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Summer in all its glory brings with it a multitude of skin ailments, irritants, rashes, hives, bites and stings. Luckily the majority do not require a trip to the pediatrician, but just how do you tell prickly heat from hives from poison ivy? It's enough to make your brain begin to itch! Well, don't reach for the Benedryl just yet! Here is your Cheat Sheet to the most common skin conditions of summer and how to treat them:
Heat Rash & Sunburn: According to Matthew Quan, M.D., Attending Dermatologist for The General Hospital Center at Passaic (New Jersey), "Most people have suffered at one time or another from either heat rash or sunburn; the former diagnosed by little itchy bumps that form around clogged sweat glands primarily under the armpits, on the chest, inside the elbows, behind the knees and in the groin area. Sunburn is marked by red, tender skin that is warm to the touch. The symptoms of sunburn can take up to a day to appear and also can include scaly rashes, blisters, swelling, fever, chills and peeling skin. Emergency assistance is required if there are signs of shock, i.e., rapid pulse and breathing, pale or clammy skin, dizziness and eye pain or sensitivity. Infants, toddlers and individuals with fair hair and skin are most susceptible to sunburn, although, those with dark skin still need to take preventive measures."
Prevention/Treatment: To avoid heat rash, limit the amount of time your children are engaged in active outdoor play in the sun. Clothing should be loose and allow skin to breath. Use baby wipes or a cool wet washcloth to wipe sweat from rash prone areas. Sunburns can be avoided by the daily application of sun screen. Make it part of the daily routine. A generic bottle of SPF 45 offers the same protection as a pricey, name brand bottle. The SPF is what matters. However, even with the use of sun screen , limit the amount of time your children spend in the sun and reapply SPF on a regular basis when swimming or playing.
Hives: Uticaria, the medical term for hives, are described by the American Academy of Dermatology as "pale red swellings of skin that occur in groups on any part of the skin." It is estimated that 20% of all children will experience at least one hive episode before age ten. Predominantly seen as an allergic reaction to a specific food (nuts, milk, eggs, fish), hives are also quite common in young children with colds. They can vary in size from as small as a pencil eraser to as large as a dinner plate and may join together to form larger swellings. Most characteristic is that they will appear without warning and disappear just as suddenly. Though not pretty to look at, in most cases they are bothersome, but harmless.
Prevention/Treatment: The best prevention is to track down the cause and avoid it in the future. Hives brought on by colds or heat/sun exposure may be treated topically with a histamine cream, such as Benedryl, to help alleviate the itching or irritation. Note: Any extreme allergic reaction should be reported immediately to your child's pediatrician. Anaphylactic shock (severe allergic reaction) can result in death.
Poison Ivy/Poison Oak: A bane to outdoor activities such as hiking or walking through dense weeds or underbrush, poison ivy/oak and sumac wreak skin havoc through the release of Urushiol Oil. In fact the oil released by these three leaved plants is so potent, 500 people could itch from the amount covering the head of a pin! Once urushiol touches the skin, it begins to penetrate in minutes. In those who are sensitive, a reaction appears as a line or streak of rash, usually within 12 to 48 hours. Redness and swelling occur, often followed by blisters and severe itching. In a few days, the blisters may become crusted and begin to scale. The rash takes 10 days or longer to heal. According to William L. Epstein, MD, a small percentage of people experience an extreme, almost immediate reaction to exposure. Their eyes may swell shut and blisters may erupt on their skin. "This is one of the few true emergencies in dermatology. Get to a hospital as soon as possible. A shot of corticosteroids will bring the swelling down."
Prevention/Treatment: As with hives, avoidance goes a long way. There is a saying, "Leaflets of three, beware of me", stemming from the tri-leafed make-up of these plants. If contact is made, wash all exposed areas with cold running water as soon as you can reach a stream, lake or garden hose. If you can do this within five minutes, the water may keep the urushiol from adhering to your skin and spreading to other parts of your body. Within the first 30 minutes, soap and water are helpful. Relieve the itching of mild rashes by taking cool showers and applying over-the-counter preparations like calamine lotion or Burrow's solution. Soaking in a lukewarm bath with an oatmeal or baking soda solution also may ease itching and dry oozing blisters. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams are not strong enough to have any effect on poison ivy rashes. If rash areas are large or reaction severe, contact your pediatrician immediately.
Bites/Stings/Ticks: One of the most common skin irritants of summer are bug bites/stings. Mosquitos can disrupt the funnest of evenings and a bee sting can burst a child's balloon of happiness in a millisecond. Mosquito bites are characterized by a small red bump and localized itching. With bees and wasps a sharp pain is followed by a burning sensation that soon resolves into a major itch. A red ring or bump appears at the site of the wound. The important thing to remember is that bees' stingers are barbed and usually remain in the wound. Ticks cause no symptoms while they're biting. The only way to find them is to examine your child's skin each night.
Prevention/Treatment: Over the counter topical sprays and lotions are available to discourage mosquitos, although their effectiveness varies widely. With bees, avoidance is key. Though beautiful to look at, it is best to teach your young children to stay away from flowers, especially during the day when bees are most active. With most bites and stings, the best treatment is to wait for the itching to go away. Ice cubes, aspirin, antihistamines, and calamine lotion can help. Application of an icepack to prevent the venom from spreading and application of a paste of baking soda and water may also help to relieve welt formation. If the stinger or poison sac remains in the skin, it should be removed as quickly as possible to minimize the poison dose and the risk of infection. With ticks, they are best removed with tweezers. They should be pulled out straight, as this reduces the chances of head and mouthparts remaining in the wound. This may happen anyway. If it does, pluck out the easily accessible parts but don't fish around in the wound. These parts are unlikely to cause infection and certainly won't transmit Lyme disease. Don't try to kill the tick with heat or any chemical while it's still attached - just pull it out.
All parents are familiar with the adage, "Expect the best, prepare for the worst.". In addition to a glut of Band-aids, your first aid kit for summer should contain: Topical Benedryl cream, tweezers, calamine lotion, and a topical antibiotic such as Neosporin to prevent infections. Oh yes, I also recommend stashing some lollipops in there. For one thing I have learned through many summers of boo boos, bites and rashes is this: Mommy's love and a band-aid help a lot, but an immediate dose of sugar can turn the saddest of frowns upside down and back into a smile!
Websites To Watch
The American Academy of Dermatologists. Helpful descriptions and photos to determine rashes, bites, hives and treatments.
The American Academy of Family Physicians. Easy to follow charts help you discern between various rashes and steps to treat them. Great index of helpful information on all ailments/illnesses as well.
Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Information Center. Excellent facts, myths dispelled and photos of each plant for ease of identification. Exceptionally large board for interactive treatment / relief suggestions from around the world - doctors as well as regular people.
About The Author: Linda Sharp is an internationally recognized author & columnist whose work wraps around the globe to appear in print publications from Maine to Malaysia, as well as across the web. Linda is also creator of the totally irreverent and hysterical website, Sanity Central A Time Out From Parenting!, located at http://www.sanitycentral.com. Her latest book, Stretchmarks On My Sanity: The Growing Pains of Raising a Family, has earned her rave reviews and comparisons to the late Erma Bombeck. She may be reached via email at mailto:lsharp03@aol.com . This article provided by the Family Content Archives at: http://www.Family-Content.com
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