Skin rashes come in all forms and sizes. Some are raised bumps, others are flat red blotches. Some are itchy blisters; others are pathes of rough skin. Most rashes are harmless and clear up on their own within a few days. A few may need medical attention. The skin is one of the first areas of the body to react when exposed to something you or your child is allergic to. The chart that follows lists information on some common skin rashes.
Common Skin Rashes
| Condition or Illness | Causes | What rash looks like | Skin area(s) Affected | Other symptoms |
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| Diaper Rash | Dampness and the interactioon of urine and the skin. | Small patches or rough skin, tiny pimples. | Buttocks, thighs, gennitals. | Soreness, no itching |
| Cradle Cap | Hormones that pass through the placenta before birth | Scaly, crusty rash (in newborns) | Starts behind the ears and spreads to the scalp | Fine, oily scales |
| Heat Rash (Prickly Heat) | Blocked off sweat glands | Small red pimples, pink blotchy skin | Chest, waist, back, armpitts, groin | Itching (may be a result of fever) |
| *Roseola | Herpes virus type-6 | Flat, rosy red rash | Chest and abdomen | High fever 2-4 days before rash – child feels only midly ill during fever |
| *Fifth Disease | Human parvovirus B19 | Red rash of varying shades that fade to a flat, lacy pattern (rash comes and goes) | Red rash on facial cheeks, lacy-like rash can also appear on arms and legs | Mild disease with no other symptoms or a slight runny nose and sore throat |
| Eczema | Allergens | Dry, red, cracked skin, blisters that ooze and crust over, sufficent scratching leads to a thickened rough skin | On cheeks in infants, on neck, wrist, inside elbows, and backs of knees in older children | Moderate to intense itching (may only itch first, then rash appears hours to days later |
| *Chicken Pox** | Varicella/herpes zoster virus | Flat red spots that become rasied resembling small pimples. These develop into small blisters that break and crust over | Back, chest and abdomen first, then rest of body | Fatigue and mild fever 24 hours before rash appears – intense itching |
| *Scarlet Fever | Bacterial infection (streptococcal) | Rough, bright red rash (feels like sandpaper) | Face, neck, elbows, armpits, groin (spreads rapidly to entire body) | High fever, weakness before rash, sore throat, peeling of the skin afterward (especially palms) |
| *Impetigo | Bacterial infection of the skin | In infants, pus-filled blisters, and red skin. In older children, golden crusts on red sores | Arms, legs, face and around the nose first, then most of body | Sometimes fever – occasional itching |
| Hives | Allergic reaction to food, insect bites, viral infection, drug or other substances | Rasied red bumps with pale centers (resemble mosquito bites), shape, size and location of spots can change rapidly | Any area | Itching- in extreme cases, swelling of throat, difficulty breathing (may need emergency care) |
| Posion Ivy, Oak, Sumac | Interaction of oily resins of plant leaves with skin | Red, swollen skin rash and lines of tiny blisters | Exposed areas | Intense itching and burning |
| Lyme Disease | Bacterial infection spread by deer tick bite(s) | Red rash that looks like a bullseye: rasied edges surround the tick bites with pale centers in the middle. Rash starts to fade after a couple of days | Exposed skin areas where ticks bite, often include scalp, neck, armpit and groin | No pain, no itching at time of bite. Fever-rash occurs in the week following the bite(s) |
Questions to Ask
Does your child have a severe allergic reaction with any of these problems?
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| Does your child have a purple, blotchy rash? And are their hands and feet cold? | |
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Does the child have any of these problems?
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Does your child have any of these?
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| Has your child been near someone with “strep” throat? | |
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If your child has diaper rash:
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| Was the child taking medicine when the rash started? Or was the child stung by a bug? |  |
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Are any of these things true?
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Self-Care Tips
For Diaper Rash
- Change diapers as soon as they are wet or dirty. Do this even at night if the rash is bad.
- Wash your baby with lots of warm water. Don’t use throwaway wipes. Put a little zinc oxide ointment on the skin after it is dry.
- Keep the skin dry, and give it air.
- Keep your baby naked for 10 to 15 minutes before putting on a fresh diaper. Put the baby on a soft, fluffy towel while you wait.
- Put diapers on loose, so air can get inside. If you use throw-away diapers, put some small holes in them. Don’t use throw-aways with tight leg bands.
- Don’t use plastic pants until the rash is gone.
- Wash cloth diapers in mild soap. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse water. It helps get all the soap out.
For Cradle Cap
- Use dandruff shampoo on your baby. Shampoo your baby’s head once a day for 5 minutes. Use a soft brush or washcloth.
- Put a little mineral oil on the baby’s head before shampooing. This can make the cradle cap softer. But be sure to wash out all the mineral oil.
For Heat Rash
Keep your child in a cool, dry place. The rash should go away in 2 to 3 days. Try these tips to make your child feel better:
- Give the child a bath in cool water every 2 hours or so.
- Let the air dry your child’s skin. (Don’t rub with a towel.)
- Put calamine lotion on the very itchy spots. (Don’t use Caladryl.)
- Put corn starch in the body creases.(Examples: inside the elbows, behind knees, inside tops of thighs)
- Don’t use any greasy ointments or creams. They can block the skin’s pores.
For Hives
- Give your child an antihistamine like Benadryl. Check the labels of cold medicines. Some cold medicines have diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine. These can help. But remember that antihistamines can make your child sleepy.
- Cool your child down. Try one of these tips:
- Rub an ice cube over the hives.
- Put a cool, wet washcloth on the hives.
- Give your child a bath in cool water.
- Rub an ice cube over the hives.
- Rub your child’s body with calamine lotion, witch hazel, or zinc oxide.
- Find out what caused the hives. Keep your child away from it.
For Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, or Sumac
- Take off your child’s clothes and shoes.
- Wash your child with soap and water to clean off the plant oil.
- Rub the skin with alcohol. Then rinse it with water.
- Wash all the clothes and shoes your child was wearing.
- Cut your child’s nails. Try to keep your child busy so they won’t scratch.
- Soak the rash in cool water. Or give your child an oatmeal bath. You can use Aveeno or just put one cup of dry oatmeal in a tub of water.
- Give your child a hot shower if they can stand it. The itching will get worse at first, but then it stops for hours. Do it again when the itching starts again.
- Put calamine lotion on the rash every 3 or 4 hours.
- Put a little hydrocortisone cream on the rash. Use a tiny bit and don’t rub. (You could spread the poison.) You have used too much if you can see the cream on the skin. You can do this every 3 or 4 hours. Don’t get the cream near your child’s eyes.
- Teach your child to know poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac. (Poison ivy and poison oak both have 3 little leaves on each stem. Poison sumac has a row of 7 to 11 little leaves on each stem.) Tell your child to stay away from them.
To Protect Your Child from Lyme Disease
- Have your child wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when they are in fields and woods. Have them tuck their pants into their socks. (Light-colored, tightly woven clothes are best.)
- Check your child for ticks when he or she comes back from the woods. Take off any ticks you find on your child’s skin:
- Use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as you can.
- Pull gently up from where the tick sticks into the skin.
- Try not to crush the tick. Poison from the tick can spread the sickness.
- Wash the bite and your hands with soap and water after.
- Save the tick in a closed jar with alcohol. Show it to your child’s doctor if your child gets sick.
- Use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as you can.