Impetigo

Impetigo is usually called 'school sores' and is  a sore that crusts up...It is pretty common and not usually dangerous and is definately a treatable condition... It can be caused either by the staph virus (there is that word again) or group A streptoccocci (strep) bacteria...School sores are really contagious...no extremely contagious and can spread either through direct contact with one on  someone who is infected with this  or something used by them Like a towel or even a jumper... School sores travel quickly with kids and is helped along the way by the fact they are in such close contact...Heat doesn't seem to help either...Staph and Strep can get into broken skin like a cut or chicken pox sore and off it goes...A school sore appears....

To start with school sores will show up as tiny blisters that will burst and let out a yellow liquid that will form the school sore crust on the top...These blisters can be itchy...Because it is itchy this spreads quickly... Scratch it under the nails of the perosn adn then touch another area and we have spreading happening In most cases the lymph nodes can swell and this is quite common...

If you find school sores in your home or you think you have school sores on one of your family obviously the first port of call is your doctor...They will either prescribe a anti biotic cream or even oral antibiotics... The biggest thing with these is they are really easily passed on from child to child and even to adults...The way you are with hygeine in this time is soooo important...Clean the sores with an antibacterial soap and water and try to discourage scratching and picking of the sores...Keep a towel and face washer for the infected person only and after each use wash it... letting no one else in the house near it...If the person with the infection shaves make sure they shave around this to stop spreading of this along the skin...

You can never be sure not to get these but there are ways you can try to avoid it...Keep all cuts on kids and yourself clean as you can...Lets face it kids and clean can sometimes be hard...teach them to wash their hands regularly...If you do have the infection in your home keep everything related to the infected person seperate and wash your hands after applying the treatment as well...Sometimes the spread of these in your home is unavoidable...But take all the precautions you can...

Have a great day
Cheers
Angie