About Different Skin Rashes in Children

When a child has a rash it is often a response to something that is causing irritation to the skin. Skin rashes can cause itching, redness and a lot of frustration. By looking into the cause of the rash, you can avoid a doctor's visit and treatment can be administered. Rashes can be easily treated and often cleared in a short amount of time.

Causes

• According to drsears.com, children are exposed to many irritants and illnesses that can cause a rash. It is common for children to break out in a rash in response to an irritant and the most important thing is to figure out what the child is reacting to and the best way to treat it. By taking a closer look at rashes, it can help determine if it is something that requires urgent care or if home treatment is acceptable.

Serious Cases

• Most rashes are not urgent care situations and are often safe to treat at home. According to drsears.com, the only rash that deserves immediate attention is a rash called petechiae or pupura. This rash looks like tiny red flat points of ruptured blood vessels under the skin. They might also appear purple or blue in color. These pinpoints will not blanch, or turn white when the skin is pressed for 1 to 2 seconds. The pinpoints are completely flat, which means when you run your fingers over the dots there will be no change in skin texture. If you think your child may have petechiae or pupura, seek professional assistance immediately.

Terminology

• Common rashes will have redness associated with them along with some sort of raised welts or bumps. According to skinsight.com, the location of the rash can help determine what type of rash it is along with the cause. Dr. Sears finds knowing terminology of rashes helps determine treatment and identification of rashes. Understanding if the rash is blistery, or a bump with a clear fluid in it, versus a pustule, or pus filled blister, will help when discussing a rash with a doctor or deciding on a home treatment.

Common Rashes

• Hives, eczema, viral illness and skin irritants lead the list of most common causes for skin rashes in children. Diaper rash, which is a skin irritant, is located around the diaper area and can cause irritation as well as itching and is red in color. Hives are welts that can happen in any area of the body. They often appear and disappear and can last a couple hours or a few days. According to skinsight.com hives are often a reaction to something such as medications, infections, environmental allergies or stress. Viral Exanthema is a rash caused by viral infection and can also cause a rash anywhere on the body. Your child's age, other symptoms and duration of rash will help determine the infection causing the rash.

Prevention/Solution

• Other types of rashes, such as eczema, can be long lasting and cause severe itching in children. By taking into consideration what types of bath and skin care products your child is using, some rashes can be avoided. Mayoclinic.com finds that certain things may cause rashes, such as eczema, to worsen like taking long and hot baths, rapid changes in temperature, stress, man-made fabrics, and dust or sand. Rashes can cause severe itching, which can lead to infection if irritated from itching. Mayoclinic.com suggests seeing a doctor if you are concerned a rash has become infected due to itching.

Treatment

• There are many over the counter creams that can be used to treat rashes at home such as hydrocortisone 1 percent. If home treatments do not seem to ease the itching and other symptoms of the rash, contact a doctor to discuss other options. A doctor may need to prescribe an antibiotic ointment if a rash doesn't seem to clear on its own.