Scabies in children and what parents need to pay attention to

Scabies is a common disease found in densely populated areas with poor sanitation. In Vietnam today, although living conditions have been improved, scabies is still present in some areas. Scabies not only affects adults, but children can also get it. So what are the characteristics of scabies in children? What are the things parents should pay attention to? Let's find out more with Doctor Nguyen Thi Thao through the article below!

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• Scabies in children 
• Skin symptoms of scabies in children
• Scabies in children is dangerous? 
• Diagnosis and treatment of scabies in children
• What can parents do to get rid of the source of scabies? 

Scabies in children 

Scabies is a disease like?

Scabies is a very common skin disease in Vietnam. It is caused by the parasite Sarcoptes scabiei hominis. A special thing is that only female scabies has the ability to cause disease. 

The disease can be spread from person to person through direct contact. Or indirectly through objects that the infected person comes into contact with. The scabies then penetrates the skin and causes disease. 

The most characteristic symptom of scabies is that the patient is extremely itchy, especially at night (because the mites burrow and lay eggs at night). In addition, when infected with scabies, there will be skin lesions that are scattered, separate blisters (mostly in thin skin areas). Because of the observation of these blisters, people have named scabies as water scabies. 

The parasitic scabies that causes disease

How are children infected with scabies different from adults?

In general, the treatment of scabies in children will also be slightly different. Because some scabies medications will not be used in young children.

In addition, children with scabies will have quite similar symptoms compared to adults. However, in infants, the blisters in scabies can appear even on the palms of the hands and feet. 

To be able to better understand the symptoms of children with scabies. Let's find out what are the symptoms of scabies in children. 

Skin symptoms of scabies in children

When scabies penetrates the skin, on average after about 2-3 weeks. Infected children will begin to show signs of scabies. 

In which the most characteristic symptom is the patient's extreme itching. Parents may notice signs that their baby is more fussy and refuses to sleep at night. 

In more detail, parents can notice that the skin areas affected by scabies will have the following skin lesions: 

Scattered, isolated blisters on thin skin such as:

• Fingers
• Wrist front
• Wrinkles under the breast
• Around the waist, navel, between the buttocks, ..
• Inner thigh
• Genitals
• In infants, blisters may appear on the palms of the hands and feet.

The tunnel dug by the scabies is also known as the "scabies bed". The scab is burrowed by the mite, 3 to 5 mm long above the surface of the skin, usually as a small blister. Take the needle to inject the liquid, use the needle to catch the scabies attached to the tip of the needle. Tunnels are often found between the fingers, palm lines, and wrist creases.

There may be scratches, scabs, redness, and dark spots on the skin. There may be pustules, eczema.

Symptoms of scabies in children

Scabies in children is dangerous? 

In both children and adults, scabies is less likely to cause serious health complications. Mainly, the disease is very itchy, causing extreme discomfort for the patient, affecting the quality of life. 

However, in children, due to their young age, they tend to scratch a lot. This makes the "scabs" in children increase the risk of superinfection and eczema, lichenification. A few cases of superinfected scabies can even lead to complications of acute glomerulonephritis, which is extremely dangerous. 

On the other hand, some children can't speak yet. Therefore, the detection of scabies and early treatment is relatively much more difficult than in adults.  

Diagnosis and treatment of scabies in children

Diagnose

To be able to diagnose a case of scabies in a child . Doctors can rely on a number of specific symptoms such as: 

• Primary lesions as scattered vesicular papules. Concentrate on young skin areas such as between the fingers, the inside of the wrist, around the navel, the inside of the thigh, the genitals.
• Function: Itching a lot at night.
• Epidemiological: In families, collectives, kindergartens, etc., there are many people suffering from scabies.
• Found the bed of scabies.
• Find the scabies.

Principles of treatment of scabies

To be able to treat scabies in children correctly. Let's go through the principles to help treat scabies:

• Early diagnosis and immediate treatment to avoid complications and spread to the community.
• Treat both family members and people around if found to have scabies.
• Apply the medicine properly (Note that it should be applied when the baby is asleep, especially the hands. Because children often have a habit of putting their hands over their eyes, nose and mouth.)
• Scabies ointment to a safe location, out of reach of children.
• Clothing and personal items must be cleaned to avoid spreading to the community and re-infection.

Medicines to help get rid of scabies in children 

• For children can use Permethrine,
• Children younger than 2 months can use sulfur 
• Ivermectin should not be used in children weighing less than 15 kg

Some medicines help treat scabies in children

What can parents do to get rid of the source of scabies? 

• To be able to kill scabies is the source of the disease. You can boil clothes, blankets, objects in contact with suspected scabies, etc. at a temperature of 80 to 90 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes (due to scabies death at 60 degrees Celsius) 
• In addition, scabies will also die when leaving the host 24-36 hours. Therefore, you can also use a way to leave clean clothes in the closet for a week before wearing them again to let the scabies die on their own. 

Parents have seen that scabies in children can bring a lot of effects to the baby's health. Therefore, parents absolutely must not be subjective. Take your child immediately to reputable medical facilities for proper examination and treatment.