Know About Scabies in Children

 Scabies is a contagious skin disease spread by mites. This parasitic infection causes itching. It can infect anyone. It is not necessary that a person who is infected by this disease do not maintain proper hygiene. Scabies can spread to the whole family from any member of the family. The disease can be easily cured if proper treatment is done. This disease mostly infects children.

Children and Scabies in Children

Scabies can affect a man of any age. The statistics show that children are mostly affected by scabies. Everyday the children go to school where the ambience might not be as hygienic as home. In school they often touch and interact among themselves in an unhygienic way. They have to spend five days of a week in this way that often helps in the spread of the disease. On one hand, these unhygienic conditions are favorable for the breeding of the mites as on the other hand it is easier for them to spread, as the area is small. A contamination of any children with an infected child often spread the disease. The fluid from the body of the infected child can pass to another child by any kind of touch. In adults scabies generally occurs below neck. In some of the children they also occur in the scalp and face. These can have several injurious effects on the children.

Causes of Scabies in Children

Scabies is a highly contagious disease. Sarcoptes scabei is a mite that is identified as the cause of Scabies. It is a tiny might that can grow maximum to half millimeter in length. Each day a female mite makes a burrow of two millimeter under the skin. She lays her eggs in these burrows. It takes nearly four days for the hatching of the egg. Large number of mites can infect a person if he does not take proper care. This disease can be spread easily if there is any type of physical contamination with the infected person. The saliva or the faeces of the mites lead to the itchiness.

Symptoms of Scabies in Children

 Itchiness is the most common symptom for identifying scabies. The itchiness increases at night. A person who is infected by these mites often shows the symptoms after a month. For this reason treatment of scabies is often not possible in the initial stage. They can be found in any place like between the fingers, the surface underneath the wrist, scalps and palms of the babies. The burrows appear as thin lines of grey color. They can be easily observed as a thick cord underneath the surface of the skin. Sores often occur for the itchiness. Rashes of red color mostly in thigh and abdomen are also a symptom of scabies.

Treatment of Scabies in Children

 The child who is having any of the symptoms of scabies should be taken to the doctor. Physicians easily recognize scabies by their symptoms. They make some microscopic examination of the scraps of skin, which helps them to identify the mites, faeces and eggs. The doctors prescribe anti-parasitic drugs for the treatment of scabies. A lotion is also available which is applied to all the parts of the body including ears, face, neck and scalp. The instructions for its application should be followed properly. It should not be washed before the completion of twenty-four hours. A person can once again apply the lotion after a week. There are many home remedies available for scabies that can be helpful in the treatment of the child. The natural products are also suggested as an alternative treatment of scabies and these do not have any side effects.

Advices Regarding Scabies in Children

 A person of any age who is having the symptoms of scabies should immediately consult a doctor. Parents should be careful about the hygiene of the children. They should take proper care of the child’s treatment. Towels, clothes and linens of the bed should be changed at regular intervals and should be washed properly.