Embarrassing Illnesses

Dr Christian:
A rash is the appearance of spots or patches of a different colour or texture to normal skin and they come in many different shapes and sizes. Most children will suffer from a rash at some point some are more serious than others, so it’s important for you to be able to identify them.

This video will cover Slapped Cheek Syndrome, Impetigo, Meningitis and Ringworm but there is another video which covers Chicken Pox, Measles and Rubella.

We went to a primary school to spread the word on infections.

Dr Pixie:
Morning Class.

Class:
Morning.

Dr Pixie:
Now surely some of you have had to deal with this? Impetigo. Have any of your children had it?

Mother:
My daughter had it over the side of her body, and she just kept picking at it as well. I had to cover her with bandages just to stop her scratching until it had healed up properly.

Dr Pixie:
Most commonly caused by a bacteria, called staphococusorious, so what impetigo does is go into any crack or breach in the skin, so any cracks around the lips. And the other area we carry this bug is right up our noses, which is why we very frequently see impetigo up our noses.

Dr Christian:
The most common form of impetigo causes large pustules to appear on the skin which then burst leaving yellow brown crusts and red marks. It’s much more common in children than in adults and although the rash is generally pain free and doesn’t scar it’s really not very pleasant to look at and is itchy and very contagious. Occasionally, fever and swollen glands may accompany the rash. It won’t go away unless it’s treated. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotic cream and in severe cases oral antibiotics to get rid of this infection if you want to stop it from spreading then make sure your child doesn’t share any linen or soap with other children.

Slapped Cheek Syndrome, also known as Fifth Disease, is another well known childhood rash. It’s caused by a virus which is generally quite mild but results in a red blotchy rash resembling slapped skin and it usually lasts between 1 ñ 2 weeks. It normally starts on the face though it may spread to the rest of the body. The virus is most infectious one or two weeks before the rash appears, so there’s actually no way of knowing when children are at their most contagious. The rash is usually accompanied by a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat and occasionally a fever. There’s no cure for Slapped Cheek Syndrome but your doctor may prescribe mild pain killers to ease the symptoms.

Next up is Ringworm which isn’t actually a worm at all, the term relates to various contagious fungal infections of the skin which can cause round scaly patches and it can be found anywhere on the body and the scalp. Ringworm is not always a rash and it can develop into a painful sore on the scalp which may be pussy or infected leading to fever and swollen lymph nodes. On the rest of the body it’s found in red scaly ring shaped patches with seemingly healthy skin inside the infected area. Unless treated ringworm will stick around for years and possibly spread to other parts of the body. Thankfully there is a treatment and you can get anti fungal cream or anti fungal shampoo and in more serious cases oral medication from your doctor.

The best way to stop Ringworm spreading is to make sure your child’s body is dry after sweating or washing which will help to prevent fungal growth. Also make sure any pets are treated if they have the infection too.

Ok so this is the big one that everybody’s terrified of, and they’ve every right to be, because it is a very serious life threatening condition. The key is to be aware of the main symptoms and if you even slightly suspect that your child is suffering from them then get it checked out immediately by a doctor.

Dr Pixie:
I think you all know this one. Two year old, temperature, rash, irritable, bit drowsy, press on the rash and it doesn’t go away? Meningitis. Have any of you had experience of meningitis?

Class:
No.

Dr Pixie:
It’s probably one of the most frightening things you can ever, ever see. In this situation, child with a temperature, a rash that doesn’t blanche, what would you do?

Class:
Call for an ambulance.

Dr Pixie:
Yes, 999, ambulance, blue light, go. And if in doubt, never try to diagnose it yourself, get help.

Dr Christian:
Meningitis is a contagious viral or bacterial infection but the most common form is viral. Viral meningitis is much less severe and may be mistaken for flu. Bacterial meningitis is the more severe form and can be fatal unless treated. The main symptoms of bacterial meningitis are fever, light sensitivity, vomiting, severe headache, irritability and a stiff neck. It’s also accompanied by a rash which is blotchy and red and will not fade or change colour if a glass is pressed firmly onto it.

If you think your child is suffering from any of these symptoms call 999 immediately. Patients with bacterial meningitis must go into hospital and be given antibiotics.

Meningitis is contagious and is spread through close contact such as sneezing or coughing but it can’t be transmitted through breathing the same air. There are vaccinations for some strains of meningitis so ask your doctor about these.

If left untreated it can be fatal or can cause blood poisoning and brain damage. If caught in time it can be treated, although a quarter of sufferers may experience long term problems; including loss of limbs, hearing and sight, memory problems, learning difficulties and epilepsy.

The main thing is to watch your child’s skin for any changes. Rashes are common and in most cases they aren’t anything to worry about but it’s always worth getting them checked out by your GP.

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