J has impetigo and is on antibiotics. We just have to hope that none of the rest of us get it´. Now that I know it is very contagious my face suddenly seems rather itchy.
Treatment When it just affects a small area of the skin, impetigo can usually be treated with antibiotic ointment. But if the infection has spread to other areas of the body, or the ointment isn't working, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic pill or liquid.
Once antibiotic treatment begins, healing should start within a few days. It's important to make sure that your child takes the medication as the doctor has prescribed. If that doesn't happen, a deeper and more serious skin infection could develop.
While the infection is healing, gently wash the areas of infected skin with clean gauze and antiseptic soap every day. Soak any areas of crusted skin in warm soapy water to help remove the layers of crust (it is not necessary to completely remove all of it).
To keep your child from spreading impetigo to other parts of the body, the doctor or nurse will probably recommend covering infected areas of skin with gauze and tape or a loose plastic bandage. Keep your child's fingernails short and clean.
Prevention Good hygiene practices, such as regular hand washing, can help prevent impetigo. Have kids use soap and water to clean their skin and be sure they take baths or showers regularly. Pay special attention to areas of the skin that have been injured, such as cuts, scrapes, bug bites, areas of eczema, and rashes such as poison ivy. Keep these areas clean and covered.
Anyone in your family with impetigo should keep fingernails cut short and the impetigo sores covered with gauze and tape.
Prevent impetigo infection from spreading among family members by using antibacterial soap and making sure that each family member uses a separate towel. If necessary, substitute paper towels for cloth ones until the impetigo is gone. Separate the infected person's bed linens, towels, and clothing from those of other family members, and wash these items in hot water.
Taping up J's mouth could be rather problematic but the paper towels and antibacterial soap might ease your fears somewhat!. We're itching in sympathy already.
Watch your back. We used to ask kids to stay at home when affected. Hope he heals up quickly - I'll be wearing rubber gloves & face mask on Wednesday! m
He has been given antibiotics and some cream and it is amazing how quickly it is healing up. THe Dr said he would probably be OK for nursery on Monday. Nobody else seems to have it yet.
I have been itching ever since Tim had a letter home about a child at the school having got head lice. I made it worse when i googles this and found a picture of somebody with head lice in their eyelashes!
"having got2 "i googles" Is this the same Ben that I nurtured & spoke to incessantly so that he would develop a high level of competence in the english language. Lice are no discriminators of body zone!! m
this seemed helpful:
ReplyDeleteTreatment
When it just affects a small area of the skin, impetigo can usually be treated with antibiotic ointment. But if the infection has spread to other areas of the body, or the ointment isn't working, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic pill or liquid.
Once antibiotic treatment begins, healing should start within a few days. It's important to make sure that your child takes the medication as the doctor has prescribed. If that doesn't happen, a deeper and more serious skin infection could develop.
While the infection is healing, gently wash the areas of infected skin with clean gauze and antiseptic soap every day. Soak any areas of crusted skin in warm soapy water to help remove the layers of crust (it is not necessary to completely remove all of it).
To keep your child from spreading impetigo to other parts of the body, the doctor or nurse will probably recommend covering infected areas of skin with gauze and tape or a loose plastic bandage. Keep your child's fingernails short and clean.
Prevention
Good hygiene practices, such as regular hand washing, can help prevent impetigo. Have kids use soap and water to clean their skin and be sure they take baths or showers regularly. Pay special attention to areas of the skin that have been injured, such as cuts, scrapes, bug bites, areas of eczema, and rashes such as poison ivy. Keep these areas clean and covered.
Anyone in your family with impetigo should keep fingernails cut short and the impetigo sores covered with gauze and tape.
Prevent impetigo infection from spreading among family members by using antibacterial soap and making sure that each family member uses a separate towel. If necessary, substitute paper towels for cloth ones until the impetigo is gone. Separate the infected person's bed linens, towels, and clothing from those of other family members, and wash these items in hot water.
Taping up J's mouth could be rather problematic but the paper towels and antibacterial soap might ease your fears somewhat!.
We're itching in sympathy already.
G
Watch your back.
ReplyDeleteWe used to ask kids to stay at home when affected.
Hope he heals up quickly - I'll be wearing rubber gloves & face mask on Wednesday!
m
He has been given antibiotics and some cream and it is amazing how quickly it is healing up. THe Dr said he would probably be OK for nursery on Monday. Nobody else seems to have it yet.
ReplyDeleteI have been itching ever since Tim had a letter home about a child at the school having got head lice. I made it worse when i googles this and found a picture of somebody with head lice in their eyelashes!
ReplyDeleteBen
"having got2
ReplyDelete"i googles"
Is this the same Ben that I nurtured & spoke to incessantly so that he would develop a high level of competence in the english language.
Lice are no discriminators of body zone!!
m