MAIN Health Kids Health Skin Rashes

What IS that??

It's the parent's universal reaction whenever a child develops a very visible and very bright red rash.

Kids can and commonly do develop all sorts of rashes, with typical causes ranging from poison ivy, insect bites, diaper rash, fungal infections (such as ringworm) to more now rare cases of German measles.

Even the most commonly used and trusted items can cause rashes. Many lotions that are meant to soothe rashes contain lanolin — which can irritate the skin of babies who are sensitive to this oily ingredient and cause the rash to get worse.

In a well publicized case, Carter's, a very respected children's clothing manufacturer, ran into a problem with their fall 2007 catalog. There were reports that babies with very sensitive skin were having allergic reactions to the heat-transferred, or tag-less, labels used in the baby clothing.

"It appears that a very small percentage of children can be allergic to one or more ingredients in the labels. The solid, rather than stenciled, background on the fall 2007 labels appears to have produced a more pronounced and noticeable reaction among those children who are most allergic to the ink," the company's announcement said.

Thankfully, a majority of rashes that appear in infants and young children are non-life threatening and usually go away by themselves or with the aid of medications. Creams & lotions may also be prescribed to help soothe an accompanying painful burn or itch.

It's also important that all parents recognize more serious rashes or lesions such as those seen in the Lyme disease bullseye rash, the blotchy red petechia or purpura rash (caused by bleeding under the skin), or a similar condition related to meningitis which appears in that disease's later stages.

Find out more about the most common kids' rashes in our Web guide to the topic offering identifying pictures, typical symptoms, and expert advice on treating those often scary but mostly annoying bumps, spots and blotches ...


More about rashes around the Web:

RASHES - An extensive guide to the most common rashes developed in childhood including pictures & descriptions of fifth's disease, roseola, coxsackie, impetigo, and insect bites, plus when to see a doctor and related conditions that warrant a trip to the emergency room.

Skin Rashes in Children - Brief overview with details on fungal, bacterial and viral rashes, typical rashes seen in infants & newborns, with more serious symptoms of petechiae and when to see a doctor. Also includes a glossary of terms, related links and references.

Childhood Rashes - Common questions parents ask about measles, chicken pox and fifth's disease including pictures, descriptions, causes, symptoms, how long a child may remain infectious, with tips and advice for at-home care.

Skinsight.com - Skin Rashes and Itch - An extensive photo library illustrating everything from rashes and acne to STD's searchable by body part, including educational video and related information on skin disease symptoms and treatment.

Healthwise Handbook - Childhood Rashes - Symptoms & descriptions of chickenpox, fifth disease, baby diaper rash, prickly heat, roseola, scarlet fever and hand-foot-mouth disease with suggested medications and vaccines, home care.

Symptom Solver : Rashes - Good general discussion on typical kids' rashes including links to more detailed information on diaper rash, eczema, impetigo, ringworm, scabies, Lyme disease, rheumatic fever, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Skin Rashes in Children - WebMD guide with discussions on causes, symptoms and treatment of scarlet fever, fifth disease, roseola, coxsackie, infant rashes, fungal and parasitic rashes, life-threatening symptoms.

This information is intended as reference and not as medical advice.
All treatment decisions should be made by medical professionals.

also see -> Rash Picture Gallery

Dermatitis | Melasma | Staph Infections