Red rash on child

Children's body resistance is relatively low during their growth and development, and they are easily infected by external bacteria, which can easily lead to some physical diseases. Red rash is also a very common body skin disease. There are many reasons why children develop red rashes. This may be a manifestation of scarlet fever, or a skin symptom caused by urticaria. Parents need to observe in time.

What is the red rash on my child?

First, measles, a highly contagious disease caused by the measles virus, is still one of the leading causes of death among children worldwide, even though many children are now vaccinated against measles at birth. Measles also causes red maculopapular rashes, but the order is head and face → neck → trunk → limbs. Usually, there is fever before measles, and the rash appears after a fever period of 3-4 days. The rash period is also the peak period of fever.

Second, rubella, which is caused by rubella virus. The order of rash is face and neck → trunk → limbs, and it usually appears 1-2 days after the onset of symptoms.

Third, roseola infantum, its pathogen is human herpes virus type 6, which is mostly located on the head, face, neck and trunk, and rarely on the limbs. It appears all on one day and begins to subside the next day. Generally, there is a high fever for 3-5 days, and the rash appears after the fever subsides.

Fourth, scarlet fever is caused by beta-hemolytic streptococci. The skin all over the body can be affected. The rash will be accompanied by peeling after the rash subsides. The rash will appear 1-2 days after the fever, and the fever will be high when the rash appears.

Fifth, drug rash. If your child took medicine before the rash appeared, the drug rash cannot be eliminated. This rash is generally itchy and is more common in areas of friction and pressure.

Clinical manifestations of scarlet fever

The incubation period is 2 to 5 days, but can be as short as 1 day or as long as 7 days.

1. Prodromal stage

Most of them suffer from sudden onset of chills and fever. In severe cases, the body temperature can rise to 39℃ ~ 40℃, accompanied by headache, sore throat, bayberry tongue, loss of appetite, general discomfort, nausea and vomiting. Infants may have delirium and seizures. The throat is red and swollen, and dots or flakes of secretions can be seen on the tonsils. The soft palate is congested and edematous, and may have rice-sized red macules or hemorrhagic spots, which is called intramucosal rash, which usually appears before the skin rash.

2. Rash period

Rash is one of the most important symptoms of scarlet fever. Most cases appear within 1 to 2 days of onset. Occasionally, the rash may appear as late as the 5th day. It starts from behind the ears, the base of the neck and the upper chest, and spreads to the chest, back, upper limbs and finally the lower limbs within 1 day. In some cases, it takes several days to spread throughout the body.

The typical rash is characterized by dense and evenly distributed needle-cap-sized dot-like congested red rashes on the basis of redness and congestion on the skin all over the body. They all disappear when pressed by hand, but reappear after the pressure is removed. Occasionally, it appears as "chicken skin-like" papules. In severe cases of poisoning, there may be hemorrhagic rash, and patients often feel itchy. In skin folds such as the armpits, elbows, and groin, dense and linear rashes can be seen, which are called "Pa's lines." The face is red and flushed, with a small amount of rash. The area around the mouth and nose appears pale in comparison, which is called "perioral pale circle".

At the onset of the disease, the tongue is covered with white fur, and the papillae are red and swollen, protruding above the white fur, especially at the tip and edges of the tongue. After 2 to 3 days, the white coating begins to fall off, the tongue surface becomes smooth and flesh-red, and there may be superficial cracks, but the papillae are still protruding, which is called "bayberry tongue".

The rash usually reaches its peak within 48 hours and disappears completely in 2 to 4 days. Severe cases may last for 5 to 7 days or even longer. The submandibular and cervical lymph nodes may be enlarged and tender, and are generally non-suppurative. The body temperature is higher when the rash appears. When the rash spreads all over the body, the body temperature gradually drops, the symptoms of poisoning disappear, and the rash retreats.