If your child is in daycare or preschool, you know how fast a case of the sniffles or a stomach bug can affect the whole classroom. But little-kid crud isn’t limited to these issues; your child can also catch a skin condition called impetigo.
This contagious bacterial infection causes red sores and a honey-colored crusting over the sores. It most often affects children ages 2 to 5, though bigger kids and teenagers can get it too.
“Parents should know this is not their fault,” says UNC Health pediatrician Hannah Rabinovich, MD. “This is an infection that’s very common and easy to treat.”
Impetigo Symptoms
Impetigo is caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (staph) or group A Streptococcus (the same bacteria that causes strep throat). It’s possible for these bacteria to live on your skin without an issue until the skin is broken, even slightly.
“Impetigo usually starts with a scrape, small cut or bug bite, and then the staph or strep that’s on the skin gets in deeper,” Dr. Rabinovich says. “It causes small red bumps, most commonly around the nose and the near the mouth, though they can also be on the arms and legs. Within a day or two, these rupture and you’ll see a honey-colored crust.”
This yellow crusting is the signature sign of impetigo, Dr. Rabinovich says.
Your child won’t feel sick, but the bumps and crust will be itchy and uncomfortable.
This common form of the infection is called non-bullous impetigo. Bullous impetigo, a rarer version which tends to affect children under the age of 2 and older kids and teens, starts with fluid-filled bumps that look yellowish rather than red.
“These fluid-filled bumps tend to be on the extremities and in the creases of skin, like the armpits and the groin,” Dr. Rabinovich says. “They’re big, bright yellow and burst quickly.”
Treatment of Impetigo
As soon as you see the honey-colored crust, call your child’s doctor.
“Impetigo goes away on its own in two to three weeks, but treatment speeds that up,” Dr. Rabinovich says. “We can prescribe a topical antibiotic, which will clear the infection in five to seven days. If there are lots of lesions, or if it’s bullous impetigo, your child may need an oral antibiotic.”
In addition to clearing the lesions and crust, treatment helps to ensure that your child doesn’t spread the infection to others (or to other areas of their own skin).
“The child should be kept home for 24 hours after they’ve started the antibiotics, and during that time, you want to make sure they wash their hands really well,” Dr. Rabinovich says. “People caring for the child also need to wash their hands, especially after applying the topical antibiotic.”
Both forms of impetigo are very contagious and pass via skin-to-skin contact and shared items, most commonly towels, bedding, clothing and shared toys or sports equipment.
“Try to keep the area clean and covered with bandages,” Dr. Rabinovich says. “If they can wear pants or long-sleeved shirts over the area and can’t see it, they’re less likely to scratch and spread it.”
Because impetigo only affects the top layers of skin, it generally heals without any scarring. Rarely, impetigo can cause cellulitis (a deeper skin infection), so keep an eye on the affected area and tell your doctor if it doesn’t clear up after a few days on the antibiotic.
Unfortunately, one experience with impetigo doesn’t provide future immunity, and because the condition is so contagious, your child may have it multiple times.
“Kids can be great at sharing their things, so if there is an outbreak in their class the most important thing you can do is help your child wash their hands more often,” Dr. Rabinovich says. “Once you know what that crust looks like, you can seek treatment as soon as you see it.”
If you have questions about your child’s skin, talk to their doctor. If you need a doctor, find one near you.The post Does My Child Have Impetigo? first appeared on UNC Health Talk.
