What is going on when a child develops a skin disease? Is the child's skin disease caused by dryness?

Children's skin is very fragile, so it needs to be well maintained to prevent skin diseases. So, what causes children to have skin diseases?

Is the child's skin disease dry?

Dryness is the cause of many baby skin diseases

Regarding the skin care of infants and young children, Dr. Ma Lin, Director of the Department of Dermatology at Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, recently reminded at the Pigeon Neonatal Care Series Conference that many young parents are not aware that infant skin diseases are all related to dryness. The epidermis of infants and young children is 30% thinner than that of adults, and the content of natural moisturizing factors in the skin is less, which makes the moisture loss rate of infant skin faster. The low water-locking ability of the skin makes it easy to become drier. Take the most common eczema as an example. Although there is a word "wet" in the name, its working principle is caused by dry skin. Therefore, in the routine skin care of infants and young children, the appropriate use of moisturizing emollients will reduce the incidence of baby skin diseases. In addition, the skin of newborns is fragile and sensitive. They are prone to seborrheic eczema, neonatal sores, and infant eczema when they are just born. They are prone to facial sores, body sores, prickly heat, and sunburns from about 3 months to 18 months.

Common skin diseases in children

1. Ringworm

Worms are not the cause of ringworm. This skin infection is caused by fungi that live in dead skin, hair and nail tissue. It starts as small red spots with small scales on dry skin that flake off, and eventually develops into an itchy, raised, red, ring-shaped bump with blisters and scaly edges. Ringworm can be spread through skin-to-skin contact or through shared objects, and can also be spread from person to person and animal to animal. Most ringworm infections can be treated with topical antifungal medications.

2. Erythema infectiosum

This is also a contagious disease, but its symptoms are usually mild and go away within a few weeks. The disease may start with flu-like symptoms, followed by a rash on the cheeks and body. The disease can be spread by coughing and sneezing, and is most contagious in the week before the rash appears. After the disease, the child should get plenty of rest, eat a liquid diet, relieve pain, and be watched for more serious symptoms. Because the virus that infects this disease may affect the fetus, if your child has this disease and you are pregnant, please consult a doctor.

3. Chickenpox

Although chickenpox is a very common disease, many adults have had it as children. It is very contagious and spreads easily. Skin symptoms are mainly itchy rashes, red spots or blisters that spread all over the body. The skin symptoms of chickenpox go through several stages: blisters, cracks, scabs, and shedding. The disease can also cause serious complications such as pneumonia, brain damage, and even death. People who have chickenpox are also at risk for developing shingles in the future. Vaccination against the varicella virus is recommended as an effective way to prevent the disease. In addition to children of appropriate age, adolescents and adults who have never had chickenpox or who meet the chickenpox vaccine indications are recommended to receive the vaccine.

4. Heat rash (prickly heat)

It occurs as a result of blocked sweat glands. Heat rash looks like small red or pink rashes, usually all over a child's head, neck and shoulders. Children get heat rash not only because of hot weather, but also because well-meaning parents dress their children too warmly. Sometimes, we feel that our children's hands are a little cold when we touch them, but this is normal.

5. Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a skin reaction that is usually caused by contact with a substance, such as food, soap, or plant oils such as ivy, sumac, and oak. The rash usually begins within 48 hours of exposure to the substance. In some cases, the rash may be mild and may be followed by red bumps. Severe reactions may cause swelling, redness, and severe edema. Contact dermatitis is usually mild and goes away on its own after contact with the substance stops.

Precautions for treating children's skin diseases

1. Respect science and take medicine under the guidance of a doctor. Avoid hearsay and assumptions.

2. Understand the clinical and medication characteristics of the skin disease you suffer from, avoid blindly seeking medical treatment, and do not change doctors frequently.

3. Avoid using water or liquid medicine to clean or soak skin lesions that tend to exude or erode, so as not to aggravate the condition.

4. Avoid using topical corticosteroid creams on the face. These drugs have a quick effect in the short term, but are prone to rebound after discontinuation of the drug, and have serious side effects if used for a long time.

Several points to prevent skin diseases

1. Children are more exposed to the surrounding environment than adults. They often play on the ground and are prone to touching dirty things, which can easily cause various skin diseases infected by bacteria, fungi and parasites. Therefore, it is important to clean the skin in time. Generally, parents are used to washing with alkaline soap. However, children's skin is delicate and the surface of the skin is acidic, so do not wash hands with alkaline soap. So can we use scented soap to wash? In fact, soap contains spices. The more advanced the soap, the more spices it contains. Spices are one of the "culprits" of skin allergies, so it is best not to use them for children. Similarly, disinfectant soap should not be used, because the disinfectants in the soap may cause allergies. In addition, there are many bacteria on the skin of normal people. They are in relative balance. If some of the bacteria are eliminated, it may cause dysbiosis and lead to diseases. It is better for children to use neutral or acidic soap. Although the decontamination ability is weak, it is indeed very safe.

2. The baby's sweat glands are not fully developed yet, and the skin is delicate. Avoid sun exposure, otherwise it may cause sun spots, sunburn or photosensitive dermatitis. Use a parasol when going out in summer. Similarly, pay attention to keeping warm in the cold winter. Staying in low temperatures for too long can cause frostbite, frostbite or even necrosis of the skin.

3. In summer, you should pay attention to protecting your baby from various insects that may cause dermatitis. Mosquitoes love to bite your baby's delicate skin, so you should keep the place where your child lives and moves clean to prevent insect bites. It is best to install screen doors and windows in the house, and use some insect repellent when necessary, but avoid spraying insect repellent around your baby.

4. Babies have delicate skin, and many mothers like to use skin care products on their children to protect them. However, many cosmetics and skin care products can easily cause allergic reactions in children, and some even cause serious consequences such as disfigurement. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to use skin care products on children. If you want to use them, you must choose skin care products with reliable quality and good reputation, otherwise, if adverse consequences are caused, it will be too late to regret.