Oct. 12, 2023 | Impetigo is a common bacterial skin infection that is most often seen in children, particularly those between the ages of two and six. It is usually only a minor problem, but sometimes complications may occur that require treatment. Impetigo often starts with a cut or break in the skin that allows bacteria to enter. Young children are at risk for developing the condition because their immune systems are not fully developed. It can cause blisters or sores, is not usually serious, and improves with antibiotic treatment. While impetigo can develop anywhere on the body, it is especially common on the face, including around the nose, mouth and ears. It is also frequently seen on the arms and legs. Less commonly, impetigo can develop in the diaper area. And unfortunately, it is highly contagious. There are more cases of impetigo seen during warm weather, when cuts and scrapes from outdoor play or insect bites are more likely to occur.

Oct. 12, 2023 | There are three types of impetigo, the bacterial infection most common among young children. Non-bullous accounts for most cases of impetigo and appears as tiny fluid-filled blisters that quickly develop into honey-colored, crusty lesions. Bullous impetigo appears as larger fluid-filled blisters. When these blisters break, they may leave a scab behind. More than 90 percent of cases of bullous impetigo affect children younger than the age of 2. Left untreated, impetigo can develop into ecthyma, a more serious type of skin infection that goes deeper into a child’s skin. And while impetigo and cold sores can both cause blisters, cold sores usually occur around the mouth while impetigo can form on other parts of the body. Impetigo is caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, or staph, and Group A streptococcus, or strep, while cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Oct. 12, 2023 | The bacterial infection known as impetigo is extremely contagious, and can spread to anyone who touches infected skin or items that have touched infected skin, such as clothing, towels, and bed linens. It can be very itchy, so kids also can spread the infection when they scratch it and then touch other parts of their body. You can get impetigo by coming into contact with sores, mucus or nasal discharge from someone who has it. A health-care professional can usually diagnose impetigo just by looking at the rash. If the sores don’t clear, even with antibiotic treatment, your doctor might take a sample of the liquid produced by a sore and test it to see what types of antibiotics would work best on it.  Without treatment, a person with impetigo can be contagious for weeks. After starting impetigo treatment, the condition is contagious until the rash disappears or the scabs begin to fall off or the patient has finished at least two days of antibiotics.

Oct. 12, 2023 | Impetigo is typically treated with topical or oral antibiotics. After antibiotic treatment begins, healing should start within a few days. Use the antibiotics for the full length of time your provider prescribed them to prevent re-infection. It’s important to make sure that your child takes the medicine as prescribed. Otherwise, a deeper and more serious skin infection could develop. Other problems that group A strep can cause if impetigo is not properly treated include rheumatic fever and kidney disease. While the infection is healing, gently wash the skin with clean gauze and antiseptic soap every day. Soak any areas of crusted skin with warm soapy water to help remove the layers of crust. To keep impetigo from spreading to other parts of the body, the doctor or nurse will probably recommend covering open infected areas with gauze and tape or a loose plastic bandage. Children can usually return to school or daycare 24 hours after starting treatment.

Oct. 12, 2023 | Impetigo can be successfully treated with antibiotics, but the condition can return, especially in young children. Children are especially prone to scratching and opening their scabs, putting them at a higher risk of re-infection. To prevent the infection from spreading, be sure to keep your hands and those of your child clean at all times. Pay special attention to skin injuries, areas of eczema, and rashes such as poison ivy. Keep these areas clean and covered. Clip your fingernails and your child’s as well regularly to avoid scratching. Sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and then throw the tissue away. Bathe daily or as often as possible, especially if you or your child has eczema or sensitive skin. If your child is already being treated for impetigo, keep an eye on the sores and call the doctor if the skin doesn’t begin to heal after three days of treatment or if a fever develops. If the area around the rash becomes red, warm, or tender to the touch, call the doctor right away.