BABY AND CHILDHOOD SKIN DISORDERS: RINGWORM (TINEA)
This sounds a bit like a gardener's manual. But ringworm has nothing to do with worms, and just how it collected this name we aren't too certain. The ring part is fairly obvious, for the skin lesions it causes are often in the shape of a ring. The other common name is tinea. Doctors have a host of complicated names for this disorder, which are too horrific to mention, so we'll stick to these two simple ones.
Unlike most other skin disorders, many of which are caused by bacteria or viruses, tinea is produced by a strange fungus, which in reality is a living plant. Infections are often small, localized and hardly noticeable. But others are extensive and produce irritating symptoms. Children often receive infections from household pets, cats and dogs. Any part of the body may be infected, but the appearance of the lesion varies with the area involved.
Although it all sounds simple, diagnosis is often very difficult, and sometimes special tests are necessary. Some simple cases of tinea are obvious, especially when occurring between the toes or in a neat little circular area on a limb. But others may be hard to diagnose, and even the doctor may have to resort to special tests to help make the accurate diagnosis and thus order the right treatment.
If there is any uncertainty, the doctor may take a small amount of lesion in the form of scrapings. (Don't panic, it won't hurt if this becomes necessary. Besides, it is all over in a flash, and you're none the worse for wear.) These scrapings are examined under the microscope, and very quickly the correct diagnosis may be made.
At other times, especially if the scalp is infected, this may be examined under a special ray called Wood's light. This can quickly indicate if the infection is ringworm: the affected part gives a typical translucent hue.
Different forms of treatment are used; many have been available for years. Some are very effective, but others may not prove particularly beneficial. If the infection is severe, and not responding to simple locally applied remedies, the doctor may prescribe the antibiotic named griseoful vins. This specifically kills the fungi and it is usually extremely effective, although it may take quite some time to act. The locally applied chemical called tolnaftate is also very effective in many cases. Sometimes if there is much inflammation as well as infection present, so-called steroid creams containing anti-inflammatory plus anti-fungal ingredients are also prescribed by the doctor.
Children are very susceptible to fungal infections, probably because their general skin resistance is not high, and also probably because they play more with domestic pets.
As the appearances differ depending on the part of the body affected, we'll deal with the four chief areas separately: the scalp, the body, the inguinal region (between the legs), and the toes and feet.
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General Health
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