Whether it is mosquito bites, eczema, urticaria or other dermatitis, itching may occur. In severe cases, the child may not be able to sleep or sleep well, affecting the state of the next day, and may also affect the life of the family. The more the child scratches, the more it scratches, what should I do? 1. Why does the child itch? When the child’s skin is stimulated, the sensory nerve endings in the skin receive signals, and the signals are transmitted to the cerebral cortex through a series of transmissions, resulting in the feeling of itching , so the baby makes a scratching action. These stimuli include mosquito bites or inflammatory factors in the body, such as histamine released by allergic reactions. Just as pain and cough are easily misunderstood, itching is actually a protective mechanism that produces itching, and then scratching allows us to block mosquito damage. Acute itching and scratching can bring a moment of relief, but chronic itching may cause us to fall into a vicious circle of “the more itching, the more scratching, the more itching” [1]. Second, what are the common “culprits” of itchy skin in children? Children’s pruritus is mostly attributable to primary skin disorders, common ones include[2]:
- Allergic skin diseases: most common, atopic dermatitis/eczema, urticaria, papular urticaria/bug bite dermatitis, contact dermatitis, etc.
- Other inflammatory skin diseases: psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, diaper rash, eczema, red prickly heat, etc.
- Infectious skin diseases: chickenpox, tinea capitis, tinea pedis, scabies, etc.
- Pigmentous urticaria (cutaneous mastocytosis)
< /ul>Third, the itching is unbearable, can I take medicine? Removing the cause, choosing appropriate topical and oral medicines are the right way to relieve itching in children, so what should I do?
Find the cause and treat the primary skin disease
If your child has persistent itching for a long time, you should see doctor. After the doctor makes a diagnosis based on the medical history and skin damage, and then follows the doctor’s treatment and care plan, remove the related cause and eliminate the irritation factor of the skin, and can relieve the itching for the child.
Topical antipruritic drugs for children:
1) Topical glucocorticoid drugs (corticosteroids) Hormone is an anti-inflammatory drug, and topical hormone can inhibit the local inflammatory response of the skin and eliminate irritating factors. Parents are most concerned and entangled about whether the topical medicines used for children contain hormones. In fact, hormone medicines are not terrible. As long as the appropriate weak to medium-acting hormone topical medicines are selected under the guidance of professional doctors, eczema and insect bites can be effectively relieved. Inflammation caused by non-infectious factors such as dermatitis and contact dermatitis[3], can relieve itching in a short time. 2) Topical calcineurin inhibitors (hormone replacement drugs) commonly used 1% pimecrolimus cream and 0.03% heparin Crolimus ointment, both of which are suitable for children over 2 years old, can effectively inhibit non-infectious skin inflammation and itching, but sometimes there are adverse reactions such as tingling and burning.[4]. 3) Calamine LotionThe main ingredients are Calamine and Zinc Oxide, it can feel cool when applied to the skin, and achieve astringency and itching relief Effect. Calamine lotion has no pungent odor and is suitable for children of any age. But avoid the eyes, mouth and nose when using on the child’s face. It should be noted that when the skin is exuded or eroded, it cannot be applied directly; in addition, the astringent effect of calamine lotion may make the skin drier and is not suitable for use. in children with atopic dermatitis/eczema[3]. In addition, dermatologists may also use capsaicin cream, anesthetics such as lidocaine, pramoxine, etc. to relieve itching for older children with chronic stubborn itching, but only under the guidance of a doctor use.
Oral antipruritic drugs for children
Oral antipruritic drugs should be used under the professional guidance of a doctor. Generally, these drugs are mainly antihistamines, including 1 generation such as diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, 2 generation such as cetirizine, loratadine, fexofenadine. These antihistamines have a certain anti-itching effect, and they are not expensive and easy to buy, but they are only for itching caused by urticaria and mastocytosis, and for atopic dermatitis/eczema The effect of itching caused by etc. has not been proven. The second-generation antihistamines are the first choice for the treatment of pruritus caused by urticaria, which are specific to the H1 histamine receptor and are safer. When atopic dermatitis/eczema babies have severe itching and affect sleep at night, it is more recommended to use first-generation antihistamines with certain sedative and drowsiness effects. Although these drugs have a certain risk of respiratory depression, if itching Seriously affect the child’s sleep and life, you can also weigh the pros and cons and use it at night before going to bed to relieve itching to a certain extent, but also help sleep.[5]. So the principle of relieving itching is: Find and eliminate the cause, and rationally use symptomatic drugs. (Medical Verification: Dr. Meng Huimin)< strong>ReferenceReferenceData
1.Davidson S, Giesler GJ.The multiple pathways for itch and their interactions with pain.Trends Neurosci. 2010;33(12):550. Epub 2010 Nov 5.
2.Uptodate pruritus: etiology and patient evaluation.
3.Uptodate pruritus: an overview of management
4. Fleischer AB Jr, Boguniewicz M.An approach to pruritus in atopic dermatitis: a critical systematic review of the tacrolimus ointment literature.JDrugs Dermatol. 2010;9(5):488.
5.O’Donoghue M, Tharp MD.Antihistamines and their role as antipruritics.Dermatol Ther. 2005;18(4):333.
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Related reading: The child has been bitten a lot, what should I do if it is red and itchy? Is Thai herbal ointment good for children? Can “peach water” cure prickly heat? If you or your family are troubled by skin problems, you can consult a dermatologist through the QR code below. Learn more: For skin problems of adults and children, you can consult on Yihe