\u200bSunny days and starlit evenings spent playing, splashing, and exploring can leave kids with more than warm summertime memories. But unfortunately, balmy weather also can lead to itchy, irritated skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’ve provided a list to help prevent, identify, and soothe typical skin rashes<\/strong> found in the Cayman Islands.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Heat rash<\/span><\/strong> (also known as prickly heat or miliaria)<\/em> is often seen in babies and young children when sweat gland pores become blocked, and perspiration can’t escape. The rash looks like patches of small pink or red bumps or blisters under clothing or spots where skin tends to fold\u2014on the neck, elbows, armpits, or thighs\u2014although heat rash can occur on other covered areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n M<\/span><\/strong>aiden Plum & Other Plant Rashes<\/strong>.<\/span> Many children get a burning, intensely itchy rash where their skin touches plants\u2014such as Maiden Plum, Manchineel, John Crow Bead and Cow Itch. An allergic skin reaction causes redness, swelling and blisters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eczema<\/span><\/strong> (also called atopic dermatitis or AD)<\/em>\u00a0is a chronic condition common in children that causes patches of dry, scaly red skin and tends to flare up during colder months when there’s less moisture in the air. But dryness caused by air conditioning and pressurized planes during summer travel can cause problems, too. Overheating, sweating and chlorine in swimming pools also can trigger eczema.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Insect Bites & Stings<\/span><\/strong> such as bees, wasps, mosquitos, fire ants, and ticks can cause itching and minor discomfort where they prick the skin. However, insect bites and stings can cause a severe allergic reaction called\u00a0anaphylaxis<\/em>\u00a0for some children, which includes a rash or hives and life-threatening symptoms such as airway swelling.\u00a0(For children with a known allergy to insect bites and stings, it is essential to have an anaphylaxis emergency care plan in place).<\/em>\u00a0Other times, diseases spread by insects such as Zika Virus can cause rashes and other health problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Impetigo<\/span><\/strong> is a bacterial skin infection that’s more common during hot, humid weather. It causes a rash that may have fluid-filled blisters or an oozing rash covered by crusted yellow scabs. Impetigo is more likely to develop where there is a break in the skin, like around insect bites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Swimmer’s Itch<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0(also called sea itch)<\/em>\u00a0is caused by the microscopic larvae of thimble jellyfish, which are too small to see in the water. Experts say sea itch outbreaks can happen anytime between March and August, although it is usually at its worst between April and early July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sea itch symptoms usually begin four to 24 hours after exposure and include an itchy and painful stinging sensation and slight blistering in affected areas. In rare but severe cases, usually with young children, it can lead to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever, headaches and muscle spasm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hookworm<\/span><\/strong> is a skin infection primarily caused by\u00a0Ancylostoma braziliense<\/em>\u00a0hookworms. It is acquired by walking barefoot or sitting on soil or sand contaminated with dog or cat feces containing hookworm larvae. The hookworm eggs hatch in the ground, and the larvae migrate through a person’s skin, forming red burrows or tracks underneath the outer skin layer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Symptoms include itching (which can cause a secondary bacterial infection), mild swelling, and redness at the place of larval penetration, typically on a person’s feet or buttocks. The burrows or tracks usually appear 1 to 5 days after exposure but sometimes can take weeks to show up. In most cases, the infection suddenly disappears after a few weeks. Treatment includes applying anti-itch creams and taking anthelmintic drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Folliculitis (Hot Tub Rash)<\/strong> <\/span>is an itchy, pimply rash that occurs when bacteria in unclean pools and hot tubs get into hair follicles on the skin. As a result, the area where hairs grow from the skin becomes infected and inflamed, sometimes forming small, pus-filled blisters. A similar rash may come from wearing a damp swimsuit that wasn’t washed and dried well after previous use. Hot rub rash typically starts 12-48 hours after being in a hot tub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ringworm<\/span><\/strong>. Despite having “worm” in its misleading name, ringworm is an infection caused by a fungus that thrives in warm, damp conditions. It is similar to athlete’s foot or jock itch and can appear on a child’s scalp or other body parts. It’s called ringworm because the rash from the infection tends to form round or oval spots that become smooth in the center as they grow while the border remains red and scaly. The fungus can spread quickly among student-athletes, especially during sweaty summertime practices and games, when they share sports equipment and locker rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease<\/span><\/strong> is more common during summer and early fall. Outbreaks are most common in younger children and spread in child care centers, preschools, and summer camps. Caused by\u00a0Enterovirus coxsackie<\/em>, the illness starts with a fever, sore throat, and runny nose\u2014much like the common cold\u2014but then a rash with tiny blisters may appear on any or all the following places on the body:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Symptoms are the worst in the first few days, but they are usually gone within a week. Peeling skin on the fingers, toes, and nails may begin after a week or two, but it is harmless. However, parents of children with a history of atopic dermatitis or eczema should be aware that their children may be prone to a more severe outbreak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What parents can do:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Protecting your child’s skin is a year-round concern, especially in the Cayman Islands, where the skin is exposed and vulnerable. Fortunately, many tropical rashes clear up quickly on their own. However, talk with your pediatrician about any rash you’re unsure about, especially if you don’t know what has caused it. If it’s making your child feel miserable or doesn’t clear up quickly, or if it shows signs of infection or shortness of breath, consult medical attention immediately.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u200bSunny days and starlit evenings spent playing, splashing, and exploring can leave kids with more than warm summertime memories. But unfortunately, balmy weather also can lead to itchy, irritated skin. We’ve provided a list to help prevent, identify, and soothe typical skin rashes found in the Cayman Islands. Heat rash (also known as prickly heat or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[6,99],"courses-cat":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472"},{"taxonomy":"courses-cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechildrensclinic.ky\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/courses-cat?post=472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Remember<\/h2>\n\n\n\n