Ringworm 101 – How to Get Rid of Ringworm in Kids

Ringworm is a form of fungal infection that is common among children. This skin disorder is mostly observed in kids who spend most of their time in school or daycare centers. While there is a marked predisposition to this kind of fungal infection, treatment of ringworm in children is pretty simple and easy. Ringworm or Tinea is a fungal infection that is moderately contagious. One usually develops the infection through direct contact with a person who already has the infection. Thus, your children can get the infection if they stay in crowded settings and public places. In most instances, your kids will develop ringworm if they share personal items that are already tainted with the fungus or use public swimming pools. You must also make sure that your kids don’t get into contact with cats and dogs that are infected with this fungus. Treatment of Ringworm in Children You can use OTC anti-fungal creams like Tolnaftate, Clotrimazole and Miconazole in treating ringworm in children. If you don’t observe any significant improvement after a week of continuous treatment then you may have to consult your pediatrician or doctor for a more appropriate treatment approach. In most cases, it is best that you discuss your treatment options with your doctor before you use any of these anti-fungal creams. If the fungal infection is affecting the scalp of your child then this condition would require immediate medical intervention as any attempts to self-medicate would normally provide any positive results. In most cases, OTC anti-fungal creams won’t have any effect on this type of ringworm infection and can even trigger hair loss. The fungal infection remains highly contagious as long as there is the presence of skin lesions. This means that you need to follow the treatment protocol established by your doctor. The standard ringworm treatment regimen usually runs for several weeks and you need to continue the treatment until your doctor decides otherwise. Controlling the Proliferation of Ringworm in Children Ringworm grows and thrives in damp and dark environment. Thus, it is essential that you keep the skin lesion dry and clean at all times. As much as possible, you must not cover the skin lesions as this will only lead to damp and dark condition in the infected part of the body. This fungal infection can be itchy and it is important that you admonish your kid not to scratch the skin lesions. Your child can go back to his or her normal daily routine after completing the treatment protocol. However, extreme care must be observed so that the infection is not transferred to others. During the treatment period, you must require your child to wear loose-fitting clothes.