Impetigo: symptoms, definition, home care, treatment, and preventionSymptoms
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Little clusters of round red bumps, often with a thin yellowish crust. The lesions may appear anywhere on the skin, but are usually found on the face, around the mouth, on the nose, and on the forearms. In babies and young children, they may show up on the buttocks.
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Possible fever and swollen lymph nodes (little lumps) in their neck, if lesions appear on the face.
If your child has impetigo symptoms, consult a doctor to obtain a diagnosis and a prescription for proper treatment.
What is impetigo?
Impetigo is a highly contagious, generally benign skin infection. It is caused by bacteria (staphylococcus or streptococcus) that penetrate the skin. They usually enter and infect a fragile or injured area of the epidermis (scratches, cuts, burns, small eczema lesions, etc.).
Impetigo may appear in the wake of an illness affecting the skin, such as chickenpox or an eczema flare-up. If a child has a cold, impetigo can also emerge on the irritated skin below the nose.
Age: Children aged 2 to 5 are particularly vulnerable, but impetigo can occur at any age, including adulthood (although this is rare). Duration: The infection usually subsides within 3 days. However, it may take up to 1 week for the lesions to fully heal. Incubation period: 7 to 10 days. Infectious period: As long as the lesions are oozing. Even after applying antibiotic ointment, impetigo is contagious for 24 to 48 hours. How it spreads: This illness is transmitted by skin contact, either directly (pus) or indirectly (contaminated objects such as towels, clothing, and bedding). Stay home from daycare and school: Keep your child home for at least 24 hours after the start of treatment. Without treatment, keep them at home until the lesions have healed. |
Treatment
The doctor will recommend hygiene measures and explain how to wash the affected areas and soften scabs. An antibiotic ointment may also be prescribed, if necessary. Antibiotic ointment should be applied for 7 to 14 days, depending on the type of ointment prescribed. With ointment, impetigo should heal in about 5 days. Lesions generally disappear completely within 1 week.
If the lesions are very extensive and fail to improve despite applying an antibiotic ointment, consult the doctor again.
For more serious cases, the doctor will prescribe an oral antibiotic. If this is the case, complete the full course of treatment, even if the symptoms resolve.
In addition to doctor-prescribed treatment, trim and file your child’s nails and try to prevent them from scratching their lesions. If necessary (at night, for example), dress the affected area with a sterile compress.
If your child has frequent bouts of impetigo, see a doctor to find out whether an underlying illness (e.g., immune system disorder) might be the cause.
Easy on the antibiotics!In Québec, some antibiotic ointments can be purchased over the counter at the drugstore. Before using these, however, it’s best to get a doctor’s diagnosis first. When used improperly, antibiotics can make bacteria more resistant. If you opt to use an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment while waiting to see a doctor, only apply it to the infected area. |
Prevention
To prevent impetigo, take a moment to thoroughly cleanse minor skin lesions such as cuts, scratches, and insect bites.
If your child has impetigo, take the following steps to reduce the risk of spreading the infection:
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Ensure that their hands are washed properly and often, with soap and water. For very young children, do it for them. Make sure that anyone who has been in contact with your child washes their hands too.
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Set aside towels, washcloths, and soap for your child’s exclusive use. These should not be used by other family members.
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Wash your child’s towels, face cloths, washcloths, sheets, and pillowcases with soap and hot water. Avoid combining them with those of other family members.
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Complete the full course of prescribed treatment.
| Scientific review: Dr. Anne-Claude Bernard-Bonnin, pediatrician Research and copywriting:The Naître et grandir team Updated: January 2025
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Photo: BSIP/Jose Oto
Sources and references
Note: The links to other websites are not updated regularly, and some URLs may have changed since publication. If a link is no longer active, please use search engines to find the relevant information.
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American Family Physician. “Impetigo.” AAFP. 2014.aafp.org
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Nemours KidsHealth. “Impetigo.” KidsHealth. 2023. kidshealth.org
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Hartman-Adams, Holly, et al. “Impetigo: diagnosis and treatment.” American Family Physician, vol. 90, no 4, 2014, pp. 229–235. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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Mayo Clinic. “Impetigo.” Mayo Clinic. 2023. mayoclinic.org
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Ministère de la Famille du Québec. Les infections en milieu de garde. 2019. cdn-contenu.quebec.ca
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Canadian Paediatric Society. “Impetigo.” Caring for kids. 2018. caringforkids.cps.ca
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