Rashes in babies and children

Many things can cause a rash in babies and children, and they're often nothing to worry about.

This page covers some of the common rashes in babies and children.

As a parent, you may know if your child seems seriously unwell and should trust your judgement.

Call 112 or go to A&E now if:

Your child is unwell with a rash and has any of these symptoms:

• a stiff neck
• bothered by light
• they seem confused, agitated or they're not responding like they usually do
• difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs), breathlessness, or they're breathing very fast
• their skin, lips or tongue look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
• sudden swelling of their lips, mouth, throat or tongue
• their throat feels tight or they're struggling to swallow
• the rash looks like small bruises or bleeding under the skin and does not fade when you press a glass against it

On brown and black skin, it may be easier to see the rash or colour changes on the soles of the feet, palms, lips, tongue and inside the eyelids.

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 112 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines your child takes with you.

How to take a temperature

Use a digital thermometer, if you have one, to check if your child has a high temperature.

For more information about how to do this, see:

• high temperature in children

If you do not have a thermometer, look for signs such as their back or chest feeling hotter than usual, sweatiness and shivering (chills).

High temperature is not always a symptom

You child might not have a high temperature but still be seriously unwell. Check for all the possible symptoms and get medical help if you’re worried.

Rash with a high temperature

Rash on cheeks with high temperature

A rash on 1 or both cheeks plus a high temperature, runny nose, sore throat and headache may be slapped cheek syndrome.

Slapped cheek syndrome can usually be treated at home.

Slapped cheek symptoms and what to do

Symptoms of slapped cheek syndrome

The first sign of slapped cheek syndrome is usually feeling unwell for a few days.

Symptoms may include:

• a high temperature
• a runny nose and sore throat
• a headache

How long it lasts

The rash usually fades within 1 to 3 weeks, but it can sometimes last for longer, especially if you're hot or stressed.

Adults might also have joint pain and stiffness. This can happen in children too, but it's rare. Joint pain can continue for many weeks, even after the other symptoms have gone.

How to treat slapped cheek syndrome yourself

You do not usually need to see a GP for slapped cheek syndrome.

There are some things you can do to ease the symptoms.

Do

• rest

• drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration – babies should continue their normal feeds

• take paracetamol or ibuprofen if uncomfortable

Don’t

• do not give aspirin to children under 16

Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease

The 1st symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease can be:

• a sore throat
• a high temperature
• not wanting to eat

The 2nd stage usually starts a few days later and symptoms can include:

• mouth ulcers, which can be painful
• a raised rash of spots on the hands and feet, and sometimes the groin area and bottom

The rash of spots can look pink, red, or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone.

The spots can turn into blisters, which might be grey or lighter than surrounding skin and can be painful.

Symptoms are usually mild and are the same in adults and children.

How to treat hand, foot and mouth disease yourself

Hand, foot and mouth disease usually gets better on its own in 7 to 10 days. You cannot take antibiotics or other medicines to cure it.

To help the symptoms:

• drink cool fluids to soothe the mouth and prevent dehydration (but avoid acidic drinks, such as fruit juice)
• eat soft foods like yoghurt and avoid hot, salty and spicy foods
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help ease a sore mouth or throat

A pharmacist can help with hand, foot and mouth disease

Ask a pharmacist for advice about treatments, such as mouth ulcer gels, sprays and mouthwashes, to relieve pain.

They can tell you which ones are suitable for children.

Symptoms of scarlet fever

The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature, a sore throat and swollen neck glands (a large lump on the side of your neck).

A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later. It looks like small, raised bumps and starts on the chest and tummy, then spreads. The rash makes your skin feel rough, like sandpaper.

On white skin the rash looks pink or red. On brown and black skin it might be harder to see a change in colour, but you can still feel the rash and see the raised bumps.

A white coating also appears on the tongue. This peels, leaving the tongue red, swollen and covered in little bumps (called "strawberry tongue").

The rash does not appear on the face, but the cheeks can look red. The redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Sometimes the skin peels, like sunburn, as the rash fades.

The symptoms are the same for children and adults, although scarlet fever is less common in adults.

See a GP if you or your child:

• have scarlet fever symptoms
• do not get better in a week (after seeing a GP)
• have scarlet fever and chickenpox at the same time
• are ill again, weeks after scarlet fever got better – this can be a sign of a complication, such as rheumatic fever
• are feeling unwell and have been in contact with someone who has scarlet fever

Scarlet fever spreads very easily. Check with a GP before you go in. They may suggest a phone consultation.

Symptoms of measles

Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth.

Cold-like symptoms

The first symptoms of measles include:

• a high temperature
• a runny or blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough
• red, sore, watery eyes

Spots in the mouth

Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days.

The measles rash

A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms.

The rash starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.

The spots of the measles rash are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They're not usually itchy.

The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Rash with itching

Rash caused by heat

A rash of small, raised spots that feels itchy or prickly could be heat rash (prickly heat).

Heat rash can usually be treated at home.

Heat rash symptoms and what to do

Symptoms of heat rash

The symptoms of heat rash are:

• small, raised spots
• an itchy, prickly feeling
• mild swelling

The rash looks red on white skin. It may be harder to see or look grey or white on brown or black skin.

The symptoms of heat rash are often the same in adults and children.

It can appear anywhere on the body and spread, but it cannot be passed on to other people.

How you can treat heat rash yourself

If you have heat rash the main thing to do is keep your skin cool so you do not sweat and irritate the rash.

To keep your skin cool

• Wear loose cotton clothing.
• Use lightweight bedding.
• Take cool baths or showers.
• Drink plenty of fluid to avoid dehydration.

To calm the itching or prickly feeling

• Apply something cold, such as a damp cloth or ice pack (wrapped in a tea towel), for up to 20 minutes.
• Tap or pat the rash instead of scratching it.
• Do not use perfumed shower gels or creams.

A pharmacist can help with heat rash

Speak to a pharmacist about heat rash. They can give advice and suggest the best treatment to use.

A pharmacist might recommend:

• calamine lotion
• antihistamine tablets
• hydrocortisone cream – though not for children under 10 as you'll need to get advice from a doctor before giving them this treatment

Symptoms of hives

The main symptom of hives is an itchy rash.

The rash can:

• be raised bumps or patches in many shapes and sizes
• appear anywhere on the body
• be on 1 area or spread across the body
• feel itchy, sting or burn
• look pink or red when affecting someone with white skin; the colour of the rash can be harder to see on brown and black skin

A pharmacist can help with hives

A pharmacist can give you advice about antihistamine treatment to help a hives rash.

Tell the pharmacist if you have a long-term condition, because you might not be able to take antihistamines.

This treatment might not be suitable for young children.

Call 112 if:

• your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
• your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
• your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• someone faints and cannot be woken up
• a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised or itchy.

These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.

Symptoms of ringworm

The main symptom of ringworm is a rash. It may look red or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone.

The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy.

Ringworm can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp (tinea capitis) and groin (jock itch).

A pharmacist can help with ringworm

Speak to a pharmacist first if you think you have ringworm.

They can look at the rash and recommend the best antifungal medicine. This might be tablets, cream, gel or spray depending on where the rash is.

You may need to use an antifungal medicine every day for up to 4 weeks. It's important to use it for the right amount of time, even if the rash has gone away.

A pharmacist will tell you if they think you should see a GP.

Symptoms of chickenpox

The main symptom of chickenpox is an itchy, spotty rash. It can be anywhere on the body.

Before or after the rash appears, you might also have:

• a high temperature
• aches and pains, and generally feel unwell
• loss of appetite

Chickenpox happens in 3 stages, but new spots can appear while others are becoming blisters or forming a scab.

Stage 1: small spots appear

The spots can:

• be anywhere on the body, including inside the mouth and around the genitals, which can be painful
• spread or stay in a small area
• be red, pink, darker or the same colour as surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone
• be harder to see on brown and black skin