Photo by Tatiana Syrikova, Pexels
From minor irritations to more serious conditions, the sensitive skin of little ones can be subject to a wide range of dermatological problems. Dr. Luminița Enachedermatologist specialist at Dr. Leventer Center talks about the most common signs and symptoms of skin diseases in children to help you recognize and manage these problems effectively and ensure the health and comfort of your little ones.
Pediatric dermatology is a subspecialty that treats various conditions that occur in newborns, babies, children and adolescents. It includes various conditions such as skin rashes, hives and allergies, viral infections, bacterial infections, warts and warts, acne, vascular lesions, birthmarks. Dermatitises are inflammatory conditions characterized by skin eruptions accompanied by itching and a dry skin appearance that can appear at any age. They include seborrheic dermatitis and milk crusts, atopic eczema, contact eczema, diaper dermatitis, etc.
Seborrheic dermatitis infantile, or milk crusts, is a common condition characterized by yellowish, greasy-looking crusts surrounded by an area of redness on the scalp. They appear due to the excess production of sebum by the sebaceous glands of the hair. These can be treated at home with a mild milk scab shampoo, gently massaging the affected area.
Atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema causes the skin to be red, irritated, dry and itchy. Loss of skin barrier function from atopy predisposes to secondary infections and skin dryness. The treatment is aimed at controlling skin symptoms, avoiding triggers, cold, and substances that degrease the skin. A good atopic skin care routine involves showering with lukewarm water, not hot, and applying skin emollients as often as possible, sleeping in a cool room to avoid excessive sweating, and clothing made of natural fabrics (linen, cotton, hemp ) directly on the light-colored skin.
Contact dermatitis they can occur at any age and can be triggered by an allergen or irritant. Common allergens include ivy, fluoride in toothpaste, medications, while irritants include perfumes, detergents, cleaning products, paint colors. Contact dermatitis produces erythematous lesions that can sometimes be even painful. Treatment includes repair creams, antipruritic creams or topical corticosteroids as appropriate.
Diaper dermatitis is the most common condition, it is due to continuous wetness on the diaper area. To prevent diaper dermatitis it is recommended to change the diaper as often as possible. Leave the area to air for a few minutes and apply zinc oxide creams to soothe the area.
Childhood skin diseases that can be confused with other conditions
Infectious-contagious diseases are most often confused with allergies and inflammatory diseases. These can be of viral origin such as chicken pox, measles, rubella, mumps, foot and mouth disease, slapped cheek disease, molluscum contagiosum, bacterial such as scarlet fever or impetigo; and fungi such as trichophytia, microsporia, found more frequently on the hairy skin of children’s scalp. Viral and bacterial childhood diseases are manifested by fever that precedes, accompanies, or follows the characteristic rash.
chicken pox causes a rash on the face, chest and posterior chest that later spreads over the whole body. The lesions are erythematous papules, which then turn into blisters and then dry up. They are very itchy and the lesions are contagious until the lesions crust and dry. Chickenpox goes away in about one to two weeks, and the treatment is symptomatic – lowering the fever and calming the skin itching and healing the lesions.
Measles or wind vomit is another highly contagious viral infection. It starts on the face, behind the ear and around the mouth, then goes down the rest of the body. The rash begins with flat erythematous spots that later develop white spots on the surface. The eruption passes in two weeks, and the treatment here is also symptomatic.
Rubella it is an erythematous rash that starts on the baby’s face and neck and later spreads to the rest of the body and lasts about three days, if no complications arise. It classically involves malaise, fever, cough and runny nose before the appearance of the rash.
Slapped Cheek Disease or the fifth disease of childhood is accompanied by fever and general symptoms. Clinically, the child has intense erythema on the cheeks that fades in a few days.
Roseola or sixth disease of childhood manifests with high fever for up to a week followed by the disappearance of the fever and the appearance of the rash – erythematous macules on the chest and abdomen then spread to the arms and disappear within 24 hours. It is treated with paracetamol to lower the fever, but the rash is not pruritic or painful.
Foot and mouth disease is another virus that causes the appearance of papules and vesicles with liquid that ulcerate easily and are very painful in the mouth, on the palms and soles, but also on the rest of the body. The condition is cured in about two weeks, and the treatment is symptomatic.
Molluscum contagiosum is one of the childhood viruses that does not associate fever, and is characterized by the appearance of skin-colored, pink or pearly, asymptomatic papules that can appear on the face, trunk or limbs. They may persist for months or years, or they may go away on their own. The treatment consists in the application of local solutions or cryotherapy, etc.
Among the rashes of babies, we mention the skin rash associated with the tooth eruption, it does not associate fever and appears due to the excess saliva characteristic of that period.
Urticaria is another condition seen in this age group. It is characterized by fugitive pinkish-fluffy erythematous lesions, or annular, or target lesions, with a pale, pink, or bluish center. Lesions can appear anywhere on the body and disappear and reappear for days to weeks. The most common cause of hives in children are viral infections, followed by allergic reactions to food, drugs, additives, cold and stress. Treatment is with antihistamines in appropriate doses.
Dermatological conditions by age groups
Dermatological conditions have a certain chronology, in the sense that in babies we more frequently encounter atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, diaper dermatitis, birthmarks such as cutaneous-cavernous hemangiomas, strawberry-type hemangiomas, port-wine stain, or salmon stain, brown spots -au lait, congenital nevi. Infectious-contagious diseases begin upon entering the community, later during puberty they may face acne and seborrheic dermatitis.
Recommendations for parents regarding children’s skin care routine
Children’s skin care routine should include:
gentle washing products that are ideally labeled as baby skin, with as little fragrance, dyes and degreasers as possible. emollient cream for atopic skin as appropriate, anti-irritation cream with zinc oxide for the diaper area. mechanical photoprotection through clothing made of light-colored natural fabrics, creams with mineral SPF for children and babies when exposed to the sun.
What are the first aid measures parents can take for common skin conditions such as sunburn or insect bites?
First aid measures involve removal from the environment – whether that means excess sun exposure that caused the sunburn or an insect sting. Sleeping in a cool room can prevent sweating and dehydration, and local skin washing with soap and water is recommended to prevent superinfection of the lesions. Applying topical anti-pruritic creams and emollients, proper hydration can also help. Parents should remember, however, that a persistent skin rash or one that does not respond to home treatments signals the need for a specialist consultation.
2023-10-02 12:01:59
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