What are skin conditions in children? Take a look!

 

Skin Conditions in Children

Childhood rashes are common and aren't usually a cause for concern. Most rashes are harmless and disappear without the need for treatment. Skin conditions in babies and kids may include rashes, hives, warts, acne, birthmarks and more. These conditions may be caused by dermatitis, viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections or other diseases. Treatment varies from anti-itch creams to pain relievers to antibiotics, depending on the condition.

 Various skin conditions can affect babies, toddlers, children and adolescents throughout their lives. Healthcare providers receive more than 12 million office visits from children each year related to skin concerns. Skin conditions in kids may include hives, warts, acne, birthmarks and all sorts of rashes. Many different types of rashes can affect your child. Dermatitis, viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections and many other conditions may cause rashes.

Dermatitis 

is an umbrella term for any condition that causes skin inflammation. These conditions may cause red rashes, itchiness and dry skin on your child and happen at any age. Types of dermatitis include diaper rash, cradle cap, eczema and contact dermatitis.

Diaper rash: Diaper rash is also called diaper dermatitis. It’s the most common skin condition seen in babies. Diaper rash occurs when moisture in your baby’s diaper area causes irritation or growth of fungi or bacteria that normally live in small amounts on the skin. To prevent or treat diaper rash, keep your baby’s diaper area clean and dry by changing diapers frequently. When changing your child's diaper, leave it off for a short while before putting it back on. You can also apply an ointment or cream that contains zinc oxide or petroleum jelly to protect your baby’s skin in the diaper.

Cradle cap: Cradle cap is also called infant seborrheic dermatitis. It’s a skin condition that looks like yellow scaly patches often surrounded by a red rash on your baby’s scalp. Overproduction of the oil-producing sebaceous glands on your baby’s scalp may cause cradle cap. You can treat cradle cap at home with mild baby shampoo and can also lightly rub the scale off if it doesn’t bother your baby.

Eczema: Eczema is also called atopic dermatitis. Eczema makes your child’s skin itchy and then it gets red, irritated and dry. Differences in your child’s skin barrier (compared to normal, healthy skin) and an immune system that tends toward allergies cause eczema. Issues with the barrier make your child’s skin more sensitive and prone to infections and dryness. Controlling your child’s symptoms is the goal of treatment. Often there are seasonal or allergic triggers that you should help your child avoid. Good skin care includes bathing in warm but not overly hot water and moisturizing regularly, especially immediately after baths or water exposure.

Contact dermatitis: Contact dermatitis can occur when kids have a reaction to an allergen or an irritant. Allergens may include poison ivy or medications. Irritants may include perfumes, soaps, cleaners and paints. Contact dermatitis causes an itchy skin rash that is sometimes also painful. Treatment includes moisturizers, anti-itch creams and topical (or sometimes oral) steroids.

Viral rashes in babies, toddlers and kids are caused by a variety of different viruses. These infections include fifth disease, roseola, chickenpox, measles, rubella, molluscum contagiosum and hand, foot and mouth disease.

Fifth disease:

 Fifth disease is also called slapped cheek (slap face) disease. It causes a bright red rash on your child’s cheeks. A specific virus, Parvovirus B19, causes fifth disease. Along with the rash, your child may have a fever and other nonspecific symptoms. After a few days, the facial rash will fade. But then pink patches may develop in a lacy pattern on your child’s arms and legs. Treatment includes comfort measures like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) anti-itch creams or antihistamines.

Roseola: Roseola is also called sixth disease. Human herpesvirus 6 causes roseola. With roseola, your baby will suddenly develop a high fever that can last up to a week. Once the fever breaks, a slightly raised, spotty pink rash may appear on your baby’s chest or stomach. The rash may spread to your baby’s upper arms and neck, and then it will fade after about 24 hours. Treatment may include acetaminophen for your baby’s fever, but the rash doesn’t itch or cause pain.

Chickenpox: Varicella zoster virus causes chickenpox. Chickenpox generally causes a rash on your child’s face, chest and back first, but it may travel to their entire body. The rash turns into itchy, fluid-filled blisters, then blisters turn into scabs. Chickenpox usually goes away on its own in one to two weeks. You can treat your child’s symptoms with antihistamines and acetaminophen. They are contagious until all of the blisters are crusted over.

Measles:

 Morbillivirus causes measles. Measles is very contagious and prevented by the measles vaccine or MMR vaccine. It causes a rash that starts on your child’s face. It’s typically seen behind the ears or around your child’s mouth. Then it moves down over their body. The rash starts as flat red spots, but then smaller raised white spots may appear on top of the red spots. The spots may join together as it moves down your child’s body. Measles has to run its course. It will go away within about two weeks unless complications develop. You can treat your child’s symptoms of fever and achiness with acetaminophen or NSAIDs.

Rubella: 

Rubella is also called German measles and can be prevented by a vaccine. It can look similar but is caused by a different virus than measles. Rubella causes a red or pink rash that starts on your baby’s face and neck. The rash then spreads to other parts of your baby’s body and lasts about three days unless complications develop. Your baby may have a fever, cough or runny nose before the rash appears. Rubella has to run its course. You can treat your child’s symptoms of fever and achiness with acetaminophen or NSAIDs.

Molluscum contagiosum: Molluscum contagiosum virus causes this benign but sometimes unpleasant rash. Molluscum contagiosum has raised bumps on your child’s skin. The bumps are usually flesh-colored, pink or pearly white with indentations in the center. The bumps will show up on your child’s face, chest, stomach, arms and legs. They’re painless but they may not go away for several months or years. Molluscum contagiosum will eventually go away on its own without treatment.

Hand, foot and mouth disease:

 A virus in the enterovirus family causes hand, foot and mouth disease. The disease causes a red rash to develop around your toddler’s mouth, and on the palms of their hands and soles of their feet. It may also affect other areas. The rash may turn into bumps or blisters on your baby’s skin and in their mouth, and they can be very painful. Hand, foot and mouth disease usually goes away on its own within one to two weeks. You can treat your toddler’s symptoms with acetaminophen or NSAIDs.

Finding a rash, bump, mark or other skin condition on your child’s body may be scary. But kids get tons of rashes, and most of the time, these rashes and other conditions shouldn’t cause too much worry. If you have any concerns, check in with your child’s healthcare provider. They can usually easily diagnose the skin condition and get your child started on any treatment, if necessary.

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