Boils in Children

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Boils are skin abscesses that are caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Boils can affect the skin of any person no matter the age group he belongs to. But it has been often noticed that the incidence of boils in children are quite common as compared to adults. The reason of occurrence of boils in more number in children than in adults can easily be detected as boils are prevalent in bodies that are exposed to excessive dust and dirt. Children playing in field and mud are more prone to being infected by boils as the bacteria can easily enter inside their skin through the wounds or incisions they are inflicted with.

If your child is suffering from a single boil that has popped up suddenly is not a matter of concern unless the boils in children occur recurrently. If your child is suffering from recurrent boils you are advised to consult a doctor. He then might prescribe certain antibiotics in order to kill the bacteria causing germs. You may even have to take your child for a bacterial culture.

Bacterial culture is perhaps one of the easiest means to detect the exact cause of boils in children. Children who are being continually suffering from repeated incidence of boils can be because of themselves carrying the germ inside their body. The fact of carrying the spore of bacteria causing boils inside the body is related to the genetic transference. Since the time of their birth, the children suffering from recurrent boils actually carry the bacteria on their skin surface or inside their intestines or the gut unharmed. It is only when the bacteria find an opening on the skin surface; they get inside and spread the infection.

Boils in children are quite ugly in appearance. They are filled with pus, which gets discharged along with blood when the boil gets matured. As a parent you are recommended to be careful while the pus comes out. The pus is highly contagious which has to be cleaned time to time so that it is not allowed to come in contact with the unaffected part of skin.

Boils in children is also the cause for poor immune system. If your child is suffering from the incidence of boils at regular intervals in spite of taking all necessary precautions to stay away from boils, the doctor would possibly ask you to take your child for a blood test. Many children in fact suffer from frequent incidence of boils due to weak immune system. The body having a weak immune system fails to resist the attack of the bacteria responsible for boils and as a result of which the child gets infected with boils again and again. Children with poor immune system have colonies of bacteria in their nasal chamber due to which they are repeatedly affected by boils.

Ways to Recover from Boils in Children

• Generally, doctors prescribe children affected by recurrent boils an antibiotic named Naseptins. This medicine is taken to be in limited dosage so as to avoid any negative side effects. The antibiotic is to be taken in 4 times a day and at a stretch of 10 days.
• You must be very careful while washing your child and keeping him or her germ free. Do not used a bath tub and rather take your child for a shower in running water. You are advised to use Chlorhexidine for the cleansing purpose. Even while washing your child's hair the medicine can be used and you should continue using Chlorhexidine for a period of at least 14 days.
• Be cautious enough to give your child a separate towel for use. In fact, every family member should be using separate set of towels in order to restrict the spread of bacteria that infect the skin and cause boils. Even the towels that your child will be using must be replaced by a freshly washed one every after two days. Also instruct your child not to share towels with other children in school after a swimming session.
• Ask your child not to squeeze or attempt to break open the boils with finger nails. Often the nails of children are dirty and on squeezing the boil nodules, the boils in children would rather aggravate and become complex in nature. Sometimes due to continual attempt to break the boil the pus might come in contact with the main blood stream of the body which might lead to blood poisoning.
• To avoid further spread of the infection wash the infected area with a good antibacterial soap once the pus flows out. You may cover the boil area with an antibacterial poultice as well.
• With the help of a dietitian you may make a diet chart for your child. Include fibrous vegetables to avoid constipation and give him or her to drink fruit juice daily in the morning for detoxification of the body. Restrict your child from having oily food items and make sure that he or she drinks plenty of water throughout the day. This would help in the process of getting rid of toxic substances that are present inside the body of your child.
• Hot compress at least 3 to 4 times a day would help your child to get relief from intense pain that the incidence of boils are often accompanied with. Taking bath in Epsom salt is also an effective method to get of boils in children. You may use a sterilized clean cotton pad and warm it in hot water before applying it on top of the boil area as poultice for at least 20 minutes at a stretch.

To break open the boil and to allow the pus to flow out at early stage you may directly apply honey on the boil surface of your child. Introduce in your child a habit of not touching the face until the hand are cleaned with antiseptic soap. In case you find him or her to be a victim of recurrent boils wash him with antibacterial soap on a regular basis.