Children's lichen is a whole group of infectious dermatoses, which can be of either fungal or viral origin. Such a disease is accompanied by skin rashes, peeling, itching, pigmentation disorders, as well as hair loss and nail damage.
In children, various types of lichen can be observed, each of which has its own specific manifestations. The most common manifestations include the following:
- multi-colored;
- pink;
- ringworm;
- pityriasis;
- red flat;
- herpes zoster.
To determine the type of childhood lichen, you should definitely contact a specialist. To identify the type of dermatosis, doctors conduct dermatological diagnostics, which include examination of the skin under the Wood lamp, microscopy of the scraping, as well as cultural and virological studies.
As for the treatment of childhood lichen, as a rule, it includes quarantine, treatment of foci with corticosteroid, antiviral and antifungal drugs, as well as physiotherapeutic effects.
basic information
The term "pediatric lichen" (photo of affected skin areas is presented below) is collective. In pediatric practice, it is used to denote viral and fungal diseases of the skin, different in origin, appearance and course. According to statistics, lichen affects up to 85% of babies who regularly attend school and preschool institutions. In dermatology, this disease is most often diagnosed in children under 14 years of age.
It is no secret to anyone that some types of the disease in question are highly contagious. In order not to be dangerous for people around, with any changes in the skin, experts recommend showing the child to a pediatrician, infectious disease specialist or dermatologist.
Where can I get infected?
Depending on the pathogens, lichen in children can be fungal and viral. Infection of kids with this ailment usually occurs in groups (for example, in a school, kindergarten or camp), as well as in public places (for example, in a bathhouse, pool, hairdresser). In addition, such a disease often manifests itself after close contact with animals or in case of non-observance of banal rules of personal hygiene.
Features of various types of disease
In childhood, lichen occurs more often than in adults. Experts attribute this fact to the lifestyle of the child.
Infant pink lichen almost always occurs after an intestinal or respiratory infection, acute fever, or vaccination. The exact cause of this type of disease is not known. However, scientists suggest that the causative agent is the herpes virus of the seventh type. Infection can be transmitted not only by contact, but also by airborne droplets. Usually pink lichen occurs in children from 10 years old. Although it can often be observed in adults under 35 years of age.
Quarantine for lichen in kindergarten is a must. This is especially true of cases associated with the occurrence of a ringworm disease.
Ringworm has two varieties (trichophytosis and microsporia). The threat of infection with this disease is people and animals with a fungal infection. Often it is transmitted through personal items and household items that contain disputes.
Multicolored or pityriasis versicolor refers to fungal infections caused by three types of yeast-like fungus. The latter can calmly dwell on the skin of a child and at the same time not cause absolutely any pathological changes. However, infectious diseases, seborrhea, hormonal disorders, hyperhidrosis, leukemia, rheumatism, a hereditary predisposition or lymphogranulomatosis often become a kind of impetus for the fungal process.
It should be noted that multi-colored lichen is not contagious. Most often, this disease is observed in adolescents. The most common habitats for fungi of this species are areas with a large number of sweat glands.
The causes of lichen planus are not well understood. Therefore, experts adhere to several theories (hereditary origin, viral, neurogenic, immunoallergic, intoxication).
Tinea versicolor - what does it look like? How to treat this disease? In medical practice, this ailment is called herpes zoster. Its causative agent is Varicella zoster, which is also the causative agent of chickenpox. As soon as the child tolerates chickenpox, the virus "settles" in the nerve ganglia. In the presence of adverse factors (for example, with reduced immunity), it is activated.
As in the case of herpes, herpes zoster is accompanied by a small bubble rash that spreads over the child’s body (on the back, stomach, sides). To treat such a disease, you should consult a pediatrician. Usually, when the herpes virus is activated, doctors recommend taking medications containing the active substance, acyclovir.
Risk factor
Quarantine for lichen in an institution is announced when observing one or two cases of the disease. The greatest incidence of fungus among children occurs in the warm season. As for depriving viral origin, it, on the contrary, is activated in the cold seasons.
The development of the pathology in question in children and adolescents predisposes a lack of vitamins, weakened immunity, increased sweating, overwork, the presence of acute respiratory viral infections, vegetoneurosis, allergic reactions, and minor injuries to the skin.
Signs of illness
What does baby lichen look like? It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question, since each type of the mentioned disease has its own special manifestations.
- Ringworm. Such lichen affects the skin, nails and hair. Its incubation period can be from 5 days to 6 weeks. With skin lesions in the patient, limited oval or round red spots form. Such areas are covered with scales and crusts. At the same time, they are very flaky (sometimes itchy).
With lesions of the scalp, the patient forms a large center of baldness of a round shape, the borders of which are broken off (the hair is as if cut off). In weak children, this disease often occurs with a decrease in appetite, lymphadenitis, headache, fever, pyoderma, perifolliculitis and head folliculitis.
- Pityriasis versicolor in children usually occurs on the head or upper half of the body. With this disease, yellow dots form at the base of the hair follicles, which transform into a pink-yellow spot covered with bran-shaped scales.
The areas affected by this type of lichen do not darken from sunburn, and therefore hypopigmented areas appear on the skin of children.
- Pink lichen at the very beginning of its development is accompanied by a single maternal plaque, which has the form of an oval spot of bright pink in size 2-5 cm. After 7-10 days, the child develops small, multiple rashes. They are characterized by peeling in the center and a bright red border, free from any scales on the periphery (reminiscent of a medallion). Typically, such spots are located in the folds of the skin.
With pink lichen, the child develops a slight itch. Rashes worry 4-6 weeks, after which they disappear without a trace. The constant irritation of these skin areas can infect them, resulting in purulent complications such as impetigo, folliculitis and hydradenitis.
- Lichen planus is very rare in children. This disease affects the skin, mucous membranes and nails. It is characterized by a monomorphic rash in the form of flat bright red or cyanotic nodules with a shiny surface, 2-3 mm in size. Also, this ailment is accompanied by intense itching, which deprives children of sleep.
Favorite places for this type of skin disease are the wrist joints, flexion of the forearm, inner thighs, mucous membranes of the mouth, axillary and inguinal areas.
- Herpes zoster usually develops in children from 10 years old, provided that in the past they had chickenpox. Before the appearance of rashes, the patient develops a flu-like condition. After 1-2 days, groups of bubbles form (0.3-0.5 cm), which are filled with transparent contents.
With this condition, a person has lymphadenitis, fever, radiating pain along the trigeminal nerve and intercostal space. After a few days, the contents of the rash becomes cloudy and dries, and crusts appear in their place, which disappear and leave a slight pigmentation.
With shingles, a child may develop conjunctivitis, stomatitis, iridocyclitis, keratitis, neuralgia, oculomotor and optic nerve neuritis. In weak children, this disease can be complicated by encephalitis, serous meningitis, or myelitis.
Transmission mechanisms
Depriving in kindergarten is a common occurrence. This is due to the fact that most types of such a disease are transmitted through direct contact with infected skin, that is, with any touch.
Also, lichen can occur if:
- use a patient’s personal hygiene item that is infected with a virus or fungus (for example, a comb, a towel);
- touch objects (e.g. door handles or handrails in vehicles) that the infected person previously touched;
- touch the hair of animals affected by lichen.
How is it diagnosed?
What does baby lichen look like? Photos of this ailment are on the World Wide Web. However, experts do not recommend conducting an independent diagnosis of the disease, comparing it with the image found on the Internet. A pediatric dermatologist, mycologist or infectious disease specialist should identify the presence of such a disease, as well as determine its form.
To confirm the diagnosis, a narrow specialist should first conduct a visual examination of the skin, and then take special samples and perform luminescent observation. It should be remembered that each type of childhood deprivation has its own characteristics.
To determine the form of accession of fungal or viral pathogens, specialists carry out a study of skin scraping using a light microscope and backseeding. To confirm lichen planus, they sometimes resort to a biopsy of the affected area.
In the presence of herpes zoster in children, an ELISA of blood may be necessary, as well as a consultation with a pediatric ophthalmologist and a neurologist.
Deny: how many days of quarantine in kindergarten?
If such a disease is detected, quarantine in kindergarten should be at least 45 days. At the same time, absolutely all children from the institution on the next 5 days undergo a mandatory examination by a narrow specialist - a dermatologist. If the disease has affected several children, then the quarantine is extended, and thorough disinfection is carried out in the rooms (they clean the carpets, throw out soft toys).
A child’s sick leave is closed only when all external signs of the disease disappear. In this case, the study of lesions under the Wood lamp plays a decisive role. This type of analysis is carried out three times. The termination of lichen is said if the results of all three studies are negative.
How to treat pediatric lichen? What does he look like (photo)?
The treatment regimen for skin diseases in children depends not only on the type of infection, but also on the severity of their manifestations. In any case, treatment of lichen should be carried out under the strict supervision of a specialized specialist - a dermatologist. In this case, infectious forms of the disease require mandatory isolation of the child (until complete recovery).
How to treat pediatric lichen? A disease caused by fungal pathogens requires shaving of the hair in the affected area, as well as the use of antimycotics of systemic effects and treatment of the skin with antifungal ointments. In addition, the patient is shown vitamin therapy and immunomodulating treatment.
If childhood lichen (photos of some types of the disease are presented in this article) causes intolerable itching, then antihistamines and corticosteroid ointments are prescribed for the child. If the scalp is affected by a fungus, doctors recommend the use of therapeutic shampoos that have a fungicidal basis.
If the baby has shingles, then specialists treat with antiviral drugs of general and local effects, as well as prescribe NSAIDs and analgesics.
In order to prevent suppurative complications, the lesions are recommended to be lubricated with greens or other disinfectant solutions. Also, with shingles for children, physiotherapeutic procedures are highly effective, namely - UV, sollux, electrophoresis, ultrasound therapy, magnetic field and diathermy. With severe pain, reflexology and novocaine blockade are performed.
Overview of the best local products
According to experts, removing a baby ointment is best. The most popular and effective local remedies are:
- Sulfuric ointment;
- Terbyx;
- Lamisil
- Exoderyl
- "Mycoseptin";
- sulfur-tar ointment.
Sulfur ointment is very often prescribed for children with lichen. Such a drug shows a quick and noticeable result, including with severe lesions. The composition of this tool includes water, petroleum jelly and sulfur. Immediately after applying the medicine to the affected areas of the skin, its active substance reacts with the organic elements of the affected area. As a result of chemical interaction, acids and sulfides are released, which adversely affect the entire pathogenic microflora, and also contribute to the rapid healing of wounds, which prevents various infections from entering them.
Sulfur-based baby ointment should be used in the morning and evening. To make the therapeutic effect more noticeable, it is recommended to pre-treat the affected skin area with alcohol.
The duration of therapy with such a drug is 10 days. It should be remembered that sulfuric ointment can cause a severe allergic reaction in the form of redness, rash and itching. In order to avoid negative consequences, doctors recommend first applying the drug to the elbow of the child, and only with a good reaction to use it in large areas.
Cream "Terbix" can be used in children from two years. Such a medication exhibits a quick antimicrobial effect, eliminating the symptoms of multi-colored and sunshine. Therapy with this drug is carried out for two weeks. In the event that the patient's condition improves much faster, the duration of treatment is reduced to one week.
In order to eliminate the symptoms, depriving the drug “Terbix” is applied only to the affected areas in the morning and evening (do not rinse!). If, after applying the medicine, the patient experiences severe redness and burning, which indicates poor tolerance of the drug. In this case, it is canceled and a safer drug is prescribed.
Experts say that the best “Terbix” cream has established itself at the very beginning of the development of the disease. In the later stages, this medicine takes more time, and sometimes it has to be replaced at all with a more potent medicine.
The medicine "Lamisil" for lichen is prescribed to children only if the disease was caused by the activity of fungi. The main component of this tool is terbinafine. This substance suppresses pathogens at the stage of their formation.
According to the instructions, Lamisil cream is allowed to be applied to children from the age of 12. Although in special cases it is used at an earlier age, but only after consulting a doctor and provided that the dosage is correctly selected.
For treatment, depriving such a drug is applied to the affected area in the morning and evening. Preliminary, it is recommended to clean the skin using alcohol wipes. Therapy "Lamisilum" is continued for 7-10 days.
Baby cream from lichen "Exoderil" is a drug of the latest generation. It has a quick antifungal, anti-inflammatory and wound healing effect. The use of such medicine to treat a child is allowed from the age of two.
Cream "Exoderil" copes well with multi-colored or pityriasis versicolor. All signs of the disease go away within 1-2 weeks after starting to use the medicine.
In order to treat small patients, experts recommend the use of 1% medication. It must be applied to clean and dried skin. Otherwise, dirt and water will not allow the active substance of the drug to be fully absorbed. Apply the cream in the morning and evening.
Ointment "Mikoseptin" contains such active substances as undecylenic acid and zinc unicelate. After contact with the skin, these components form a chemical bond, which very quickly eliminates all pathogens. Best of all, the drug in question fights against ringworm.
A zinc-based medicine significantly reduces itching and improves skin regeneration. Apply "Mikoseptin" should only be two years old, morning and evening.
Sulfur-tar ointment in childhood can only be used under the supervision of a doctor in charge. Such a drug exhibits a quick anti-inflammatory effect and can be used for any type of lichen, including in the presence of scratches and wounds. It should also be noted that sulfur-tar ointment is able to disinfect lesions, protecting the skin from a secondary infection.
At the age of 12 years, the drug "Mikoseptin" should be applied only to the affected areas no more than 1 time per day. The previously affected area should be cleaned and dried.
The ointment in question has an unpleasant odor, which often causes vomiting and nausea in children. Sometimes such a medication contributed to severe redness of the skin, itching and intoxication of the body. Using this medication together with other topical medicines is highly discouraged.