Erythema in a child

Any changes on the skin of the child immediately attract the attention of parents. And if with pimples and rash everything is more or less clear, then the appearance of red spots causes many questions and anxieties. We will discuss what erythema is and why it appears in this article.

The word "erythema" has Greek roots. Translated from the Greek means "red." This fully reflects the essence of what is happening phenomenon. On the skin of the child appear strong redness, which is associated with pathological expansion of the capillaries.

Erythema may occur on the skin of a child after a burn, after exposure to acid or alkali, as well as due to processes occurring inside the body, for example, during an allergic reaction.

Thus, the physiological erythema can be caused by exposure to sunlight, if a child sunbathes and plays in the sun, visiting a bath or sauna, when the expansion of capillaries is temporary. Even with strong shame or stress, a person may blush. And in medicine, such reddening of the skin is also considered erythema, however, reflex.

The main cause of redness is the expansion of the capillaries. In children, erythema is not uncommon due to the nature of the skin. Blood vessels in babies are located close to the surface, to the epidermis, therefore any provoking factor can cause the rapid expansion of small vessels and, as a result, redness of the skin.

Therefore, many erythema have completely safe and natural causes provided by nature itself. So, children have reddening of the skin as a reaction to the massage, to a strong pressing touch. Capillaries expand in response to high temperatures from the outside - in the bath, in the sauna. If a child plays sports, plays outdoor games, runs and jumps, the blood supply becomes more intense, the capillaries under the pressure of blood expand.

Pathological causes of redness can be associated with:

• infectious disease;
• thermal or chemical burns;
• any disease that occurs on a background of high temperature;
• allergic reaction;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• post-traumatic changes in the skin.

There are also skin reddening, the cause of which cannot be determined by the doctors, such erythema is called idiopathic.

All erythema are divided into several types, which differ in external manifestations and the cause of the expansion of capillaries.

This variety is also called persistent erythema. When it is formed on the skin spots in the form of rings. Usually it affects the torso and cheeks, as well as the shoulders of the child. Such ring-shaped reddening can occur with rheumatism, viral or bacterial disease.

There is a special form of annular erythema - erythema Dariain which, for unexplained reasons, pink spots-rings appear on the skin, which rise above the skin and tend to constantly grow.Redness in the form of rings can peel off, and may not violate the integrity of the skin. Sometimes an erythema appears suddenly and goes away after a few hours.

It can be inherited, and ring-shaped erythema accompanies diseases such as tonsillitis, chronic sinusitis and cholecystitis, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and even some tumor processes in the body.

This variety is characterized by the appearance of redness not only on the skin, but also on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat. Most often, rashes appear on the hands (hands) and legs (feet), rounded redness appears on the soles, legs, forearms and on the extensor side of the elbows. Such erythema looks like a convex rich pink rash with clear, contoured edges.

Initially, papules are small - only 2-3 mm in diameter, but they grow quickly and can reach 3 centimeters in diameter. In the center of education there is a small fossa - falling. Because of this, the papule looks slightly bluish.

Often on such rashes and near them there is a watery rash or other types of rash.That is why the term “multiform” is present in the title of erythema. The appearance of such lesions is usually preceded by high fever, intoxication, severe general malaise. Exudative erythema accompanies many viral and bacterial diseases, as well as allergic reactions.

Erythema itself, developing and increasing in size and size, significantly weakens the child's immunity. He begins to get sick more often, much more time is required for recovery.

This is an allergic redness of the skin. Most often occurs in newborns (up to 70% of babies are prone to this form of allergy). Toxic erythema manifests itself as a reaction to allergens from food, medication, upon contact with allergenic substances, household chemicals, body care products, and cosmetics.

This redness is slightly hotter to the touch. It begins immediately or 2-3 days after contact with the allergen (delayed allergic reaction). The appearance of the skin does not change, the integrity of the skin is not broken. Red solid spots of sufficiently large size are most often located on the cheeks and chin of a child, on the tummy, hips, buttocks.

After some time, small nodules and bubbles form at the site of redness. This increases the likelihood of infection, the accession of a bacterial infection. Newborn boys are most susceptible to this type of skin lesions; in girls, toxic erythema occurs several times less frequently.

It is caused by parvovirus B 19. This agent is transmitted by airborne droplets. Most often, this virus is transmitted to children.

The disease begins as the most common acute respiratory viral infection - the child sneezes, he has a runny nose, the temperature rises. After 4-5 days, rashes appear on the skin. At first they look like small red specks on their cheeks. From the side it looks like a fresh slap in the face.

Round spots gradually grow and begin to resemble a lace pattern on the skin. Usually such pink and reddish “laces” disappear within a week. If they later and make themselves known, it is only occasionally, with sunburn, for example. They appear again for a while and pass by themselves.

Typical childhood disease.When it does not have a high temperature, and redness of the skin of the cheeks in the shortest possible time becomes similar in shape to the wings of a butterfly. For many children, such a sudden erythema can occur without any symptoms at all. And the fact that it is transferred, a person learns much later, when antibodies to B19 are detected in his blood. By the way, immunity is produced for life.

This form of the disease has characteristic visual manifestations - nodules. They are formed not on the surface of the skin, but in its deeper layers. The causes are still being studied, however, most researchers tend to believe that an allergic reaction is to blame for the formation of nodular rash. It is an allergic reaction to the waste products of some bacteria, for example, streptococcus.

Usually nodules appear in the process of scarlet fever, streptococcal sore throat, otitis media. Also, erythema nodosum may become a symptom of tuberculosis. Such a rash may accompany inflammatory processes in the intestine and some oncological diseases.

The nodes themselves are quite dense, deep, varying in size - from a few millimeters to 5 centimeters in diameter. The nodules are somewhat elevated above the skin, the skin above them is slightly reddened, there are no clear boundaries, since there is a slight swelling.

The most common nodes occur on the legs, on the front surface of the legs. But sometimes knots form on the face, on the hips, and on the child's bottom. In children, this form of the disease can manifest itself on the basis of nerves due to severe stress, fright, especially in very impressionable children.

All types of erythema can be treated at home. But this fact does not negate the need to show the child to a dermatologist, pediatrician.

The child may have to visit and allergist, since a large part of erythema, one way or another, is associated with allergic reactions of one type or another.

When ring-shaped erythema is prescribed drugs that can affect the main cause of the occurrence of red and pink rings on the skin. Most often prescribed antihistamines, vitamin complexes. If there is an associated infection, antibiotics may be recommended. This, a rather simple form of the disease, lends itself well to local treatment with aerosols with sodium thiosulfate. Sometimes a dermatologist finds it necessary to use hormonal ointments with a low content of glucocorticosteroid hormones - «Advantan, "Triderm".

With polymorphic exudative erythema, hormonal treatment is indicated only in the case of a chronic complex form. If a child has such a disease manifested for the first time, he will not be given hormones, but will be limited to antihistamine drugs - «Tavegilom», «Suprastin» and others. It is important to remove from the body as soon as possible what caused the skin phenomena, and therefore the child is immediately prescribed sorbents and diuretic drugs, as well as calcium preparations.

Local treatment will be to use antiseptics. Since vesicles and pustules often accompany this form of the disease, salicylic alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and also aniline dyes, for example, are recommended.Fukortsin».

Toxic erythema requires antihistamine therapy. and topical use of similar medicines, for example, “Fenistil”. Less commonly, doctors prescribe hormonal ointments.

With erythema infection antibiotics can not be taken, because the causative agent of the disease is the B 19 virus. An infant with such a diagnosis can be hospitalized because his immunity is weak. Such patients are shown intravenous administration of antiviral drugs in a hospital setting under the constant supervision of doctors. Special treatments at home are not required, the child is shown plenty of drinking and bed rest at elevated temperatures.

Nodular erythema is treated with dry heat. It is useful to make dry compresses on the legs, especially if there is an additional symptom - pain in the joints. Usually this is quite enough. With a duration of erythema more than 2 weeks, the doctor may prescribe calcium supplements, vitamins, hormonal ointments for local use, as well as antihistamines, both locally and systemically.

Forecasts are mostly positive. Erythema passes and no longer returns. In chronic form, it can recur during illness, overheating, but it will not have any effect on the general condition of the child.

Erythema itself is not dangerous. Dangerous diseases can be a symptom of which it has become.

Infectious erythema after recovery leaves the child with lifelong immunity to the B 19 virus.

Nodular erythema, even in chronic form, does not interfere with life and does not cause any particular trouble. Ring-shaped erythema also has positive projections.

For more information on the disease, you can find out by watching the video below.