Pediatric Skin disease treatment

Skin conditions in babies and kids may include rashes, hives, warts, acne, birthmarks and more. These conditions may be caused by dermatitis, viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections or other diseases. Treatment varies from anti-itch creams to pain relievers to antibiotics, depending on the condition.

What are skin conditions in children?

Various skin conditions can affect babies, toddlers, children and adolescents throughout their lives. Healthcare providers receive more than 12 million office visits from children each year related to skin concerns. Skin conditions in kids may include hives, warts, acne, birthmarks and all sorts of rashes.

What are the different types of skin rashes in children?
Many different types of rashes can affect your child. Dermatitis, viral infections, bacterial infections, fungal infections and many other conditions may cause rashes.

Dermatitis

Dermatitis is an umbrella term for any condition that causes skin inflammation. These conditions may cause red rashes, itchiness and dry skin on your child and happen at any age. Types of dermatitis include diaper rash, cradle cap, eczema and contact dermatitis.

Diaper rash: Diaper rash is also called diaper dermatitis. It’s the most common skin condition seen in babies. Diaper rash occurs when moisture in your baby’s diaper area causes irritation or growth of fungi or bacteria that normally live in small amounts on the skin. To prevent or treat diaper rash, keep your baby’s diaper area clean and dry by changing diapers frequently. When changing your child's diaper, leave it off for a short while before putting it back on. You can also apply an ointment or cream that contains zinc oxide or petroleum jelly to protect your baby’s skin in the diaper.

Cradle cap: Cradle cap is also called infant seborrheic dermatitis. It’s a skin condition that looks like yellow scaly patches often surrounded by a red rash on your baby’s scalp. Overproduction of the oil-producing sebaceous glands on your baby’s scalp may cause cradle cap. You can treat cradle cap at home with mild baby shampoo and can also lightly rub the scale off if it doesn’t bother your baby.

Eczema: Eczema is also called atopic dermatitis. Eczema makes your child’s skin itchy and then it gets red, irritated and dry. Differences in your child’s skin barrier (compared to normal, healthy skin) and an immune system that tends toward allergies cause eczema. Issues with the barrier make your child’s skin more sensitive and prone to infections and dryness. Controlling your child’s symptoms is the goal of treatment. Often there are seasonal or allergic triggers that you should help your child avoid. Good skin care includes bathing in warm but not overly hot water and moisturizing regularly, especially immediately after baths or water exposure.

Contact dermatitis: Contact dermatitis can occur when kids have a reaction to an allergen or an irritant. Allergens may include poison ivy or medications. Irritants may include perfumes, soaps, cleaners and paints. Contact dermatitis causes an itchy skin rash that is sometimes also painful. Treatment includes moisturizers, anti-itch creams and topical (or sometimes oral) steroids.