Help! My Daughter Has Ringworm!

Updated on December 09, 2010
C.B. asks from Midlothian, TX
13 answers

My 9 yr old woke up with an itchy spot on her back- yep, it's ringworm! How do I treat this and keep it from spreading? I am washing everything in her room- do I need to wash everything with HOT water? I have read that it is very contagious- she shares a room with her baby sister, do I need to move the baby out for now? How long does this usually last?
Thanks!
~C.

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C.M.

answers from Cincinnati on

Relax. It's not as bad as it may seem. My son has had ringworm a couple of times, and I even had it once (separate form from son's incidents). Both his pediatrician and my doctor recommended OTC anti-fungal creme. It cleared it up just fine. I know that for daycare, they required the area to be covered, which you may want to do for when she goes to school (but leaving it uncovered any other time.) Also, I never did the whole, washing everything down thing and it didn't get passed around.

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A.A.

answers from Chicago on

Just rub the prescription cream on it and have sister checked too. Besides that its not really a big deal--she'll be fine!

5 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Ringworm is a fungus. You have to treat it with anti fungal medication. It's very common and you can pick it up almost anywhere but there are a few things you can do to minimize getting it:
Help your child avoid excessive sweating (by not overdressing him, for example).
Have him wear sandals at pool areas and in locker rooms.
Don't let him share towels, hairbrushes, pillows, clothing, or similar items at daycare or with siblings.
Check pets to make sure that they don't have any scaly, hairless patches. If they do, take them to the veterinarian for treatment. (In fact, even if a pet doesn't show symptoms, it's a good idea to bring it in for a checkup if your child keeps getting reinfected.)
Check to see that shared areas — like locker rooms at daycare — are kept clean.
If other family members show symptoms, make sure they get treated immediately.

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M.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Get her to the dr. and get the prescription Lotrimin or whatever they are giving now. I got it while teaching preschool.
The baby should be fine if there is no contact with sissy for a while. And have the older one wash her hands before she plays with the baby.
Ringworm lives in the body so after washing everything in her room you should be fine.
I never did the wash it all down thing for ringworm and it never came back nor did it spread to my husband or kids.

4 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Take her to the doctor, they will give her a cream to put on a few times a day.

I caught ringworm when I was young, from a poor little kitten.. it died the next day... :(

Once I had the cream it only lasted about 3 days, but I think they said to continue using the cream.. It has been like 35 years..

3 moms found this helpful

T.N.

answers from Albany on

Hi C., there's a prescription cream for it, you'll have to take her in. I've heard it's very contagious too, cept my guy has had it (did not use the cream as long as prescribed so it came back) and yet no one else in the house got it. It has been about 6 months since he's had any symptoms, and me and my three kids did not catch it. We are a very physical family, and I'm not a germ-a-phobe.

Anyway, like pink eye, everyone freaks out but it's just not that catastrophic. Just a little skin infection. Call the ped, bring her in.....

It's gonna be ok!!! I promise!

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R.M.

answers from Topeka on

I would call your doctor for some specific advice..it is definitely contagious but I don't know how easily it spreads. There are prescription creams that will take care of it...there are also some OTC creams but they are probably not as effective as the prescription strength. I wouldn't panic...this isn't the end of the world and it will clear up easily. By the way if you have animals...check them over carefully..a lot of time they are the culprits for spreading ring worm!!

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B.

answers from Augusta on

Get some lamasil. yep it's foot creme but it's what my dr gave me for mine.

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

When my daughter had it I didn't wash everything. I just put some antifungal foot cream on it and kept it covered with a bandaid. I think it is only contagious if you come in contact with it. Most likely, if it was on her back, it has been covered with clothing.

***I will add that I had to keep it covered with a bandage for her to attend daycare at the time.***

2 moms found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Modesto on

My son was a wrestler and he got it several times from the mat. We always used the prescription cream from the doc, but I would imagine any of the antifungals would work on it. Dont bandage it tho, it needs air to heal. Just keep a cotton shirt on her and reapply ointment throughout the day, make sure you wash your hands afterwards. :)

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K.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Nystatin and Triamcinolone (Topical) = no more ringworm, seriously! Don't waste your time with over the counter stuff or plain Nystatin...it's not half as good at eliminating that pesky rash! If you mess with the non effective creams, it can linger for WEEKS. I wouldn't sweat having your baby in the room, but use a disinfecting wipe to clean bath out after your daughter bathes, then rinse. The cream is a prescription, and you only need a very small dab...it will disappear in a couple days, if not overnight, but keep using it for about a week. That stubborn rash likes to come back, if you stop treatment too soon. It's just a fungal rash, no biggie...GET THAT CREAM :) Good luck to you!

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A.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

my son recently had this. go to your pharmacy and they will give you some Clotrimazole. it's over the counter stuff. Try this first.. Know that ringworm can last for over a month or so... It did take about that long for my son's to go away.. Additionally, thereafter, we coincidentally had a doc's appt and we told her about it and she said, she would have prescribed the same stuff.
Don't panic, it's not really worms :):) Also, it's the same type of bacteria that causes of all things, Jock Itch and Athlete's Foot... Therefore, don't be surprised when you get the meds that it says it also treats those conditions..
Oh and although it is contagious, neither myself or my husband caught it.. and before I knew what it was, I did touch it.. perhaps just wash your hands more often and too, tell your daughter not to touch.. not really sure if you need to move the baby out of the room..

With the medicine, we began to see results in a few days.. it's kinda stubborn like that..

luck

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Dallas on

I've had it before (thanks to rescuing a couple of kitties) and our son also got this a few years ago. The best thing? Lamasil. Seriously. Keep it covered for at school since it is a fungus and can be transferred via contact. Otherwise, let it air out when she's at home - and no scratching!!! It takes a while to heal, but it will.

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