Children and Rosacea
Adults are usually the ones that suffer from the problem of rosacea. In fact, middle-aged women are more likely to develop rosacea than anyone else. Men can also suffer from this skin condition, but the instances are fewer. However, men with rosacea often suffer from more serious outbreaks. While adults do have rosacea more often, children can also develop this skin condition. If you are a parent and your child is suffering from rosacea, here are some facts you should know.
It is true that most children do not suffer from rosacea, but it can certainly happen. This can affect children of all ages, including the very young and teenagers. What is worse is that rosacea will never really go away and children must learn to live with the skin condition. Parents may first notice that the child flushes or blushes very easily or that the flushing does not seem to go away. Other normal signs that would indicate rosacea in children is the redness coupled with swelling, or itching or burning and pimple-like pustules. If you notice an acne-looking condition on your child and your child is not quite old enough to suffer from acne, this should be a warning sign to you.
Once your child has been diagnosed with rosacea, there are several treatment options. Some parents may want to look at alternative or natural healing methods. This can include changing the diet and using alternative remedies such as herbal lotions and creams. Many of these treatments work quite well, but there are other options that you have as well. First off, you should discontinue using irritating soaps and lotions on your child. This can only make the problem worse. Even products designed to help fight acne can cause rosacea flare ups. Sun can also exacerbate rosacea, so you will want to keep your child out of the sun, or make sure your child wears a good hypoallergenic sun block and hat. In severe cases of child rosacea, steroids may be an option. This, however, should only be used after all other methods and been tried and have failed.
It is also important to note that children that suffer from rosacea may have this disease in the family. Often, rosacea is hereditary. If your child suffers from this problem, find out if anyone else in your family also suffers. In addition, it is important to remember that rosacea is what is called a progressive disorder. This means that it never really goes away and it could actually get worse over time. This is why it is important that you find a treatment that works for your child and pinpoint exactly what causes the flushing outbreaks. It could be that there are certain triggers such as foods, embarrassment or even the sun.
It is possible that your child’s rosy red cheeks could be something more serious. If your child is plagued with red, inflamed skin, see your doctor and find a treatment that works for your child. Your child is counting on you.
