Does Your Child Have Skin Problems?
Published on February 16, 2018 by Westchester Center For Dermatology
Because children are typically very active, they are prone to developing rashes and hives. They pick up anything they find and are attracted to dirt like a bear to honey. While serious skin conditions can occur, most rashes are innocuous, and it’s quite likely that a parent will only discover the difference when they visit a dermatologist.
Because of this, it’s vital that parents be educated on recognition and management of common skin disorders. At the same time, parents should refrain from raising an alarm at the sight of every new rash.
Understanding a Rash
Rashes come in many forms and shapes. There are several diseases, conditions, and reactions that can affect the skin. Dermatologists develop the ability to assess the severity of a rash over years of training and practice.
In order to understand a rash, the cause must be identified. Causes are identified by analyzing the distribution and shape of a rash. An example is contact dermatitis, which develops on the skin in contact with the diaper band.
Color is another identifying parameter. Most rashes develop a characteristic redness. Rashes that don’t appear red should be examined by a dermatologist for identification.
Determining the Cause of the Lesion or Rash
The duration a rash appears for, any visual changes it goes through, and its symptoms all reveal a lot about its cause. Rashes that appear and disappear without any treatment are considered harmless and are typically temporary reactions to an allergen. Rashes may also develop as an allergic reaction when the child is taking medication. If the rash burns or itches, it may be a symptom of an allergy.
Signs That Your Child Has Skin Problems
Determining whether a rash is harmless or an indication of a serious skin disorder can be difficult for a parent. Here are five questions that can help determine the gravity of the situation:
• Are the rashes along the child’s soles, mucous membranes, and palms? A rash that is limited to the torso is considered less serious than ones that appear on their soles, palms, and mucous membranes.
• Are there numerous visible lesions? Tinea is a common fungal infection and is colloquially called ringworm. Most often, the appearance of red skin protrusions close to each other is mistaken for tinea. If there are more than five protrusions, it may not be a ringworm infection.
• Does the rash appear as a systemic symptom? If the appearance of the rash is spread throughout the body with associated swelling, contact the doctor immediately. These may be signs of a systemic disorder like lupus or dermatomyositis.
• Could it be a milk allergy? If you notice redness after feeding your baby with a formula, change to see whether there are any significant differences. A milk allergy is the cause for less than 3% of infantile eczema.
• Can you tell the pattern of allergy? Generally, rashes appear in the same specific shapes and patterns every time. Allergic reactions like hives are visible in specific patterns.
Should I Schedule a Consultation?
Wait for a period of 24 hours to detect any changes in the swelling. Meet with a skilled dermatologist when you can’t identify a cause or when the symptoms don’t subside. To schedule a consultation with Dr. David Kriegel, an experienced dermatologic surgeon, contact us today.