Being in preschool means that your child will be exposed to a number of common childhood rashes. Skin rashes in young children can develop into painful, cracked skin that bleeds or blisters.
Our board-certified pediatricians with Rise & Shine Pediatrics treat all types of childhood skin rashes. We also provide guidance to you, the parents, about what to look for and when to call for an appointment when your child has a rash.
Your preschool child is prone to a number of illnesses through their close contact with other children at the facility. They can get impetigo, ringworm, or chickenpox by touching a toy a sick child has handled. If your child has allergies to certain substances, they may be more prone to skin rashes such as eczema. Your child’s health can also affect the severity of their rash symptoms.
Skin rashes are a common condition in early childhood. As a parent, if your child develops a rash, you want to know whether it’s contagious and learn about effective treatments. Following are five common childhood rashes.
Does your child have patches of dry, scaly skin that itch? It could be eczema, a chronic condition that can worsen in certain conditions and when your child’s skin is exposed to certain irritants.
During an outbreak, your child’s skin may crack and bleed. We prescribe special moisturizers and provide guidance on what types of shampoos, soaps, and laundry detergents are safe to use on your child’s sensitive skin.
When your child plays outside and it’s hot, your loved one may develop heat rash. Your child’s sweat glands become blocked, and sweat can’t escape properly. Symptoms include red bumps or patches of skin often in the folds of their neck, armpit, and/or thighs.
You can treat this at home with cool compresses and a hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion. If the rash doesn’t improve or your child has a fever, call our office right away.
If your child’s rash includes an itchy, red, round spot on the skin, your little one may have ringworm. Ringworm is a fungus, not a worm. It’s highly contagious, so your child needs to stay home from preschool. We prescribe antifungal medication.
If your child has itchy, red sores that drain fluid or pus, your loved one may have impetigo, a bacterial infection caused by a cut on the skin. If your child has eczema, scratching the skin until it bleeds can open it up to infection.
Has your child’s skin broken out in red bumps? They may have chickenpox, a contagious viral infection. Your little one is likely also irritable from a fever, a headache, and/or stomach ache. Chickenpox is fairly rare today because many children have been vaccinated for the virus. Your loved one could still get chickenpox even though vaccinated, but it’s likely a mild case.
If your child has a fever with a rash along with other symptoms, call our office for an appointment. If you aren’t sure what’s causing your child’s skin rash, it’s important that you get an accurate diagnosis. We can promptly diagnose and treat the rash so that your child recovers quickly and doesn’t develop long lasting scars.
Call Rise & Shine Pediatrics or book an appointment online if your child has a troublesome rash. In addition, we offer telemedicine appointments. You can show us your child’s rash on your phone, and we may be able to diagnose it without having an in-person visit.
