My Child Has a Rash on Their Body: What Should I Do?

Healthy skin forms a barrier between the inside of the body and the environment outside. A rash indicates that something has affected the skin. Most often, a rash is a minor problem or part of an illness that resolves on its own, but sometimes it can indicate a more serious condition. That’s why it’s always important to get it checked out.

Dr. Arbi Ayvazian and our team at Rapid Response Urgent Care in Granada Hills, California, offer urgent care and walk-in services for when you have a medical situation, like a rash, and you don’t know how serious it is. We perform a thorough examination and diagnose and treat the problem so you can have peace of mind.

Generalized rashes

Generalized rashes occur over the entire body. Rashes caused by viral illnesses are more common in babies and young children than in adults. A viral rash may be the culprit if the child also has a cold, cough, or diarrhea, or if they’re in a daycare setting with other children who are sick.

Most virally caused rashes aren't serious and disappear over a few days to a week. Home treatment, such as rest and fluids, is adequate to resolve them.

Common rashes caused by viruses include:

• Chickenpox (varicella): a common, contagious illness caused by a type of herpes virus
• Fifth disease: appears after a parvovirus B19 infection; lacy pink rash on the arms and legs, torso, and buttocks
• Roseola (roseola infantum): occurs about three days after a high fever

In some cases, the specific virus that causes the rash is never known.

Localized rashes

Localized rashes affect just a single area of the body and are often resolved with home treatment. Common localized rashes during childhood include:

Diaper rash

This rash is caused by diaper chafing, moisture or chemicals in the diaper, or bacteria in the baby's urine or stool; materials in disposable diapers; or soaps used to wash cloth diapers.

Impetigo

This is a bacterial skin infection caused by strep or staph bacteria. It can be resolved with antibiotics.

Heat rash (prickly heat)

This rash can develop in very hot weather, but it’s more often caused by well-meaning parents dressing a baby too warmly.

Cold sores

Sometimes called fever blisters, cold sores are clusters of small blisters on the lip and outer edge of the mouth caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Contact dermatitis

This rash is caused by direct contact with an irritant, such as food, soap, or lotion, that causes an allergic reaction. Most forms are mild and disappear when your child's skin is no longer in contact with the substance.

Other illnesses

Rashes can appear connected to some more serious diseases, such as:

Lyme disease

The disease results from a type of bacteria carried by deer ticks in some geographical areas. An expanding red rash occurs at the site of the tick bite, followed by flu-like symptoms such as headache, chills, fever, and body aches.

Scarlet fever

Scarlet fever is caused by the same bacterium that causes strep throat, and it produces a bright red rash over most of the child’s body. Scarlet fever almost always comes with a sore throat and high fever.

The disease is most common in children 5-15 years old. And though it was once considered a serious childhood illness, antibiotic treatments have made it less of a threat. However, if left untreated, scarlet fever can result in more serious conditions, ones that affect major organs in the body.

Treatments for rashes are specific to the underlying condition.

If your child has a rash and you don’t know why, it’s time to bring them into Rapid Response Urgent Care so we can diagnose and treat the problem. Walk in, call us at 818-923-5216, or book an appointment online today.