How to Get Rid of Mange in Children
While mange is a condition typically suffered by domestic animals, it is possible for humans, including children, to catch it. Mange, also called demodicosis and scabies when it affects humans, is caused by an infestation of parasitic mites. These mites commonly live on human and animal skin and can cause itching, hair loss and inflammation when parasite numbers jump sharply. While many symptoms of mange rapidly disappear in children, you also can treat the condition.
Instructions
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Steps to Get Rid of Mange in Children
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1
Have your doctor determine, via skin scraping and analysis, the cause of the mange in your child. Mange can be the result of demodex mites (mostly in older children and adults) or of sarcoptes mites. Treatment will depend on the type of mite.
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2
Determine if the mange was caused by contact with domestic animals or from contagion from other humans. Animal mange can cause itching and inflammation in children, but the parasitic mites will quickly die away from their animal hosts. Doctors can test for the specific type of mite, and mange from animal mites will clear up on its own over time.
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3
Treat the symptoms of mange. For children who contracted mange from contact with animals, treatment consists of itching management--using anti-itch creams and cortisones.
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4
For scabies and demodicosis, obtain a medicated lotion for topical treatment. Permethrin cream and lindane lotions are typical treatments for mange infections.
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Apply the lotion to all parts of your child's body below the neck (unless the skin of the face or head is directly infected). Bathe your child before application for maximum effectiveness.
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Leave the lotion overnight, as directed by your doctor. To remove the lotion, bathe your child thoroughly and be sure to dress him or her in clean clothes.
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7
Repeat the treatment if necessary after 7 to 10 days, as directed by your doctor.
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Tips & Warnings
Most human mange infections are scabies, caused by the sarcoptes mites. Children can catch scabies in any location where they could come into contact with other infected people, particularly day cares. Most scabies infections are due to prolonged skin contact or from sharing cloth items such as towels.
Thoroughly wash all towels, clothing and bedding used by your child prior to treatment, as mites can live up to 2 to 3 days on fabric.
Look for less concentrated anti-parasitic lotions for small children and for children with sensitive skin.
Watch your child for continued symptoms even after a negative test. It is possible for skin scrapings to test negative even when there is a mange infection. In such cases, identification can be only from the symptoms.
It can take as long as 4 to 6 weeks for scabies symptoms to appear in a previously-unaffected child. Children with previous scabies cases often show signs within a few days.
