Staph Infections in Children

Staph infections are becoming increasingly more common, especially in children. Staph infections come in many different forms, and they can be hard to treat. A staph infection will not go away on its own--unless it is food poisoning. If you think your child has a staph infection, see your pediatrician for a proper diagnosis. Your doctor will need to be involved in treating the staph infection.

Types

• Staph bacteria are all around us. Staph infections can range from mild skin infections to toxic shock syndrome, which is severe. Some common skin infections caused by staph bacteria are impetigo, cellulitis and boils. It can even cause a blocked tear duct in a newborn. Another common form of a staph infection in children is staph food poisoning, the most common form of food poisoning.

How It Spreads

• Staph bacteria are common, so it is easy to spread an infection from person to person. Staph bacteria live on almost everyone, including children. It can also live on things such as towels or pillowcases. It can even be spread to the next person who touches it. Staph bacteria can survive being dried in the dryer, temperature extremes and high levels of salt.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a staph infection in children can vary widely. A skin infection likely will cause pus wherever it is located. Boils appear as pockets of pus that form in a hair follicle or oil gland. They are most commonly found in the underarms, groin or buttocks. Impetigo symptoms include large blisters that ooze fluid and develop a golden-colored crust. They usually appear around the nose or mouth. Symptoms of food poisoning come on suddenly. Look for severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea without fever.

Treatment

• Treatment of a staph infection depends on the type and location of the infection. Most require some type of antibiotics. Different types of antibiotics will be administered depending upon where the infection is located. These include creams, eye drops or oral antibiotics. Antibiotics must be administered carefully because many staph bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. If your child has food poisoning because of staph, antibiotics will not be diagnosed. Unfortunately, the food poisoning has to run its course.

Prevention

• Make sure you wash your hands for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Use a disposable towel to dry your hands and turn off the faucet. You can also use a hand sanitizer that is at least 62 percent alcohol. Keep any wounds covered with a dry, sterile bandage until they are completely healed. Make sure children do not share any personal items, including towels and clothing. Food poisoning caused by staph can be prevented by cooking foods to the correct temperatures and not allowing food to sit out more than two to four hours.