The thought of mites can really make the skin crawl! Raisingkids.co.uk's medical expert, Dr Malcolm McKenzie, fills us in on how to relieve the irritation of scabies.

Raisingkids member's problem

I've heard that someone in my child's class has got scabies, and I'm worried that my 9 yr-old may have caught. What symptoms should I be looking for and how can I prevent or treat scabies?

Dr McKenzie's advice
Scabies is transmitted through contact with infected people and, unfortunately, it is very difficult to prevent. It is very rarely serious, but it is uncomfortable, and needs to be treated if your child does have it. It is very easily caught, so, if one member of your family has it, the chances are that everybody, including yourself, has caught it as well.

Scabies is a skin condition which is caused by a mite which burrows under the skin to lay its eggs, causing an extremely itchy rash. The rash is commonly found between fingers, on wrists, elbows and the genital area, and tends to be at its worst at night, as that is when the mite is most active. The rash can look like light brown or grey scaly lines, and there might be a rash of pink raised spots on the body or limbs.

It is very itchy, but if your child does have it, try to discourage them from scratching the rash as much as possible. The reason for this is to try and prevent the skin from getting broken and then getting infected, which would make an itchy situation even more uncomfortable!

The treatment for scabies is a lotion that kills the mites, which is spread all over the body except for the head and neck. To prevent possible reinfection, you should also treat the whole family at the same time. Any clothing or bedding that has been used while infectious should also be thoroughly washed as the mites can be present in fabric.

Although these lotions do kill the mites, their bodies are still present under the skin, and can cause itching for up to three weeks afterwards. In this case, your doctor may be able to prescribe a corticosteroid to help relieve the irritation. There are different lotions available available over the counter, and your pharmacist will be able to advise which one s most suitable. If you are at all concerned, though, I suggest you make an appointment with your GP.