The toddler's instinct to familiarize himself with all that he surveys combined with tender skin and poor personal hygiene makes him or her highly susceptible to a variety of skin rashes. In new born babies, the risk of skin rash is even more. The most common cause of rash in babies is due to diapers. Other causes can include cradle cap, infantile acne, candidal rash, prickly heat etc. If you are not too sure about the cause and type of rash, the best way is to consult your doctor. Let us briefly consider some illnesses that cause rashes in children.

Chickenpox

This is a contagious disease which does not pose any major threat to the affected child except for physical discomfiture. It generally lasts for about two weeks. However, in certain cases like for newborns or people taking other medication, chicken pox can become a complicated issue. While vaccines do help in preventing chicken pox, after the onset, there is no cure as such. A child with chicken pox should never be administered aspirin.

Measles

Like in the case of Chicken pox after the onset of the disease, there is no medication available to treat the problem. However, effective vaccines are available as a preventive measure.

Rubella

Rubella is also known as German measles. This disease is milder and the child may not appear very sick. However, swollen lymph nodes may develop behind the ears.

Scarlet fever

This is mainly a throat infection which caused by bacteria and it is accompanied by a skin rash. Winter and early parts of spring is a vulnerable period particularly with school going children. This is a contagious disease and can be controlled through personal hygiene measures. Scarlet fever calls for urgent medical attention since it can potentially lead to greater complications.