Impetigo - Infected Sores

When To Call

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Pink or tea-colored urine
• Fever and spreading redness around the impetigo
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Spreading redness around the impetigo and no fever
• Fever or sore throat are present
• Sore is larger than 1 inch (2.5 cm) across
• Sores and crusts inside the nose
• Fluid-filled blisters on the face
• Impetigo gets worse after 48 hours on antibiotic ointment
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Impetigo in 2 or more children (such as siblings or play groups)
• Child plays contact sports. Reason: to prevent spread.
• 3 or more impetigo sores. Reason: may need an oral antibiotic. Many of these children also have a Strep throat.
• Not healed up after 1 week on antibiotic ointment
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Mild impetigo (1 or 2 sores that started with a scratch or insect bite)

Care Advice

What You Should Know About Impetigo:

• Impetigo is a skin infection. Most often, it starts in a scratch or insect bite.
• It usually responds to treatment with any antibiotic ointment.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Remove Scabs:

• Soak off the scab using soap and warm water. The bacteria live underneath the scab.

Antibiotic Ointment:

• Put an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin) on the sores. No prescription is needed. You can also use one you already have.
• Do this 3 times per day.
• Cover it with a bandage to prevent scratching and spread.
• Repeat the washing, ointment and dressing 3 times per day.

Do Not Pick at the Sores:

• Help your child not to scratch and pick at the sores. This spreads the impetigo.

Return to School:

• Impetigo is spread to others by contact with skin lesions.
• Wash the hands often. Try not to touch the sores.
• For mild impetigo (1 or 2 sores), can go to school if it is covered.
• For severe impetigo, child needs to take an oral antibiotic for more than 24 hours. Then your child can go back to school.
• Contact Sports. In general, needs to be on antibiotics for 3 days before returning to sports. There must be no pus or drainage. Check with the team's trainer if there is one.

What to Expect:

• Sore stops growing in 1 to 2 days.
• The skin is healed in 1 week.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Impetigo sore gets bigger after 48 hours on antibiotic ointment
• Gets new impetigo sore on antibiotic ointment
• Not healed up in 1 week
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.

Photos

Impetigo of Elbow

This shows impetigo on the elbow. Impetigo is a skin infection caused by bacteria. The infection causes a red sore which leaks fluid. This area will then dry and become crusty as it heals.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. This is a public domain image file from Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia is a freely licensed media repository.

Impetigo of Left Cheek

This shows impetigo on the face. Impetigo is a skin infection caused by bacteria. The infection causes a red sores which leak fluid. This area will then dry and become crusty as it heals.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
Used with Permission from Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.