Red Rash Spot With Blackblue Ring Around It

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.

Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:

• you're worried about your child's rash and you're not sure what to do

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

Check if it's 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

A red rash may appear on 1 or both cheeks. It may be less obvious on brown and black skin. Adults do not usually get the rash on their face.

A few days later, a spotty rash may appear on the chest, arms and legs. The rash can be raised and itchy. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Things you can do 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 for a high temperature, headaches or joint pain

• use moisturiser on itchy skin

• speak to a pharmacist about itchy skin – they can recommend the best antihistamine for children

Don't

• do not give aspirin to children under 16

Information:

Find out more

Slapped cheek syndrome

Blisters on hands and feet plus mouth ulcers

Blisters on the hands and feet, with ulcers in the mouth, could be hand, foot and mouth disease.

Hand, foot and mouth disease can usually be treated at home.

Hand, foot and mouth symptoms and what to do

Check if it's hand, foot and mouth disease

The first signs of hand, foot and mouth disease can be:

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

After a few days mouth ulcers and a rash will appear.

Ulcers appear in the mouth and on the tongue. These can be painful and make it difficult to eat or drink.

Raised spots usually appear on the hands and feet, and sometimes on the thighs and bottom as well. The spots can look pink, red, or darker than surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone.

The spots become blisters which appear grey or lighter than surrounding skin and can be painful.

The symptoms are usually the same in adults and children, but they can be worse in babies and children under 5.

It's possible to get hand, foot and mouth disease more than once.

How to treat hand, foot and mouth disease yourself

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

To help the symptoms:

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

Rash on the face and body

A rash of small, raised bumps that feels rough, like sandpaper, could be scarlet fever.

Speak to a GP if you think your child has scarlet fever.

Scarlet fever symptoms and what to do

Check if you have 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 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. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin, but you can still feel it.

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.

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

Information:

Find out more

Scarlet fever

A spotty rash that appears on the head or neck and spreads to the rest of the body could be measles.

Speak to a GP if you think your child has measles.

Measles symptoms and what to do

Check if you or your child has 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.

Information:

Find out more

Measles

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

Check if you have heat rash

The symptoms of heat rash are:

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

The rash often looks red, but this may be less obvious 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.

Heat rash appears as raised spots that are 2mm to 4mm across. Some spots may be filled with fluid.

How you can treat or prevent heat rash yourself

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

Information:

Find out more

Heat rash (prickly heat)

Scaly or cracked skin

Skin that's itchy, dry and cracked may be atopic eczema. It's common behind the knees, elbows and neck, but it can appear anywhere.

Speak to a GP if you think your child has eczema.

Find out more about atopic eczema

Raised, itchy spots or patches

Raised, itchy patches or spots could be caused by an allergic reaction (hives).

Hives can usually be treated at home. But call 999 if there's swelling around your child's mouth or they're struggling to breathe.

Hives symptoms and what to do

Check if you have hives

Here is an image gallery with images and detailed descriptions. Select an image tab to get the bigger version of the image and to access the description.

The hives rash can be raised patches in many shapes and sizes.

It can be in one area of the body or spread over a large area. It can appear anywhere on the body in both adults and children.

On white skin the rash may look red. On brown and black skin the colour of the rash might be harder to see.

The rash is usually itchy and sometimes feels like it's stinging or burning.

A pharmacist can help with hives

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

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

They also may not be suitable for young children.

Information:

Find out more

Hives

Itchy round rash

An itchy, dry, ring-shaped patch of skin may be ringworm. The patch may look red, pink, silver, or darker than surrounding skin.

Ringworm can usually be treated at home.

Ringworm symptoms and what to do

Check if it's ringworm

The main symptom of ringworm is a rash. It may look red, silver or darker than 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).

The rash is usually ring-shaped, but it may look different on your face, neck or scalp.

The colour of the ringworm rash may be less noticeable on brown and black skin.

Sometimes the rash grows, spreads, or there's more than 1 rash.

Ringworm on the face or scalp may also cause patchy hair loss.

How to stop ringworm spreading

Do

• start treatment as soon as possible

• wash towels and bedsheets regularly

• keep your skin clean and wash your hands after touching animals or soil

• regularly check your skin if you have been in contact with an infected person or animal

• take your pet to the vet if they might have ringworm (for example, patches of missing fur)

Don't

• do not share towels, combs or bedsheets with someone who has ringworm

• do not scratch a ringworm rash – this could spread it to other parts of your body

Information:

Find out more

Ringworm

Small spots and blisters

Small, itchy spots that turn into blisters and scabs could be chickenpox.

Chickenpox can usually be treated at home.

Chickenpox symptoms and what to do

Check if it's chickenpox

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

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

Here is an image gallery with images and detailed descriptions. Select an image tab to get the bigger version of the image and to access the description.

Stage 2: the spots become blisters

The spots fill with fluid and become blisters. The blisters are very itchy and may burst.

Here is an image gallery with images and detailed descriptions. Select an image tab to get the bigger version of the image and to access the description.

Stage 3: the blisters become scabs

The spots form a scab. Some scabs are flaky while others leak fluid.

Here is an image gallery with images and detailed descriptions. Select an image tab to get the bigger version of the image and to access the description.

Other symptoms

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

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

Chickenpox is very itchy and can make children feel miserable, even if they do not have many spots.

The chickenpox spots look the same on children and adults. But adults usually have a high temperature for longer and more spots than children.

It's possible to get chickenpox more than once, but it's unusual.

How to treat chickenpox at home

Important: Stay off school or work

You'll need to stay away from school, nursery or work until all the spots have formed a scab. This is usually 5 days after the spots appeared.

Do

• drink plenty of fluid (try ice lollies if your child is not drinking) to avoid dehydration

• take paracetamol to help with pain and discomfort

• cut your child's fingernails and put socks on their hands at night to stop them scratching

• use cooling creams or gels from a pharmacy

• speak to a pharmacist about using antihistamine medicine to help itching

• bathe in cool water and pat the skin dry (do not rub)

• dress in loose clothes

Don't

• do not use ibuprofen unless advised to do so by a doctor, as it may cause serious skin infections

• do not give aspirin to children under 16

• do not go near newborn babies, people who are pregnant and people with a weakened immune system, as chickenpox can be dangerous for them

• do not scratch the spots, as scratching can cause scarring

Information:

Find out more

Chickenpox

Itchy sores or blisters

Sores or blisters that burst and leave crusty, golden-brown patches could be impetigo. The sores or blisters can be itchy, get bigger or spread to other parts of the body.

Speak to a GP if you think your child may have impetigo.

Impetigo symptoms and what to do

Check if you have impetigo

Impetigo starts with red sores or blisters, but the redness may be harder to see in brown and black skin.

The sores or blisters quickly burst and leave crusty, golden-brown patches.

The patches can:

• look a bit like cornflakes stuck to your skin
• get bigger
• spread to other parts of your body
• be itchy
• sometimes be painful

Sores (non-bullous impetigo) or blisters (bullous impetigo) can start anywhere – but usually on exposed areas like your face and hands.

The sores or blisters burst and form crusty patches.

Information:

Find out more

Impetigo

Small and very itchy spots

Very itchy raised spots could be caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin (scabies). There may be raised lines with a dot at one end, often first appearing between the fingers.

Scabies can usually be treated at home.

Scabies symptoms and what to do

Check if it's scabies

The symptoms of scabies are:

• intense itching, especially at night
• a raised rash or spots

The spots may look red. They are more difficult to see on dark skin, but you should be able to feel them.

Tiny mites lay eggs in the skin, leaving lines with a dot at one end.

The rash can appear anywhere, but it often starts between the fingers.

The rash may then spread and turn into tiny spots. This may look red on lighter skin.

The rash may leave dark spots on the skin. This may look brown or black on darker skin.

The scabies rash usually spreads across the whole body, apart from the head.

However, older people, young children and those with a weakened immune system may develop a rash on their head and neck.

Things you can do during treatment to stop scabies spreading

Do

• wash all bedding and clothing in the house at 50C or higher on the first day of treatment

• put clothing that cannot be washed in a sealed bag for 3 days until the mites die

• stop babies and children sucking treatment from their hands by putting socks or mittens on them

Don't

• do not have sex or close physical contact until you have completed the full course of treatment

• do not share bedding, clothing or towels with someone with scabies

How long it takes to get rid of scabies

You or your child can go back to work or school 24 hours after the first treatment.

Although the treatment kills the scabies mites quickly, the itching can carry on for a few weeks.

Information:

Find out more

Scabies

Rash without fever or itching

Tiny spots on a baby's face

Very small spots, called milia, often appear on a baby's face when they're a few days old. Milia may appear white or yellow, depending on your baby's skin colour.

They usually go away within a few weeks and do not need treatment.

Red, yellow and white spots in babies

Raised red, yellow and white spots (erythema toxicum) can appear on babies when they're born. They usually appear on the face, body, upper arms and thighs.

The rash can disappear and reappear. It should get better in a few weeks without treatment.

Skin-coloured or pink spots

Small, firm, raised spots could be molluscum contagiosum. The spots can be the same colour as surrounding skin, darker than surrounding skin, or pink.

You can usually treat molluscum contagiosum at home.

Find out more about molluscum contagiosum

Red patches on a baby's bottom

If your baby has a red and sore bottom, it could be nappy rash.

Nappy rash can usually be treated at home.

Find out more about nappy rash

Pimples on the cheeks, nose and forehead

Spots that appear on a baby's cheeks, nose or forehead within a month after birth could be baby acne.

You do not need to treat baby acne. It usually gets better after a few weeks or months.

Yellow, scaly patches on the scalp

Yellow or white, greasy, scaly patches on your baby's scalp could be cradle cap.

Cradle cap can usually be treated at home.

Cradle cap symptoms and what to do

Check if your baby has cradle cap

On the scalp, cradle cap can look like large patches of white or yellow scaly skin.

On black or brown skin, the affected area can look pink with white or grey scales.

The crusts may be greasy and can flake off, making the skin look red.

Cradle cap mainly affects the head and face, but sometimes it can appear in other places like the nappy area.

Cradle cap is not itchy or painful and does not bother your baby.

The cause of cradle cap is not clear, but it cannot be caught from other babies.

Things you can do to help with cradle cap

Do

• lightly massage an emollient (moisturiser) on to your baby's scalp to help loosen the scales

• gently brush your baby's scalp with a soft brush and then wash it with baby shampoo

Don't

• do not use olive oil – it may not be suitable for use on skin

• do not use peanut oil (because of the allergy risk)

• do not use soap or adult shampoos

• do not pick crusts – this can increase the risk of infection

Information:

Your baby's hair may come away with the scales. Do not worry if this happens as it will soon grow back.

A pharmacist can help with cradle cap

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• an emollient you can use on your baby's scalp
• unperfumed baby shampoos
• barrier creams to use on your baby's nappy area, if needed

Information:

Find out more

Cradle cap

Page last reviewed: 11 June 2021
Next review due: 11 June 2024

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Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rashes-babies-and-children/

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