Lice, Scabies and Ringworm – At School

By U.S. Dermatology Partners

. https://www.usdermatologypartners.com/

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Lice, Scabies and Ringworm – At School

Back to school is a time when children trade in their swimsuits for shoes and start bringing home spelling words and math problems. But sometimes, they come home with more than just homework assignments. Public places like schools can be a breeding ground for infections, diseases, and downright nasty critters.

Three conditions that no parent looks forward to are head lice, scabies, and ringworm rash.

Learn How to Lose the Lice

Lice are tiny insects that feed on blood. While there are three different types (head lice, body lice, and pubic lice), the most common type to affect children is head lice.

Head lice are spread when people share personal items or are in close contact with someone who has head lice. Common signs of head lice in children are an itchy scalp, a sensation of something crawling on their scalp and tiny spots of blood on your child’s scalp.

If you suspect head lice, you can either use over-the-counter medications or get prescription treatments from your dermatologist and use a lice comb to remove lice.

To prevent head lice, check your child’s scalp at least once a week.

Know How to Stop Scabies

Scabies is an infection caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin, causing an itchy rash. As they burrow into the skin, they lay their eggs, allowing the infection to spread.

Most of the time, scabies comes from direct, skin-to-skin contact, although it can also be picked up from infested items. Some of the signs of scabies include: itching, a rash that often forms in a line and looks like little bites or knots, sores, and a crust on the skin.

Scabies is not something you can treat on your own, and scratching the sores can cause an infection. Most people can be cured with topical medication, but it’s important to follow your dermatologist’s instructions.

Get Rid of Ringworm

Ringworm has nothing to do with worms. It’s an extremely contagious fungal infection that can appear anywhere on the body. It can come from skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, playing with pets/animals or touching something like towels, bedding and even toilets that have been contaminated.

It can appear as itchy, red, scaly or cracked skin or a ring-shaped rash. Sores can be flat or slightly raised, and, if scratched, can spread to other areas. Some cases can be treated with over-the-counter medications, but other infections may require prescription-strength medications.

Keep ringworm from spreading by not sharing items with an infected individual, and make sure your children wash their hands after playing with pets.

If you have any questions or concerns, schedule an appointment with your board-certified dermatologist.