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Scabies in children and how to treat scabies for babies
Scabies in children is a rash caused by scabies. Scabies is very contagious and requires careful treatment.
When the tick enters the first epidermis layer of the skin and lays eggs in that area, small bumps or a gradual itchy sensation appears. This condition is called scabies. In some cases, childhood scabies can also be seen as wavy lines underneath the skin. You will easily see these lines between your fingers and toes as well as the inside of the wrist.
The following article, aFamilyToday Health will introduce essential information about scabies in young children as well as how to treat and pay attention when your baby is sick.
Causes of scabies in young children
The main cause of scabies in young children is the presence of scabies mites - tiny organisms that enter the top layer of the skin and live there for up to a month. Scabies is easily spread through patient-healthy skin contact.
Scabies are so diverse that they can live in bed sheets, towels, clothing or even in baby diapers.
Please refer to the article: Common skin diseases in children
How is scabies spread?
Scabies is an infectious disease. When in contact with a carrier through a form of touching such as hugging, shaking hands ... your baby is easily infected. In addition, sharing toys in kindergartens, sharing towels or sleeping on pillows also indirectly creates opportunities for scabies to parasitize on the child's skin.
Signs of scabies
Scabies are very small in size, but there are still a few signs to help parents detect scabies.
Symptoms of scabies in babies
Scabies in babies can begin to show up about 3 - 4 weeks after infection and cause conditions such as:
Cry a lot due to discomfort
A large red rash appears on the heels, between fingers and toes, inside the wrist or elbow
Symptoms of scabies in toddlers
The symptoms of scabies in toddlers are quite similar to those of infants. However, itchy spots will also appear on the face and sides of the heels. In addition, this young person is old enough to be able to scratch it, which in turn leads to infection to many parts of the body.
Symptoms of scabies in older children
The common signs of scabies in babies this age include:
Coarse skin
Small pustules, white pus
The rash is red or purple
Brown or silver wavy lines, running along the inside of the wrist.
How to treat scabies for children
The treatment of scabies for children can be done in 2 ways:
How to treat scabies with medicine
The main treatment for scabies is usually topical. Your baby will be prescribed ointment or cream to apply to the sores. For severe cases, young children may resort to oral scabies medication.
How to treat scabies at home
In addition to medication, to enhance the effectiveness and speed up the healing process, you can consult and follow some of the recommended remedies for scabies at home:
♣ How to treat scabies with salt water
Salt water is one of the most simple and effective treatments for scabies. Salt water can even kill parasitic eggs by penetrating through their shells and replacing water.
The first way to treat scabies is to spray salt water on the affected skin
Next, you should soak your baby in salt water for 10-20 minutes a day for about 1 week.
♣ How to treat scabies with tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is one of the most effective home remedies for scabies because it will help your baby reduce the itching sensation and heal wounds on the skin. However, for the case of eggs hidden deep under the skin, tea tree oil does not work too effectively. You can also put a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle with water and spray it onto your sheets.
♣ How to treat scabies with clove oil
Clove oil has antibacterial and antioxidant properties, contributing to the healing ability of scabies in young children. Experts have suggested that clove oil is effective in killing scabies.
♣ How to treat scabies with neem oil
Another essential oil known for its ability to treat scabies is neem oil. In oil there are ingredients with the ability to prevent the growth and reproduction of skin scabies and at the same time help your baby relieved the unpleasant itchy sensation.
♣ How to treat scabies with white vinegar
Acidic white vinegar helps to change the pH of the skin, thereby destroying scabies. Usage is as follows:
Mix equal amounts of white vinegar and water
Use a cotton ball to apply the solution to the affected skin and let it sit for a few minutes
Clean with warm water
Repeat three times daily for 10 to 15 days to fight skin infections
Prevention of scabies in children
Some ways to help prevent scabies for your baby and family include:
Do not share towels
Sweep and mop floors regularly
Wash clothes in hot water
Discard your baby's cloth diapers if there is a suspicion of a carrier
Minimize direct contact with someone with scabies and their objects.
Note when your baby has scabies
Some important things to keep in mind for childhood scabies:
Do not self-diagnose the disease
Do not stop treating the baby on your own
Keep the living space neat and clean
Do not take your baby to a public place like school to avoid infection
Young children cannot get scabies from animals such as dogs or cats.
Scabies in children, though not so dangerous, can make the baby extremely uncomfortable and difficult to control the condition. If you suspect your child has a disease, temporarily isolate your child from family members and take him to the doctor.
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