The film provides simple advice and guidance on how to keep an eye on your child, what you can do to ease your child's discomfort, and when to call your general practitioner, medical on-call service, emergency helpline or 112.
The most important advice if your child has a rash
Many children experience having a rash, and there are many different kinds. It is often caused by a virus. The vast majority of rashes are harmless and will go away on their own.
A rash may also be caused by a local skin infection. This can make the skin red, hot, sore and swollen.
Some rashes can be a sign of serious illness and will require immediate treatment. There is one type of rash in particular you need to be aware of: petechiae.
Petechiae are red or purple blotches/spots on the skin that can spread in minutes or over a few hours. Petechiae do not fade when you press a glass against the rash, and you cannot feel them when you run your fingers over them. If your child has such a rash – or you think it may have – contact a doctor right away, as this may be a sign of illness that requires acute treatment.
Advice
- Pay attention to your child's general condition.
- Do not hesitate to give your child paracetamol (such as Panodil® Junior, Pinex®, Arax® Junior or Pamol®) to ease skin pain. Follow the instructions on the package.
- Make sure the surroundings are cool.
Call your general practitioner in the daytime. After that, call the medical on-call service or the emergency helpline if your child:
- Is lethargic or listless
- Has a fever and signs of skin infection, where redness of the skin spreads in a few hours
Or if you just feel that things are going in the wrong direction, even though you have tried the advice in this guide.
Call 112 if your child:
- Has a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it (petechiae)
- Has a stiff neck and finds it hard to move his or her head freely
- Swells up around the nose and mouth
- Is lethargic or listless, and you have difficulty getting contact with your child, for example, if you cannot get eye contact.