Rarely, if severe scalp ringworm is not treated, it can lead to long-term hair loss (BAD 2017, NICE 2022b, Starr 2018). More baby videos Can ringworm cause any complications?It's highly unlikely that your baby will be affected by any complications, as long as their infection is treated. Scratching can spread ringworm to other parts of the body, so keep your baby's fingernails short (NHS 2020, NICE 2022a).Ĭould your baby's rash be eczema, impetigo or meningitis? Find out more with this video on baby and toddler rashes. Dry your baby's skin folds thoroughly, as the fungus thrives in moist, warm places (NHS Inform 2022, NICE 2022a).ĭress your baby in loose-fitting, cotton clothes that cover their legs and arms. Be sure to wash between their toes and in their skin folds. The shampoo alone can't cure the infection, but it can help to stop it spreading and speed up your baby's recovery (NHS Inform 2022).Īs well as treating your baby’s ringworm with medication, gently wash and dry the areas of ringworm on your baby's body every day. You can crush the tablets and mix them with a little water to give to your baby (Starr 2018). Instead, your doctor may prescribe antifungal tablets for your baby, and advise on a medicated shampoo that you can buy over the counter (BAD 2017, NICE 2022b, Starr 2018). Your doctor may request samples from you and the rest of the family too (NICE 2022b), so you can all be treated together.Ĭreams, gels, or sprays don't always work well on scalp ringworm as these topical treatments can't get right into the hair roots (Oakley 2020). Your doctor may want to confirm the infection by taking a small sample of skin flakes from your baby's skin, or a hair sample to send to a lab (NICE 2022a, b). Your pharmacist can tell you whether you need to take your baby to the doctor for treatment (NHS 2020). It's important to keep using the antifungal medicine for the correct length of time, even if your baby's rash has cleared up (NHS 2020). Your pharmacist will explain how to use the treatment, and for how long. Ringworm is treated with an antifungal cream, gel or spray, depending on where it is on your baby's body (NHS 2020). They should be able to confirm whether it's ringworm and advise on the best treatment. Ringworm on the body can look like eczema, particularly a type called discoid eczema, which also forms rings (NICE 2022a). How should I treat my baby's ringworm?Make sure it's ringworm before you treat it. Your baby probably picked up ringworm from an infected person or pet, or from touching sheets, towels, toys, hairbrushes, or clothes that were carrying the fungal spores (Bell 2020, NICE 2022a). How does ringworm spread?Ringworm spores enter your baby's body through their skin. The patches may turn dry and crusty, or moist with little pus-filled sores (NICE 2022b, PHE 2018). Hairs growing out of the infected patch are brittle and break more easily (BAD 2017, PHE 2018). Ringworm on your baby's scalp may cause patches of their hair to fall out (NHS 2020, NICE 2022a, PHE 2018). If ringworm isn't treated, the infection can spread, creating more, bigger ring-shaped patches to appear (NICE 2022a, PHE 2018). The ring sizes usually range between 1cm and 5cm, and can overlap (NICE 2022a). The rash tends to clear from the centre of the ring outwards, so you may find a raised scaly ring around more regular skin in the middle. They appear more pink or red on white skin (NICE 2022a, PHE 2018). On brown or black skin, the infected areas may appear grey or darker than the surrounding skin (AADA nd, NHS 2020). What does a ringworm rash look like?On your baby's body, look out for scaly, inflamed, slightly raised ring-shaped patches (NICE 2022a, PHE 2018). But babies and children are more likely than adults to have a scalp infection (PHE 2018, NICE 2022a). Ringworm can infect the body or the scalp. Ringworm is more common in older children (BAD 2017, Bell 2020) but newborns and babies can get it, and adults too. It spreads easily in built-up areas, and thrives in hot, humid weather (AADA nd, BAD 2017, Bell 2020). The fungus lives on people and animals, and in our environment (BAD 2017). It's a fungal infection like athlete's foot and it's spread in the same way – by fungal spores (NHS Inform 2022). Ringworm can be itchy, but it's not painful or dangerous. It's called ringworm because the infection appears as a rash in a ring or round shape (BAD 2017, NHS 2020). What is ringworm?Ringworm is an itchy fungal infection of the skin. Personal and home hygiene can be key to preventing it, as the ringworm fungus lives on people, pets and surfaces. It can be itchy and unpleasant, but it's easy to treat, often with an over-the-counter treatment. It causes a rash of ring-shaped inflamed patches on the skin, hence the name. Ringworm is a fungal skin infection that spreads easily among children. Should I keep my baby away from childcare?.How can I prevent a ringworm infection happening again?.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |