Streptoderma in children: photos, symptoms and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Streptoderma in children is a fairly common disease that develops against a background of reduced immunity. The causative agents are various strains of streptococcus. Symptoms of the disease are pronounced, bubble rashes appear sometimes on the mucous membranes, more often on the skin. If treatment is not started on time, then streptococcus infects more and more new areas of the skin.

The incubation period of streptoderma lasts a week, after which the disease begins to develop more actively and develops into an acute form. To avoid complications, after the diagnosis is made, it is necessary to start treatment immediately. The course of the disease can be different: chronic, acute, deep or superficial. In the chronic form, streptococcus is immediately determined when any wounds and sores appear on the skin.

Infection with streptoderma

Streptoderma in children is a contagious disease. Most often it affects young children (2-7 years). Provoking factors that contribute to infection with streptococcus,are abrasions, cuts, insect bites, scratches and other damage to the skin. Through them, the infection easily penetrates the body. How does streptoderma begin in children? The infection can be transmitted through toys, dishes, objects touched by a sick baby, that is, in any household way. Once in a he althy body, after a few days, the infection begins to appear in the form of rashes.

What is streptoderma? The causative agent, as already mentioned, is a streptococcal bacterium (most often group A - predominantly beta-hemolytic pyogenic streptococcus). Its reproduction on the skin leads to the formation of vulgar eczema, impetigo and some other ailments, which are united by one common concept of "streptoderma". You can find streptococcus not only on toys and dishes, but also on the child’s clothes (both bottom and top), linen must be ironed with a hot iron.

Any person (both small and adult) suffering from otitis, tonsillitis or erysipelas can be a carrier.

Causes of disease

Streptococcus is a typical representative of microbial opportunistic flora. If the immune system functions normally, there are no lesions on the mucous membranes and skin, the development of this microorganism becomes limited, streptoderma does not develop in children. In small quantities, certain varieties of these microorganisms are present in the human body, but a he althy immune system copes with them.

The inflammatory process beginsas soon as favorable conditions for microbes occur in a fragile organism, streptoderma develops in children. The photo shows that there are too many painful bubbles. A sick person becomes dangerous and contagious.

For this reason, children often get sick in children's groups, where they use common household items, toys.

The pathogen is actively spreading with dust, so it is recommended to carry out wet cleaning more often for prevention. In addition to the listed reasons for infection of the body, it is worth adding stress and malnutrition.

In addition to the primary, there is a secondary form of streptoderma. Its causes are diseases that led to violations of the skin. It could be scabies, ringworm or eczema. The main reasons why streptoderma occurs, doctors include the following:

• failure to fully observe personal hygiene;
• damage to the mucous membranes and skin (cracks, abrasions, seizures, scratching of insect bites, etc.);
• stress situation;
• deterioration of the immune system;
• chronic skin diseases (pediculosis, dermatitis, psoriasis);
• endocrine disorders (diabetes mellitus);
• lack of vitamins in the body;
• with too frequent water procedures, the protective film is washed off the skin;
• with too rare water procedures, dead cells of the dermis and opportunistic microorganisms are not removed;
• frostbite and burns;
• intoxication;
• varicose veins (circulatory disorders).

Streptoderma in children: symptoms and photos

The incubation period of the disease lasts for seven days. The clinical picture of streptoderma in children begins to appear after this period.

Dermatologists divide the symptoms into two groups - these are basic and additional. The main ones are those that characterize exactly streptoderma. Additional may appear in other childhood diseases.

The main symptoms of streptoderma in children:

1. Redness appears on various parts of the body. Rashes can be on the face, arms, legs, back, buttocks.
2. Later bubbles appear, yellowish liquid inside.
3. For two days the size of the bubbles increase markedly, after which they burst.
4. Erosions form on the skin that get wet, then dry up to yellow crusts.
5. The crusts fall off over time.
6. After that, white spots remain, which gradually disappear.
7. Throughout this cycle, the baby's skin itches unbearably.

When scratching, the infectious agent spreads more strongly, recovery comes later. Streptoderma in children (symptoms are visible in the photo) brings significant discomfort.

The disease lasts from 3 to 7 days, medical recommendations should be strictly followed.

Additional symptoms include:

• enlarged lymph nodes;
• temperature increase;
• nausea and vomiting;
• weakness, loss of appetite, general malaise, lethargy, sleep disturbance.

Many parents, not knowing exactly the symptoms of streptoderma, confuse this disease with other skin diseases (pityriasis versicolor, urticaria, atopic dermatitis, eczema, pyoderma). Treatment for each disease can be different, so only a competent specialist should establish the diagnosis. Streptoderma is very diverse. The first blisters that appear are called impetigo, in their place weeping sores form.

Disease types

Streptoderma has several varieties, consider the most common of them.

Streptococcal impetigo is the classic and most common form. How does streptoderma begin in children? The photo shows that red rashes appear on the face. They can also form on the hands and feet, on the hands. This form is the most limited, in this case the infection does not penetrate deeper than the surface layer of the dermis. Its protective functions are retained, while the local protection functions are activated. Against the background of redness, conflicts are formed (bubbles with a clear liquid). When they appear, severe itching begins. After the liquid becomes cloudy, the bubbles open, become covered with a crust, dry up. After removing the crusts, pigment spots remain on the skin. In a normal course, the disease lasts up to seven days. With complications, it takes up to three weeks.

With bullous impetigo, the location of the rash is the lower and upper limbs (feet andbrushes), the spots are large. After opening, the sores grow and capture he althy areas of the skin.

Streptococcal diaper rash most often occurs in infants and overweight people. It is localized in the skin folds: in the armpits, under the mammary glands, in the inguinal-femoral and intergluteal folds.

In the form of dry streptoderma, simple lichen is often formed in children. It appears as a spot with clear borders of a bright pink color. Occurs on the face. Under the influence of sunlight, the rash decreases. Previously tanned areas have a different color than the rest of the skin.

Streptococcal congestion is one of the varieties of slit-like impetigo. Bubbles form at the corners of the mouth. After they disappear, cracks (erosion) form on the affected areas, they become covered with a yellow crust. Children often peel off this crust, but it reappears.

Streptococcal ecthyma is the most severe form of streptoderma. The infection penetrates into the deeper layers of the dermis. During the course of the disease, scars and ulcerative-necrotic lesions are formed. Often this form affects the legs and arms. It does not occur on the face, since there is a fairly good blood supply to the skin, it allows you to quickly cope with inflammatory processes. If the activator of ecthyma enters the bloodstream, a person begins to feel the general signs of an infectious-toxic shock, while the general state of he alth deteriorates significantly.

Diagnosis

To know what measures to take in the fight against the disease, the doctor must correctlyto diagnose. It was discussed above how streptoderma begins in children. At the first suspicion, parents should contact their pediatrician immediately.

The diagnosis is established on the basis of the database (an outbreak of streptoderma in the children's team, a single contact with the carrier of the infection) and after a visual examination (multiple vesicles or honey-colored crusts).

For a more accurate study, laboratory methods are used:

1. A smear is taken from the affected area of the skin for microscopy.
2. Part of the crust is sown on a nutrient medium (bacteriological analysis).

These methods are used before taking antibiotics and if no self-medication has been used.

When making a diagnosis, a competent doctor relies on all the data:

1. Clinical signs. The external manifestations of an infectious disease are taken into account, the nature of its appearance is established.
2. Bacteriological methods. A scraping is taken from the skin for sowing, the contents of the vesicles are examined, as well as purulent discharge in case of erosive damage to the dermis.
3. The sensitivity of the child to various antibiotics is taken into account when prescribing therapy.
4. Additional examination methods include: egg worm tests, biochemical and general blood tests, urinalysis. The results make it possible to judge how the inflammatory process develops in the body, which course of treatment should be chosen.
5. Differential diagnosis. Any pediatrician knows that they can disguise themselves as streptodermaother diseases with similar symptoms. These are fungal infections, staphylococcal pyoderma, syphilis, herpes, chickenpox. Only after collecting all the data, the doctor establishes the correct diagnosis and prescribes treatment.

Treatment of streptoderma

Treatment of streptoderma (on the face of a child or on other parts of the body) must be carried out correctly, adhering to all the recommendations of the doctor.

There is a whole range of therapeutic measures that will help to cope with the disease. One of them is taking antibiotics. These medicines are used both externally and internally. Doctors do not prescribe such an aggressive form of treatment if the manifestations of streptoderma are single or mild. If parents know how streptoderma begins in children (the photo is presented), then their timely treatment will help to avoid the acute form of the disease. The doctor prescribes antibiotics only in cases where the process is actively developing and it is difficult to stop it. In exceptional cases, the use of hormonal drugs may even be required.

Topical antibiotic ointments:

• erythromycin;
• tetracycline»
• "Lincomycin";
• Gentamicin;
• Mupiracin;
• "Bactroban";
• "Baneocin";
• Levomikol;
• "Synthomycin";
• Altargo;

Hormonal ointments used in rare cases:

• "Belogent";
• Lorinden C;
• Canison Plus;
• "Betaderm";
• Triderm.

In systemic treatment, doctors prescribe antibiotics of the penicillin group, macrolides, cephalosporins. Penicillins are not prescribed in cases where the child has recently received such an antibiotic in the recent past for any other disease, and also if his history includes hypersensitivity or intolerance to this group of drugs.

Topical treatment

What medications are used, it became clear, and how to treat streptoderma in children (the first symptoms are visible in the photo) before going to the doctor, when the baby starts to act up and comb sore spots.

The funds that are in any home medicine cabinet come to the rescue:

• hydrogen peroxide;
• salicylic alcohol;
• boric acid;
• fucorcin;
• brilliant green.

Antiseptics must be applied competently, with skill. The bubble is opened very carefully, then with a cotton swab the agent is applied to the affected area with a grip around the area by 1-2 mm. The antiseptic must be completely dry.

What does streptoderma look like in children, all parents should know and take timely measures to alleviate the condition of the child.

The use of decoctions of medicinal plants is recognized even by official medicine. Will help relieve itching and inflammation of the lotion from the series, calendula, chamomile, oak bark.

But all these funds are used only as ancillary, in combination with drug therapy.

Streptoderma in children: home treatment

The following are recipes that have been used in traditional medicine for many years. With skin diseases, these remedies help to alleviate the course of the disease.

A photo of streptoderma in a child on the face indicates redness, rashes that bring unbearable sensations to the baby. Using decoctions, you can relieve unpleasant symptoms.

1. Oak bark decoction is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties. Take 0.5 liters of water and pour a tablespoon of dry raw materials. Boil for half an hour. Cool the broth and strain. It is better to treat the affected skin areas early in the morning and at night.
2. For lotions, a decoction of string or calendula is used. For 20 grams of raw materials, 300 ml of water is taken, everything is put in glassware and aged in a water bath for 40 minutes. When warm, it is applied to the affected areas (you can use cotton pads, pads).
3. A decoction of sage helps well. Pour half a glass of chopped grass with 0.5 liters of water and boil for ten minutes. Strain the decoction and take it internally. Give the child 50-100 ml between main meals. For lotions, you can use the cake from straining, after wrapping it in a cloth.

Personal hygiene

We reviewed streptoderma in children, photos and treatment were also presented. And what needs to be done so that this disease passes as quickly as possible and does not manifest itself at all in the future? Pay attention to your baby's personal hygiene. Remember:

1. First 3-4day you should not bathe the baby, water quickly conducts the infection to unaffected areas of the skin.
2. Places of the skin that are not captured by the infection, wipe daily with a cotton swab moistened with herbal decoctions.
3. Make sure that the baby does not comb the sores. For intolerable itching, the doctor may prescribe appropriate antihistamines.
4. Give your child some household items: dishes, towels. Treat thoroughly after using them.
5. Remove all soft toys while you are sick. Plastic are daily washed in boiled water and treated with antiseptics.
6. Bed linen should be changed daily, ironed with a hot iron, especially pillowcases.
7. Any skin lesions must be treated with antiseptic solutions.

Following all these measures, you can help your child. The disease will pass in a mild form and in an extremely short time. Otherwise, if the infection spreads to he althy areas of the skin, the disease may worsen and drag on for a long time.

Prevention

In order to prevent further recurrence of streptoderma in a child on the face or other parts of the body, strictly monitor the he alth of your baby. Provide him with a balanced diet, monitor hygiene. To increase immunity, walk more often, sign up for a pool, use vitamin complexes. For any damage to the skin, immediately disinfect the wounds, this will close the entrance for the penetration of various infections.

Remember the basicpoints for the prevention of any infectious diseases. Their implementation will allow your child to learn from childhood to protect his body from many diseases:

1. Strictly follow the rules of personal hygiene.
2. A he althy baby should wash and bathe or shower every day.
3. You need to change your underwear every day.
4. Inflammatory skin lesions must be properly and timely treated.
5. A he althy lifestyle is important.
6. Spend more time outdoors, in nature.
7. Be sure to exercise.
8. Steel your baby from birth.
9. Get your baby a complete and balanced diet.

As you can see, it is not at all difficult to ensure a he althy life for a baby. All loving parents, with strict adherence to our recommendations, will be able to avoid infectious diseases in a child, and if they appear, cope with them in a short time.