Scabies in children is an itchy skin condition caused by a mite. Incidence of scabies is highest in children below 15 years who live in crowded and unhygienic places. Scabies is highly contagious and should be properly treated to prevent spread and further skin infections.
Symptoms And Causes Of Scabies In Infants
Scabies in children has the following symptoms:
- Extreme itch on the surfaces of the skin especially on areas with folds.
- Itching increases at night or after a hot bath is the main symptom.
- In children burrows appear on the palms and trunk. The burrows are fine, wavy, dark lines if it can be seen.
- Crusty bumps on different areas of the body.
- There is swelling, scratch marks and local eczema over affected areas.
- Red rashes, Lesions and Blisters.
Causes Of Scabies In Infants
The female itch mite deposits eggs under the skin, the larvae hatch and the itch mites gather around the hair follicles of the skin. They are the main cause of the disease.
- Exposure to children or adults who are infected with scabies.
- Close physical contact with an infected person.
- Sharing your baby’s clothing and other garments or linens to other infants.
Natural Remedies For Scabies In Children
Home remedies and natural treatment for scabies in babies include the following:
- Wash your baby’s clothing and other fabrics with hot water.If your infant is the only one infected among the household, wash his clothing separately using anti-germicidal detergents.
- If your child is infected with scabies, avoid exposing him to other children to prevent transmission of infection in the same way that you should avoid taking your child to nurseries and other populated areas to prevent getting infected.
- Apply herbal creams that contain sulfur. But you should pick those that are specifically formulated for children or those that contain not more than 2.5% sulfur concentration.
- Make a paste out of turmeric powder mixed with mustard oil. Apply the mixture on infected areas as often as you need to.
- To soothe itching and rashes, apply evening primrose oil after bathing your child and before bed time.
- Prepare a paste made of margosa leaves and turmeric powder. Turmeric and margosa leaves are proven to have anti parasitic properties that can effectively combat scabies not just in children but among adults as well.