Rash on infant trunk
Nappy rash - NHS
Around 1 in 4 babies and toddlers in nappies have nappy rash at any one time. It doesn't usually develop in newborns, but all babies can get nappy rash.
Nappy rash can be caused by:
- your baby's skin being in contact with wee or poo for a long time
- the nappy rubbing against your baby's skin
- not cleaning the nappy area or changing the nappy often enough
- soap, detergent or bubble bath
- alcohol-based baby wipes
- some types of medicines, such as antibiotics or laxatives (used to make a baby poo more often)
There may be red patches on your baby's bottom, or the whole area may be red. Their skin may look sore and feel hot to touch, and there may be spots, pimples or blisters.
Most babies with mild nappy rash don't feel sore, but if the rash is severe your baby may feel uncomfortable and be distressed.
If your baby gets nappy rash, you can usually treat their skin yourself.
If the rash isn't upsetting your baby, at each nappy change apply a thin layer of a barrier cream to protect their skin. Ask your health visitor or pharmacist to recommend one.
Follow this advice to help look after your baby's skin.
- Change wet or dirty nappies as soon as possible.
- Clean the whole nappy area gently but thoroughly, wiping from front to back. Use water or fragrance-free and alcohol-free baby wipes. Read more about how to clean your baby and change your baby's nappy.
- Bath your baby daily – but avoid bathing them more than twice a day as that may dry out their skin.
- Dry your baby gently after washing them – avoid vigorous rubbing.
- Lie your baby on a towel and leave their nappy off for as long and as often as you can to let fresh air get to their skin.
- Do not use soap, bubble bath, or lotions.
- Do not use talcum powder as it contains ingredients that could irritate your baby's skin.
- Make sure your baby’s nappy fits properly. If it is too tight then it can irritate the skin and if it is too loose, then the nappy will not be able to soak up pee properly.
Nappy rash usually clears up after about 3 days if you follow this advice. You should keep following this advice as this will help prevent nappy rash from coming back.
If the rash is causing your baby discomfort, your health visitor or pharmacist can recommend a nappy rash cream to treat it.
You should apply the cream first and wait a few minutes before you apply the barrier cream.
If the rash doesn't go away or your baby develops a persistent bright red, moist rash with white or red pimples that spreads into the folds of their skin, they may have an infection.
Ask a pharmacist or health visitor for advice. The pharmacist may recommend a cream for you to use.
If the rash is severe, take your baby to the GP who may prescribe cream or medicine. Follow a GP's instructions on whether and when to apply barrier cream as well as the prescribed cream.
It's normal for babies to develop skin rashes, but it's important to know the difference between a minor irritation and a condition that requires attention.
Read more about rashes in babies and children.
Page last reviewed: 17 September 2021
Next review due: 17 September 2024
Slapped cheek syndrome - NHS
Slapped cheek syndrome (also called fifth disease) is common in children and should get better on its own within 3 weeks.
It's rarer in adults, but can be more serious.
Check if it's slapped cheek syndrome
The first sign of slapped cheek syndrome is usually feeling unwell for a few days.
Symptoms may include:
- a high temperature
- a runny nose and sore throat
- a headache
Credit:
SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/550792/view
A few days later, a spotty rash may appear on the chest, arms and legs. The rash can be raised and itchy. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin.Credit:
John Kaprielian/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.
sciencephoto.com/media/618192/view
How long it lasts
The cheek rash usually fades within 2 weeks.
The body rash also fades within 2 weeks, but sometimes lasts for up to a month, especially if you're exercising, hot, anxious or stressed.
Adults might also have joint pain and stiffness. This can happen in children too, but it's rare. Joint pain can continue for many weeks, even after the other symptoms have gone.
If you're not sure your child has slapped cheek syndrome
Look at other rashes in babies and children.
Things you can do yourself
You do not usually need to see a GP for slapped cheek syndrome.
There are some things you can do to ease the symptoms.
Do
-
rest
-
drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration – babies should continue their normal feeds
-
take paracetamol or ibuprofen for a high temperature, headaches or joint pain
-
use moisturiser on itchy skin
-
speak to a pharmacist about itchy skin – they can recommend the best antihistamine for children
Important: Important
Tell your midwife or a GP if you're pregnant or have a weakened immune system and have been near someone with slapped cheek syndrome.
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
you think you have slapped cheek syndrome and:
- you're pregnant – there's a very small risk of miscarriage or other complications
- you have a blood disorder, such as sickle cell disease or thalassaemia – there's a risk of severe anaemia
- you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or diabetes
Ask for an urgent appointment if you have:
- very pale skin
- shortness of breath
- extreme tiredness
- fainting
These can be signs of severe anaemia and you might be sent to hospital for a blood transfusion.
How slapped cheek syndrome is spread
It's hard to avoid spreading slapped cheek syndrome because most people do not know they have it until they get the rash.
You can only spread it to other people before the rash appears.
Slapped cheek syndrome is caused by a virus (parvovirus B19). The virus spreads to other people, surfaces or objects by coughing or sneezing near them.
To reduce the risk of spreading the virus:
- wash your hands often with water and soap
- use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze
- bin used tissues as quickly as possible
Information:
You do not have to stay off work or school after the rash appears.
Let the school or teacher know if your child has slapped cheek syndrome.
Page last reviewed: 18 February 2021
Next review due: 18 February 2024
Rash in a child on the body, legs, back
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Rashes on the child's body
Many parents have noticed suspicious rashes on the body of their children.
This symptom indicates the presence of any disease of the body or simply its painful condition. In any case, a rash on a child's body can be very dangerous. Therefore, if you notice a rash on the skin, you should immediately make an appointment with the child's pediatrician.
Rash help
Make an appointment with a doctor
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+7 (812) 30-888-03
+7 (812) 242-53-50 Clinic address: 900 900 50 Petersburg, Vyborgsky district, st. Asafiev, 9, building 2, lit. A (metro station Ozerki, metro station Prosveshcheniya)
Causes of rashes
A rash in children can appear for various reasons. The most “safe” case is when rashes appear due to poor hygiene. In addition, the cause of the rash is allergies, blood diseases, cardiovascular diseases, as well as infections and microbes. In the case of an infection, a rash is not the only symptom: fever, runny nose, sore throat, severe cough, chills, etc. are added to it.
Often infections are accompanied by indigestion and vomiting. The rash in such cases does not occur immediately, but appears after a few days.
Rash most often occurs as a symptom of diseases that are commonly referred to as "children's". We are talking about chicken pox, rubella, measles, scarlet fever and some other infections that people get sick, mainly in childhood. Moreover, depending on the disease, the nature of the rash changes, so that doctors can diagnose only one type of rash. The most dangerous rash, which refers to the symptoms of meningitis.
Diseases causing rashes on the skin of children
Let's analyze the types of rash in a child in more detail, depending on the disease.
- Chicken pox. Perhaps the most famous disease that is accompanied by a rash. With chickenpox, reddish spots appear on the entire surface of the body, which grow and become bubbles filled with a clear liquid. The growth of the bubbles is accompanied by itching, but over time they dry out and fall off, sometimes leaving characteristic “pockmarks”.
Chicken pox often causes fever, and doctors recommend treating blisters of the rash with brilliant green. - Measles. Initially, a rash in the form of large red spots appears on the face, but literally within 2-3 days it spreads “from top to bottom” along the body to the very legs. In addition, the child begins to have a sore throat, runny nose and cough, and the temperature rises. The largest spots merge into large inflamed areas.
- Meningococcal infection. The most dangerous infection, as it causes meningitis. It is very important to recognize the disease in time, as it develops very quickly. The rash is expressed in the form of large spots resembling bruises. If you see a doctor as soon as possible, the chances of a cure are very high.
- Rubella. The rash is accompanied by fever and inflammation of the lymph nodes. A rash on the body of a child in the form of small red spots appears mainly on the buttocks and in the places where the limbs are bent.
After a few days, the rash disappears without leaving any consequences. - Scarlet fever. With scarlet fever, a rash in the form of small pimples appears on the second day all over the body, but their highest concentration is noted in the groin, in the places of the folds of the arms and legs and in the lower abdomen. After a few days, the rash disappears, and the skin in these places begins to peel off strongly. Also during the peak of the disease, swelling, rash and redness of the entire skin are noted.
- Enteroviral infection. Redness and rash appear on the third day after infection and last for about two to three days. Their other symptoms, doctors note vomiting, diarrhea, fever and general weakness of the body.
- Parasites. In this case, the rash is not caused by infections, but by scabies mites or other parasites that live on the human body. The scabies mite "drills" holes in the skin, leaving entrances and exits in the form of dots. The most “attractive” parts of the body for a tick are places with thin skin: groin, wrists, areas between fingers, etc.
Since the tick can be transmitted from one person to another, urgent treatment is necessary after the detection of this pathology. - Cardiovascular diseases. As a rule, these diseases are not typical for children, although they occur in them. Vascular disease can be recognized by small hemorrhages under the skin. Larger areas form bruises.
Other causes of rashes
Sometimes, even with all the rules of hygiene and the absence of diseases, a rash on the body of a child appears with enviable regularity. In this case, it is most likely an allergic reaction of the body to various substances. If this is true, then allergies can be recognized by other symptoms that will inevitably appear along with the rash: a runny nose, cough, tears, and itching. Also, a rash on the body of a child may appear from burns by plants or insect bites. Even a simple mosquito bite often causes a severe rash in children, which is accompanied by itching.
And, of course, very often a rash appears due to poor hygiene.
Unlike adults, children's skin is much thinner and more delicate, so even a short-term lack of care for it can lead to a rash. Children, especially the smallest, should be washed and washed regularly. But wearing a lot of clothes on him or leaving him in wet diapers is not worth it - this can lead to diaper rash, irritation, and a rash.
Rash Help
If you find a rash on your child's body, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. You can make an appointment at our Poem Health clinic. In addition, you can call a doctor at home if the child is in a serious condition. Moreover, sometimes a doctor's house call is mandatory, since many diseases with symptoms in the form of a rash are easily transmitted to such children. You need to be especially careful with rubella, as it seriously affects the health of pregnant women. And if you suspect meningitis, you need to call not just a doctor, but an ambulance team.
Do not try to get rid of the rash on your own before seeing a doctor.
Firstly, it will make it difficult for a doctor to determine the diagnosis. Secondly, it can lead to even more rashes in the child. It is best to wait for the examination of the doctor and listen to his recommendations for further treatment of the rash. Bacterial rashes are treated with antibiotics, scabies - with special means against ticks, allergies - with appropriate drugs with isolation from the source of allergies, etc. More complex treatment is needed for cardiovascular diseases, but, in the end, a rash on the body of a child is always treated successfully.
Rash Prevention
To avoid a rash on the body, you need to take steps to prevent it. First of all, we are talking about the basic rules of personal hygiene. At the earliest age, parents should take care of this, later they should teach this to their child as early as possible. Compliance with hygiene helps to get rid of not only rashes, sweating and dirt, but also prevents many infectious diseases.
In addition, infections can be prevented by vaccination.
