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Impetigo services offered in Great Neck, NY
There are more than 3 million cases of impetigo, an itchy and sometimes painful skin condition, each year in the United States. If your child develops crusts or sores on their skin, turn to TeleDerm Kidz in Great Neck, New York. Skilled pediatric dermatologist Jonathan Trager, MD, diagnoses and treats impetigo to eliminate bothersome symptoms. Schedule a telehealth appointment by calling the office or booking an appointment online today.
Impetigo Q&A
What is impetigo?
Impetigo is a skin condition caused by bacteria called staphylococcus (staph) or streptococcus (strep), often affecting young children. It’s characterized by blisters, itchy sores, and sometimes pain. Fortunately, impetigo is highly treatable with antibiotics. See Dr. Trager at TeleDerm Kidz at the first sign of new or unusual skin changes.
What are the symptoms of impetigo?
Impetigo in children can lead to:
- Itching
- Discomfort
- Swollen glands
- Blisters
- Sores
- Raw or red skin
- Crusting
- Scabbing
- Rashes
- Wounds
- Scaring in some cases
Sores on the skin caused by impetigo may quickly burst. These and similar symptoms might appear on a child’s nose, mouth, ears, hairline, scalp, arms, or legs.
What are the risk factors for impetigo?
Impetigo accounts for about 10% of skin conditions in children and is the most common type of skin infection in kids ages 2-5. It’s caused by bacteria that may enter your child’s skin through a scrape, cut, insect bite, or rash that they scratch. It can also appear after having chickenpox, eczema, head lice, or scabies.
Once inside the skin, the bacteria continue to grow, leading to infection and inflammation in the top skin layers.
Impetigo is highly contagious. Children can get it from skin-to-skin contact with an infected person and by sharing towels or other personal items. Impetigo may be contagious for weeks without treatment.
How is impetigo diagnosed?
Dr. Trager diagnoses impetigo by reviewing your child’s symptoms and medical history and examining their skin. He may take a skin culture and send the sample to a lab for analysis to determine which antibiotics are the most appropriate.
How is impetigo treated?
Your child’s personalized impetigo treatment plan often includes taking antibiotics. They might need topical antibiotics applied to their skin or oral antibiotics taken by liquid or a pill.
After beginning impetigo treatment, the condition is contagious until your child’s skin rash disappears, any scabs fall off, and at least two days of antibiotic use have passed. Children often aren’t contagious after 48 hours of beginning treatment.
Prevention measures include regular hand washing or using hand sanitizer and keeping surface areas clean. Thoroughly wash clothing, bedding, and towels regularly.
If your child has signs of impetigo, schedule a telehealth evaluation at TeleDerm Kidz by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.