{"id":19899,"date":"2020-02-04T06:28:31","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T06:28:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=19899"},"modified":"2021-10-15T02:13:22","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T02:13:22","slug":"14-signs-of-impetigo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/14-signs-of-impetigo\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Signs of Impetigo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Impetigo is a common, contagious, infection that affects the skin. This can be caused by a number of bacteria, including the common staphylococcus and streptococcus. This bacteria then infect the outer layers of the skin (the epidermis), specifically around the face, arms, and legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is the appearance of a rash that often begins in minor cuts or bites. While it can affect people of any age, it is most common in those that are aged between 2-5 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are different types of impetigo. These are primary impetigo and secondary impetigo, which infects healthy skin and broken skin respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impetigo is a disease that has been around a long time and the name actually dates to 14th<\/sup> century England. It comes from the Latin work impetere meaning attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The condition spreads easily and is highly contagious, which makes the condition common. In fact, it is thought to affect 162 million children around the world at any given time. In this post, we will examine how to quickly identify it so that you can begin to take action and prevent it from spreading more than necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Red Sores<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The initial sign of impetigo is the appearance of red sores on the skin. These will very often cluster specifically around the nose and lips. These can be itchy <\/a>and sometimes painful.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a young child is infected with impetigo, then one of the most difficult jobs for parents will often be trying to help young children stop scratching and itching them. The red sores themselves should not leave a mark. However, if the child is continuously scratching and itching, then they may damage the skin and this, in turn, could lead to a worse infection, or to a permanent scar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, is that this can hasten the spread of the infection around the body, or even to other people. For this reason, it is important to help them control the urge. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by getting children to wear gloves. This way, they will be less able to easily scratch the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Blisters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Quickly, the red sores will develop to become blisters<\/a>. These are filled with fluid and will eventually begin to ooze, burst, and then crust over. Again, it is important to encourage children not to scratch the area and to try and explain why children should not scratch them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the blisters are broken, this can cause fluid to leak out and that will then allow the infection to spread to other parts of the body. Should the fluid touch a surface, then it is very important that the surface be cleaned thoroughly, otherwise this can infect other people who touch the same surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, the most common places for these blisters to occur is around the mouth, eyes, and feet. They can also be found in the folds of the skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Red Marks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the blisters have faded, it is common for them to leave behind red patches <\/a>on the skin. This is often alarming for parents who worry that the marks will now be permanent. However, the good news is that the red marks will quickly fade over time, leaving your child looking as good as new afterward!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While your child is suffering from blisters, sores, and other types of blemish, it is a good idea to help them reduce the discomfort in any way possible. This can be achieved with over-the-counter medication, with analgesics, and with topical applications. You should also think about giving your children regular warm baths, and about letting them wear light and breezy clothing that isn\u2019t going to rub against their skin or make them feel hot. This can also help to encourage the boils to disappear more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Blisters Around the Diaper<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The bacteria that causes impetigo enjoys warm and dark areas. This means that it will often collect around the folds of the skin, and in young children that often means around the diaper. This area can also often be damp due to the child filling the diaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child has signs and symptoms of impetigo<\/a>, but you don\u2019t initially notice any sores, take a look around this area and you might be able to find the culprit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, most children do not have the option of not wearing their diapers. However, if you use material diapers then it\u2019s very important to ensure they are washed extremely thoroughly at high temperatures. For disposable diapers, you may benefit from buying the size up in order to allow a bit more air to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Swollen Glands<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Swollen glands are common with many different types of infection, including impetigo. Lymph nodes<\/a> have the job of filtering fluids that move through the body, helping to reduce unwanted waste. These can become swollen in response to any type of infection, and this is a very useful way for parents to check their young children for signs of illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check for swollen glands underneath the jaw, at the front of the neck. If you notice this area is feeling puffy, or lump as though it is filled with liquid, then this might suggest that your child is struggling with impetigo or another form of infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Either way, it\u2019s important to give them rest and to take them to the doctor. Doctors will want to monitor signs of swollen lymph nodes to ensure that there are no more severe underlying causes. The lymph nodes may also become sore and tender. In this case, applying a warm compress may prove to be relieving for young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Fever<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fever is a common response to any kind of infection. This is caused by the body attempting to fight and \u201cdrive out\u201d the causes of the infection by raising the body temperature and making the environment \u201cless hospitable.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fever <\/a>is not a bad thing in itself, as it actually helps the body to get rid of the unwanted illness. The problem is that this can be harmful if it is allowed to increase unchecked. An extremely high fever can lead to dehydration, which can be dangerous and cause a number of secondary symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you or your child has a fever, then you should try to manage comfort by keeping a window open or taking a cool bath. You should also monitor the temperature closely: in young children, anything above 38C is considered worrying and should result in a trip to the doctor\u2019s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, it is also important to keep drinking lots of water. This will help to rehydrate the body and prevent the worst symptoms of dehydration such as headaches and poor digestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Tiredness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tiredness<\/a> is a common symptom associated with all manner of different conditions. However, this is a particularly notable symptom that occurs with all forms of infection. This is partly because the body needs to work hard to try and drive the infection out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also thought that this may be a method of self-preservation: that the body feels tired in order to prevent the patient from being highly active which may actually cause the infection to spread and worsen due to increased blood flow. If you have impetigo, then it can be a good idea to take it easy and rest so that you give the body the full resources to fight the infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Irritability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tiredness may also be caused by inflammation. Inflammation is another method the body uses in order to try and remove any infection. Inflammation is used in this way to isolate the contamination<\/a>. It will then also send an increased number of antibodies to the region in order to try and drive out the invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While inflammation can be beneficial, the problem is that it can become widespread. When the body released pro-inflammatory cytokines to signal this inflammation, they may also impact on the brain, which in turn can cause brain fog, confusion, and low mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A young child doesn\u2019t know how to deal with their emotions or how to control them, and so they may seem not only tired but also grumpy, irritable, and distractible. This can be exacerbated by the irritation of constant itching, and by a lack of good sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Difficulty Sleeping<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Difficulty sleeping <\/a>is caused by the itchiness and by the lesions. Together, these can make it difficult to sleep properly, as the body feels uncomfortable and tight at every position and every angle. This can be further worsened by fever and by other aspects of the condition such as pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few things you can do to try and help your children to feel comfortable and to sleep better at night. Make sure that their linen is as soft as possible so that they don\u2019t feel scratchy. At the same time, make sure that the temperature is right considering any fever: they shouldn\u2019t be too hot, but they should also feel as though they can roll out from under the covers (if they are that age) without then being freezing cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Dehydration<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dehydration <\/a>is caused by fever, and can then cause a number of serious complications. For instance, dehydration may cause a dry throat, it can cause dry eyes, it can make the skin appear worse, it can interfere with digestion, and it can even lead to headaches. The latter is caused by the brain shrinking and then pulling away from the skull wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus it is extremely important that you keep giving your child lots of water if they have any illness, and especially if this coincides with an infection. They may have a loss of appetite and this combined with the aforementioned irritability can make it hard to get them to drink: but you must keep trying to ensure that they don\u2019t become dangerously dehydrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Crusty Skin<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Crusty is often caused by impetigo. This crusty skin is located around the sides of the skin lesions and may look either wet or dry. It may sometimes also be tinged with blood and be yellow or brown. You might also notice that this appears around the mouth or around the eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This crustiness can also spread to other areas of the skin. The crust can usually be removed with a little scrubbing, but you shouldn\u2019t do so in case it damages the lesion or the blister that may be located underneath. Apply an antibiotic <\/a>cream over the blisters and the crusty skin, and this will help to encourage the area to clear up more quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Children with impetigo will feel itchiness around the lesions and the blisters. However, this can also sometimes be painful. While the blisters themselves are not typically extremely painful, the pain can become more pronounced due to the fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we are ill and have a fever, this actually makes us much more sensitive to all kinds of pain. This is why we will often feel our muscles aching and joints becoming sore: we have become highly susceptible to pain in all forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, children may feel as though the sores are actually very painful and this can make it even more difficult for them to get to sleep, to avoid rubbing, or to feel comfortable. The rest of the skin may also feel painful, while joints might feel achy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gentle analgesics such as paracetamol, ibuprofen<\/a>, or aspirin can help with this. The latter two can also help by reducing inflammation around the sores and throughout the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also topical treatments that can be purchased over the counter, which will often help children to alleviate the discomfort of sores and blemishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. <\/strong>Ecthyma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ecthyma <\/a>is another type of impetigo infection that causes deep ulcers to appear in the skin. These ulcers are very painful and will also create more pus. They can then burst and leave behind necrotic tissue, which sometimes results in permanent scars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a much more serious form of impetigo, and those patients that experience it should require regular treatment throughout the day to minimize scarring and to help ease discomfort associated with the sores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One method is to treat the area with warm water with a little salt mixed in. This can help to prevent further infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Rash Alone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While impetigo is an infection and can sometimes be associated with a large range of symptoms, it can also sometimes simply result in a scar and nothing else. If you notice that your child has lots of small marks around their skin, especially if these turn into blisters and then crust over, or if they appear around the diaper, then this is likely to be impetigo. This is the case, even if the condition isn\u2019t accompanied by a change in temperature <\/a>or other differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other thing to look for is the spreading of the infection. If the patient touches the sore and then touches another part of the body, then they may notice that the rash appears to spread in kind. This is true of a number of different types of rash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the most difficult aspect is differentiating between impetigo and other rashes. The best way to treat different rashes can vary greatly, with some responding well to antibiotics and others being best left alone. This is why it is very important to speak with your doctor as soon as possible. A rash can even be a symptom of something more serious that requires immediate and urgent attention \u2013 so don\u2019t delay your visit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n


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