Key points
- Impetigo happens when sores on the skin get infected by bacteria.
- Sores can be crusted, weeping, blistered or filled with pus.
- Take your child to see your GP. Your child probably needs antibiotics.
- Impetigo is very contagious.
Key points
Impetigo or school sores is a skin infection caused by bacteria.
Bacteria can get into the skin through a cut, scratch or sore. Because the skin is broken, it can’t act as a barrier against the bacteria. The bacteria grow in the sore and stop it from healing normally.
If a child touches the sore and then touches somewhere else on their body, the bacteria can spread. This can cause more impetigo sores to develop on the body.
Impetigo is highly contagious. It can spread to other people through physical contact. Objects like towels, sheets and toys can also spread the sores to other people. It’s quite common for there to be outbreaks of impetigo in schools and child care centres.
Impetigo often occurs on top of other skin conditions like eczema, scabies, head lice, insect bites or chickenpox.
Impetigo is more common in the warmer months.
You can have impetigo at any age, but it’s most common in children under 10 years of age.
In the early stages of impetigo, you might notice flat spots or small blisters on any part of your child’s body. These spots are especially common around the mouth, nose, hands and legs. On children with light skin, the spots might look red. On children with dark skin, the spots might look brown, purple or grey.
The spots might fill up with yellow or green pus, burst or crust over. The bacteria are in the liquid and crusts of the sores. If you don’t treat the sores, they might get bigger and more of them might grow. They can be itchy and tender.
In severe cases, the skin surrounding the blisters might change colour and feel warm. Your child might also have fever, tiredness or a loss of appetite.
In rare cases, impetigo can cause complications.
Children with impetigo, particularly those under 6 years of age, are at risk of a complication called staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. This is a serious skin infection, and its symptoms include:
Other complications from impetigo include kidney disease and other skin infections like cellulitis and scarlet fever.
You should see your GP if your child:
Your GP will take a swab of the infected sores and send it for testing. This can identify the bacteria that’s causing the impetigo infection, and it helps your GP know which antibiotic will work best against it.
If the impetigo sores are small and aren’t blistering, you can apply an over-the-counter antiseptic cream from your pharmacy 2-3 times a day.
But most cases of impetigo need a prescribed medication like an antibiotic ointment, tablet or liquid. Your child must take the full course of antibiotics, or the infection might come back.
In between putting the ointment on the infected spots, gently wash your child’s skin with soap or an antibacterial solution, and then pat dry.
You can remove the crusts from your child’s skin by getting your child to soak in the bath for 20-30 minutes to soften the scabs. You can then gently wipe away the crust with a towel. Removing the crusts can help prevent the sores from spreading and allow them to heal.
Cover sores with a watertight dressing.
The sores usually heal without scarring.
Treating impetigo early and effectively can help to stop it from spreading. It can also reduce the chance of complications.
If your child has impetigo, there are several things you can do to prevent the sores from spreading to other parts of your child’s body and to other people:
To reduce your child’s chances of getting impetigo, wash any bites, cuts, grazes or areas of eczema carefully and keep them clean. These can be points of entry for the bacteria that cause impetigo. It’s also important to treat any other skin conditions your child has.
If your child has impetigo, you should keep them home from child care, preschool or school for at least 24 hours after starting treatment.
Our content is regularly reviewed for quality and currency. The last review of this article was by Dr Susan Robertson, Director of Dermatology, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. The article has also received Scientific Advisory Board review.
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