About Rashes
Skin rashes may appear for several different reasons, from diaper irritation to childhood diseases to allergies. Each rash will either run its course if it is due to a childhood disease, or if the rash is acute, it will disappear once the allergen is removed.
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Types
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Drug or other allergies, such as food allergies, often lead to hives, a red, blotchy rash that moves around to different places on the body. Hives are usually itchy and medical attention should be sought to find the trigger substance causing the problem. Benadryl or the equivalent generic antihistamine may be taken for relief of symptoms. Hives accompanied by shortness of breath, vomiting, heart irregularities, seizure or fever should be seen in the ER immediately.
Diaper rash may cause a red pimply blotchy rash to appear in the diaper area. Careful cleaning, drying and an application of zinc and castor oil cream should see an improvement within hours. Yeast infections cause the same rash as regular diaper rash. However, the rash will not go away using normal diaper rash creams and solutions, and will need special attention.
Features
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Childhood illnesses may cause a number of rashes on various parts of the body accompanied by other symptoms. Chickenpox, measles and German measles, most common during childhood, are all diseases that develop rashes. German measles or "Three-day Measles" features a mass of red spots on the upper torso and swollen glands lasting for about three days. German measles is devastating if a pregnant woman comes into contact with an infected person, contracting the disease herself, as the disease may be passed to her baby via her bloodstream causing blindness, deafness and retardation in the unborn fetus. Routine shots are now given to young people to develop immunity to the disease.
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Effects
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Chickenpox starts with one main red spot with a pustule center that usually leaves a scar. The rash spreads over the entire body and lasts for about 10 days. Topical applications, such as Caladryl or Calamine, may help with the intense itching. Eventually all the scabs fall off and you most likely will never get the disease again in your lifetime. Varicella vaccine is sometimes given to children who have not yet had the disease.
Considerations
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A light rash spreading over the upper torso with a fever may signal the beginnings of meningitis, a serious disease in all ages. A trip to the ER is suggested. On suspecting the disease, the doctor will draw fluid from the spine via a spinal tap to be tested in the lab to make a definite diagnosis.
Warning
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Contact dermatitis happens almost immediately on having metal touch the skin, or a type of rubber, such as latex or other substance, to which the body isn't compatible. Take away the substance or item that causes the rash and the symptoms will disappear.
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