what causes children to have sores on their chin

Impetigo (im-pet-eye-go) is an infection of the skin acquired by leaner. It is often called school sores because it is common amid schoolhouse children. Impetigo causes sores on the peel, which are usually itchy. The sores may offset out as blisters that outburst and become weepy, before being covered with a crust.

Impetigo is not unremarkably a serious infection, and should articulate up a few days after starting medical treatment. Children with impetigo are very infectious (contagious), but the spread of impetigo tin be reduced by practising good hygiene, covering the sores with dressings and keeping your child away from other children until they are no longer infectious.

Signs and symptoms of impetigo

• The sores can be anywhere on the body, but are often on the face nigh the mouth and nose, or on the arms and legs.
• Impetigo may start with a blister or a grouping of blisters.
• The blister bursts leaving a patch of red, wet, weepy pare.
• The sore usually becomes coated with a tan or yellowish chaff, making information technology await like it has been covered with honey.
• At that place can be small spots effectually the first sores, spreading outwards.
• There is oft superficial peeling on the edge of the sore.
• Impetigo is usually itchy.

Parents sometimes worry about impetigo considering it can look quite serious, but information technology is usually a mild infection that is easy to care for.

What causes impetigo?

Impetigo is an infection of the peel caused by staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria. These bacteria can live on the skin, in the throat or nose, or on other parts of the body without causing a problem, but sometimes they tin cause an infection such as impetigo. Impetigo can occur on healthy skin, but information technology usually happens when the peel has already been damaged past a scratch, seize with teeth or a disease affecting the pare, such as eczema or chickenpox.

Impetigo is very hands spread, usually through contact with the fluid or crusts of an impetigo sore, which contain the leaner.

• Contact with the sore or with things that have been on the sore (e.g. clothing, dressings, towels) can spread the infection to other people.
• A sore takes about 1 to three days to develop later on contact with fluid or crusts from a sore.
• The sore is itchy and children tin can scratch it, often spreading the infection to nearby skin or to other parts of their ain body.
• A sore can be infectious for as long equally it is weeping. Information technology will usually cease being infectious about 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment, once it has begun to heal.

Impetigo tin occur even when the skin is kept clean, and it is not a sign of poor hygiene or bad parenting. Impetigo is more than common in the hotter months.

When to come across a medico

If your child has signs and symptoms of impetigo, take them to see a GP. The doctor will make certain the sores are impetigo.

Handling for impetigo

Your medico may prescribe antibody medicine in the class of a foam, ointment, tablets or syrup. Give these to your child every bit directed, and make certain you lot complete the course of antibiotics.

If your child gets impetigo repeatedly your doctor may practise a nose swab to test for leaner in the nose. Your child may need antibiotics, which are delivered into the nose, to prevent further instances of impetigo.

Care at home

• Continue any creams or ointments that you accept been prescribed until all sores are healed. The sores should articulate up in a few days with treatment.
• A daily 10 minute bleach bathroom may help to reduce the amount of leaner on your child's peel and reduce the hazard of the impetigo spreading. Use regular White King Bleach four% chlorine: add together 12 mL for every ten L of water.
• It is important to remove the crusts from the sores, to allow any ointments treating the sores to reach the infection properly. The best style to practise this is to soak your child in a bleach bathroom for 20–30 minutes, while wiping the crusts away with an unused, wet disposable cloth (due east.g. a Chux).
• Try to preclude your child scratching the sores as much as possible to avert scarring, bleeding or farther infection. Cover the sores with a watertight dressing, and cutting your child's fingernails.
• Go on your child home from child intendance, kindergarten or schoolhouse until 24 hours later on starting medical handling. After this time, they tin be around other children again, just cover upwardly their sores completely with dressings.

Have your child back to the GP if:

• the sores are spreading or getting worse, fifty-fifty afterward treatment
• your kid has become unwell, for example, with a fever
• yous are worried for any other reason.

Reducing the spread of impetigo

The following strategies may help reduce the chances of your child catching impetigo from another child, or reduce spread of impetigo if your child has it.

• A daily bath or shower with soap and water may reduce the chance of impetigo. Antiseptic soaps can be used, but these may irritate the skin of some people.
• Encourage your kid to practise skilful hygiene, including regular paw washing and throwing abroad used tissues. Cut your child's fingernails short and keep them clean.
• Make sure that grazes or cuts are thoroughly washed. If your kid is scratching a sore, embrace information technology with a watertight dressing.
• People coming in contact with someone with impetigo need to wash their hands regularly.
• Put all dressings from impetigo sores in a bin with a lid as before long equally they are taken off.
• If your kid has impetigo, wash their clothes, towels and bed linen separately from the rest of the family unit. Wash them in hot h2o and dry in the sunshine or a hot tumble dryer. Toys can be washed using a balmy disinfectant.

Key points to remember

• Impetigo is very infectious and can be hands spread to other children.
• Endeavor to prevent your child scratching the sores as much as possible. Cover the sores with a watertight dressing and cut your child's fingernails.
• Information technology is important to remove the scabs from the sores.
• Complete all courses of antibiotics as prescribed and go on handling with creams or ointments until all sores are healed.
• Your kid tin can go back to kid care, kindergarten or school after 24 hours of treatment and when the sores are completely covered with dressings.

For more data

• Kids Health Info fact sheet: Staphylococcal infections
• Kids Wellness Info fact sail:  Stopping the spread of germs
  
• Amend Health Channel: Impetigo – school sores
• Encounter your GP.

Common questions our doctors are asked

Volition my child'due south impetigo sores scar?

If your child does not scratch and crusade bleeding, nigh all impetigo lesions volition heal without leaving any scarring.

How long practise I need to keep my kid away from child care?

Every bit impetigo is very infectious, it is important to continue your child home until 24 hours subsequently y'all start medical treatment. When your kid returns to child care, make sure you completely encompass with dressings whatever sores that other children might come into contact with.

Developed by The Royal Children'due south Infirmary General Medicine department and Centre for Community Kid Wellness, in collaboration with Kid and Youth Health Services Adelaide. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

Reviewed September 2020.

Kids Health Info is supported by The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation. To donate, visit  world wide web.rchfoundation.org.au.

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Source: https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Impetigo_school_sores/

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