When you are trying to understand a skin rash, it can be difficult to sort through and identify the primary cause for the eruptions. If you or your child have a fever, it may be a case of the chicken pox or measles. Seeing if there is an outbreak at school or day care can be an important clue. Schools will usually alert parents when this is the case, but e-mail and notes can get lost.
Another contagious skin outbreak may be the scabies rash which is communicated by physical contact usually. This can be transmitted at school playgrounds, in nursing homes and via sexual contact. Though it sounds scary to have mites, it can be treated with a prescription pesticide cream and your child can return to school after 24 hours. For this rash, it is advised that all family members in the home treat themselves as well to prevent the spreading of mites.
Allergic rashes can occur due to contact with metals like nickel, foods that one cannot tolerate, chemical exposure, plants such as poison ivy or a drug rash to a medication like penicillin. These are not contagious rashes and often may be hard to identify. For instance, some people have a response to hot tubs due to the chemicals that clean the water. This rash may not appear immediately so the source of the red pimples isn’t discovered right away.
Certain rashes require contacting a physician immediately including having any accompanying respiratory problems, rashes with fevers and purple spots or areas that are inflamed and very warm to the touch. Keep your immune system strong by getting rest , hydrating the skin and drinking water till the rash resolves.