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Understanding Common Children’s Skin Conditions

Understanding Common Children’s Skin Condition

Summertime is officially here, which means Summer camps are back in session. Below are some common children’s Skin Conditions that may arise during the Summer.

Hives

Hives are red raised bumps or welts on the skin that are moderately to extremely itchy. They can appear anywhere on the body and can range in size. Several factors could cause hives. Foods like nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, and milk are the most common. Medications such as penicillin, aspirin, and ibuprofen, vitamins, eye and eardrops, laxatives or other non-prescription items can also cause hives. If your child is exposed to dust, animals or molds, specific detergents, fabric softeners or hair sprays, they could all be responsible. In addition, some affected children develop hives during exercise.

To treat hives, it is best to avoid any of the provoking factors listed above when possible. Antihistamines are especially effective in certain cases. If the hives do not respond to medicine, there are several topical treatments that can help. Your dermatologist will recommend the best course of action to reduce hive flareup quickly.

Head lice

Lice are a common problem for children. Although they are not dangerous, they are contagious, annoying and sometimes difficult to get rid of. It’s best to treat head lice as quickly as possible once they are found because of these reasons.

Even though lice are very small, they can be seen by the naked eye. Lice eggs resemble dandruff before they hatch. Lice eggs hatch within 1-2 weeks after they’re laid. The adult louse is as small as a sesame seed and will be gray or tan.

Your child may start to complain about itching or comment that something is “moving around” on their head. If these symptoms are present, make an appointment with your doctor. They will most likely recommend a medicated shampoo, cream rinse or lotion to kill the lice.

To prevent reinfestation, wash all bed linens and clothing that has been worn in the previous days. Vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture, and soak hair-care items (brushes, combs, hairbands) or throw them away.

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, is a type of staph bacteria. Groups of kids who spend a lot of time together in close quarters (schools and camps) are at risk. It can spread through direct contact with infected skin or by sharing personal items like towels or clothing.

MRSA infections often develop around open sores, scrapes or bites. Red, painful bumps appear and some children experience a fever. In extreme cases, the infection can spread to the blood, lungs, bones or other parts of the body. Depending on the seriousness of the infection, your dermatologist may prescribe antibiotics or remove a skin abscess.

To prevent MRSA infections, there are several simple steps that you and your child can take. Washing hands for at least 20 seconds, keeping cuts and broken skin clean and covered with a bandage, avoiding sharing towels, uniforms, and athletic equipment or other items that come into contact with bare skin.

For more information on children’s skin conditions, contact your dermatologist.

How to Ensure Skin Conditions Don’t Keep Your Kids Out of School

School is officially back in session, and the kids are hard at work. Whether you’re relieved or not, it’s important to make sure they stay healthy for the whole year. Many parents forget that their kids come into contact with hundreds of children every day between the classroom, halls or recess. If not careful, you child could develop a skin-related illness or infection and pass it along to other kids. No one needs to miss school. These tips ensure your child will get the “Perfect Attendance” award at the end of the year.

Head Lice

Lice is the classic nuisance that schools will do everything in its’ power to prevent. Contrary to popular belief, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that students diagnosed with head lice do not need to be sent straight home. The organization suggests letting the student finish out the rest of the school day before going home and being treated. This is because head lice have not been shown to spread disease.

If your child does come home with lice, it’s important to follow these treatment instructions to ensure that they can return to school as soon as possible. To treat head lice, get an over-the-counter prescription lice medicine, called pediculicide, and read the measurement and how-to-use instructions that are provided. Comb the treatment through small stands of hair, one at a time, until all parts of the head have been treated. After eight to 12 hours, if the lice are still alive and active, repeat the treatment process. If the lice problem continues to persist, take a visit to a dermatologist.

It’s important to check the heads of everyone in the household and anyone who the child has recently come in contact with. All clothes, hats, bedding, towels or grooming aids must be washed and sanitized. Personal hygiene or cleanliness is not a factor that contributes to head lice. If someone in your child’s school gets lice, make sure all children in the class get checked immediately.

Shingles

Chickenpox used to be a common virus that most kids would get. With a vaccine in place now, the condition is becoming less common. However, anyone who has had a case of the chickenpox is at a slight risk of developing shingles, even children. Both chickenpox and shingles are caused by the varicella zoster virus. When a child gets chickenpox, the virus stays in the person’s nervous system forever. When the virus flares up again, it is considered shingles. This is pretty rare in children or teens with healthy immune systems.

A case of shingles will bring symptoms of tingling, itching or even pain before a rash appears. The rash will show up as a group of pimples on the body or face. After a week to ten days, the blisters will break open and scab over. It takes usually two to four weeks for the scabs to heal completely. Children might also experience fever, headache, fatigue or general muscle achiness with an outbreak. Shingles is extremely contagious, so make sure to keep you child home from school and away from friends.

Eczema

One in ten children will experience eczema before the age of five. Eczema is defined as numerous different skin conditions that leave the skin red and irritated. The skin will sometimes have small, red, fluid-filled bumps that ooze. Doctors aren’t sure what exactly causes the condition, but they do believe genetics plays a factor. Kids who develop eczema often have other family members with asthma, allergies or even hay fever.

Good skin care is the first step of treating eczema. In minor cases, a change to your daily habits and hygiene will do the trick. Using an unscented moisturizing or lotion will help keep the skin hydrated. Use it twice a day and after bathing. Dry air can irritate the condition, so doctors recommend keeping a dehumidifier in the room your child sleeps in. For any case of eczema, a dermatologist can prescribe physician-strength medicines and moisturizers.

Does you or your child have a skin condition that could affect them from going to school?  Our dermatologists are specialists in cases involving eczema, shingles and provide assistance for head lice. Call Knoxville Dermatology Group today at (865) 690-9467 or visit us online!

Lice be Gone

lice

“Share your toys!” – it’s a phrase we’ve all grown up with. While sharing does teach us a valuable lesson, some things are better left unshared. Let’s talk about lice.

These small, pesky insects tend to gravitate to the scalp and neck areas. Lice make tiny bites on your skin to feed on your blood, which causes that telltale itchy sensation. They spread from person to person through direct contact since they can’t jump or fly. This could involve sharing hats or combs or even lying close to someone with lice. And lice’s eggs also get passed easily with close contact and shared items.

While they are a nuisance, lice do not transmit any diseases. There are many over-the-counter products available to treat lice, or you can consult one of our physicians for the most effective treatment options.

If you have any questions about lice, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians in Knoxville to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

A Little Back-to-School Education on Lice

lice

Class is back in session! You survived the back-to-school rush of new clothes, supplies and books. School classrooms, restrooms and gymnasiums pose health risks as breeding grounds for germs. Classmates not only spread germs quickly, but the issue of head lice also becomes a concern.  Before you bring out the combs and cleaning supplies, here are a few things your Knoxville Dermatology team wants you to know about lice.

Did you know that lice actually prefer clean heads over dirty ones? Head lice prefer cleaner heads because they move by crawling. And because they don’t jump or fly from head to head, they are more frequently spread through sharing of items like hats, combs and headbands.

Although they feed on blood and make several tiny bites that cause that itching sensation, lice do not transmit any diseases. They can, however, lead to a raw or bleeding scalp from the excessive itching. This is when skin infections can occur.

Lice are a huge nuisance, but there are many over-the-counter products available and easy to use. You must be extremely thorough when treating lice. Make sure to wash and clean everything from your hair and head to your clothes and furniture. If you suspect that you or your child has lice, call us and we can recommend some simple and fast treatments. We’ll make sure any back-to-school issues with lice are “saved by the bell”!

If you have any questions about lice, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians in Knoxville to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

The Selfie Itch

Whether you’re blowing up the internet with your Oscar selfie or just capturing a moment at brunch, watch out next time you squeeze in for a selfie. An increase in the spread of lice can been linked to the selfie craze.

It makes sense – getting up close and personal with your selfie buddy gives lice ample opportunity to invade your tresses. And lice is spread through direct contact, whether that’s from a brush, a towel or pushing your heads together to fit into a cellphone camera’s view.

Prevention includes not sharing items like combs, hair ties, scarves, etc., and now being careful when taking a selfie. Although treatments are readily available, these pests are not fun. They are itchy, spread rapidly and a nuisance to banish.

Over-the-counter creams and shampoos kill the insects and their eggs, then a fine tooth comb gets them out of your hair. As time consuming as it is, using the treatment and combing them out is the most effective way to get rid of lice. If this does not work, then you should see a doctor.

If you have any questions about lice or about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

5 Facts About Lice

Back-to-school season almost always means new clothes, new teachers and new friends for school-age children. So what do you do when you realize that these new friends have shared their toys and their head lice with your child? First take a deep breath and learn these 5 facts about lice:

1. Lice infestations are not related to cleanliness; in fact, lice prefer clean heads.
2. Lice move by crawling – they can’t jump or fly.
3. Pets do not transmit lice.
4. Lice do not transmit any diseases.
5. Head lice are very common and spread almost always by head-to-head contact

And before you pull out the heavy-duty cleaning supplies, know that lice usually die within 2 days and nits (lice eggs) cannot survive at temperatures other than that of the human scalp (CDC.gov).

As you can see, there’s no need to panic if you get that unfortunate note from the teacher. However, they are a nuisance that won’t go away until you get treatment. There are many over-the-counter products available or you can consult one of our physicians for the most effective treatment options.

If you have any questions about lice, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians in Knoxville to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

Get Rid of Lice

Lice is often times associated with children (remember the lice checks in elementary school?), although anyone is susceptible to catching it. These unwanted insects live on humans and feed on our blood. They are usually found on the scalp and along the hairline.

Getting rid of lice can be tricky because they are such small insects and are easily spread. Sometimes the eggs are placed on the new host when items such as brushes, stuffed animals and even clothes are shared.

The most common treatment is some form of over-the-counter cream or shampoo that is designed to kill the insects and their eggs. After performing the treatment, patients may use a fine-tooth comb to remove the insects and eggs as well. Two of these treatments are usually needed to ensure all the head lice and their eggs have been killed. If this doesn’t work, you should see a doctor.

Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Visit with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential. Schedule an appointment with Knoxville Dermatology Group today at 865-690-9467.