How to Treat Common Skin Disorders in Children
What adult over a certain age wouldn’t like to have the dewy, wrinkle-free
complexion of a child?
But skin is not just for looks. The largest organ of the human body, skin
serves as a protective barrier between the body and the world, while also
regulating body temperature, absorbing vitamin D and providing the sense of
touch.
Children’s skin is not merely a younger, prettier version than that of
their parents’. Children sometimes get certain skin conditions more
commonly than adults – such as infections. Moreover, the ratio of their
skin surface area to the rest of their body weight is larger, and so some
medications used to treat skin issues could potentially be more toxic to a
child than to an adult due to increased absorption.
Other than eczema, infections are some of the most common skin conditions
affecting children. As I tell the parents of my young patients, much of the
reason their kids are so prone to these infections is just that they are
kids being kids. They can get them from rolling around on a mat in gym
class, running around without shoes, picking their noses, sharing brushes,
hats and combs – and especially from not washing their hands. It’s not
something the parent did wrong!
Luckily, most skin infections in children are easily treated. Here are five
of the most common skin conditions I see in children, and what you can do
about them.
-
Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
is the most common skin problem I treat. Actually, it isn’t an infection per se, but I included it on this list because eczema compromises
the skin’s normal protective barrier and often leads to infections. Eczema
is a chronic condition with remissions and flare-ups in which the skin
becomes red, flaky and severely itchy. After some time, the skin can become
thick and hard – almost lizard-like. Sometimes skin with eczema has bumps
that weep. Eczema is itchy, so kids scratch and cause cuts in their skin,
leaving it open to invasion by microbes. That’s why eczema is known as “the
itch that rashes.”Nobody knows for sure what causes eczema. Often it’s hereditary, and
flare-ups can be triggered by environmental factors such as the weather or
an allergen, like grass or food, but the trigger is not the cause. Eczema
usually starts before the age of one, and fortunately kids typically grow
out of it by school age.While there is no cure for eczema, you can control it. My mantra to
parents: “Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.” What you use is not
as important as using something, and preferably a moisturizer that
is thick without a lot of fragrance. The goal is to create a barrier with
the moisturizer (and clothing), so that the child cannot scratch open the
skin.For uncontrollable flare-ups, providers can prescribe an anti-inflammatory
steroid cream to be used periodically. A home remedy that can help prevent
bacteria from flaring chronic eczema is a bleach bath, which kills bacteria
on the skin and reduces itching and redness. Use one-fourth of a cup of
bleach for every gallon of water, once or twice a week under the direction
of your dermatologist. -
Warts (verruca vulgaris):
Warts are the unattractive but harmless manifestations of an HPV virus (not
the same strain that causes cervical cancer). They’re the most common viral
skin infection in the kids I see in my office. Warts can be spread by
picking or touching – either touching someone else’s warts, or touching
something the virus came in contact with, such as a shared towel.Warts don’t necessarily have to be treated, and more than half of them will
go away in a couple of years or less. But in certain situations, such as if
the warts are all over a child’s face, infected or itchy, then treatment
may be needed. Treatment consists of methods to remove the thick wart skin
or boost the skin’s immune system to combat the wart. Unfortunately, there
is no anti-wart cream or pill to make them go away quickly and never
return. Depending on a wart’s location, a physician can scrape it off,
freeze it off with liquid nitrogen, prescribe a vitamin A acne cream that
will help peel the skin where it lives or prescribe a cream to boost the
skin’s immune system to fight the wart.You can also try over-the-counter salicylic acid pads, which peel warts off
in a couple of months or less. I recommend these pads over the spray guns
that are sold over the counter. The freezing agent in the guns is not the
same as liquid nitrogen and does not work as well. -
Molluscum contagiosum:
Molluscum is another viral skin infection very similar to warts. It is
caused by the Molluscum virus and results in small pink or fleshy-colored
crusty bumps. Molluscum contagiosum is also spread by direct contact with
the virus through touching or picking. It is especially common in children
who have eczema. Molluscum goes away more quickly than warts, typically in
less than one year. The treatments for Molluscum are similar to those for
warts. -
Ringworm (tinea):
Despite the name, ringworm is not caused by a worm. It is actually
a fungal infection in the skin, and can be found in the hands, feet, body
or scalp. The resulting rash has a ring-like shape. It is red, scaly and
itchy. On the scalp there are often dandruff-like flakes. It can be spread
by touching someone who has it or through the sharing of combs or hats, by
not washing hands or by walking around barefoot (particularly by not
wearing footwear around a swimming pool).Ringworm on the body is usually treatable through topical over-the-counter
and prescription anti-fungal creams. If you suspect your child has ringworm
that has not improved with over-the-counter anti-fungal creams, contact
your pediatrician or dermatologist; it’s important to treat it to prevent
spread and scarring.Ringworm of the scalp (also called Tinea capitis) requires an oral
medication prescribed by a doctor and anti-fungal shampoo. The oral
medication and shampoo should be administered for several weeks or for a
couple of months. Tinea can lead to hair loss if not treated, so be sure to
check with your pediatrician if you think your child might have it. -
Impetigo:
This infection, caused by streptococcus or staphylococcus bacteria, results
in sores that ooze pus and become encrusted, often resembling a honeycomb.
The sores or blisters, often around the mouth or nose, frequently begin as
small blisters, and although they are not painful, they might itch.Impetigo is easily spread by direct contact with other kids or babies who
have it, by sharing sheets or other items contaminated with these bacteria
and by not washing hands. Any time the skin is broken – by a cut, scrape or
insect bite – it’s easier to get impetigo.Impetigo is treated with antibiotics, either an ointment or an oral
medication for worse cases. If you suspect your child has picked up this
infection, contact your pediatrician or dermatologist. Left untreated,
impetigo can get deeper into tissue and could potentially spread to bones,
joints and blood, requiring hospitalization and IV antibiotics.
For more information on these skin infections and other childhood skin
problems, visit the
Society for Pediatric Dermatology website.
Originally published: 10-01-17
Updated: 11-23-22
Related
Why Kids Hate to Brush Their Teeth
