizer or lotion to the baby's skin and consult a pediatrician to find the most effective and hypoallergenic product.