Is your child experiencing an itchy red rash that looks like a circular ring in the inner thigh, groin area, or scalp? Are they complaining that the rash is uncomfortable? If so, they might be experiencing a ringworm infection. Don’t panic, though, as ringworm in children is more common than you may think!

As a parent, it makes sense that you want to do everything possible you can to prevent your child from getting a ringworm infection. Today we’ll be looking at what you can do as a parent to prevent ringworm infections, how to treat the ringworm rash if your child already has the fungal infection, and answers to popular questions like — how do you get ringworm?

In the event that your child already has ringworm, the good news is that the infection is easy to treat, and simple measures can be taken to ensure that it doesn't come back again.

Ringworm Fungus from Playing Outside

The fungus that causes ringworm, medically known as tinea corporis, can be found in soil. This can present an issue since kids being kids, they like to play in the dirt! Since children love to play and explore outside, it’s essential to teach them about good personal habits.

What can you do to prevent ringworm without ruining their fun?

Give your kids an old spoon or a plastic shovel to dig around in the backyard. If they’re using these tools to play around with the dirt outside it will stop them from using their hands and coming into contact with the fungus.

If your kids like to help out with the gardening at home, you could also buy them a cute pair of children's garden gloves to wear while planting in the garden.

To make wearing their gardening gloves fun, you could even have them decorate their gloves and turn it into an art project. This will also make your child more inclined to use them when they’re gardening or playing outside.

When your kids come back inside, always tell them to wash their hands.

Learn more about what a ringworm infection is in our post, Itchy Red Circular Rash - It Could Be Ringworm.

Ringworm in Dogs and Cats

As we’ve mentioned in past posts, ringworm in dogs, cats, and other four-legged furry friends is really common.

As children love to play with pets, it’s another easy way for them to get ringworm. Since dogs and cats don’t always show that they have ringworm, it’s even easier for children to catch the ringworm fungus from them.

Make sure that your children always know to wash their hands after playing with dogs and cats. This way if the ringworm infection spreads from your pets to your children’s hands, they can wash it off and prevent the spread of the fungal infection to other parts of their body.

If your pets have a suspected case of ringworm fungus, it’s important to take them to the vet so they can receive specialized treatment. If your pets continue to have ringworm, you risk them spreading it to other members of the household or to those visiting your home.

Find out more about how ringworm spreads in our post, Is Ringworm Contagious?

When your pets are ringworm free, you can rest assured that your children can play with them without risking a ringworm infection.

If your kids keep getting ringworm infections, check out our post, Ringworm Causes - Why Do I Keep Getting Ringworm?

Ringworm from Athlete’s Foot Infections

Remember that if an athlete’s foot infection is left untreated, the fungus may spread to other parts of the body through direct contact or contact with contaminated items like towels, clothing, and bedding.

If you have an athlete’s foot infection, make sure to treat it effectively so as to prevent it from spreading to other parts of your body.

For more details on getting rid of athlete’s foot, check out our blog post, Choosing The Right Athlete’s Foot Treatment.

How to Treat Ringworm

When you treat ringworm in children, it’s important to stop the ringworm fungus from spreading between their siblings and friends. This means telling your children not to share personal items like clothing, towels, and shoes.

If you suspect that your child’s friend might have a case of ringworm fungus, you should tell their parents or caregivers right away so they can start a ringworm treatment plan and prevent the spread of the infection to other children.

If your child already has a ringworm infection, remember that ringworm treatment is generally quick and easy. You’ll likely find that there’s a large variety of over-the-counter creams and powders you could try using.

While many creams require weeks of treatment, Silka Ⓡ Antifungal Cream requires only 7 days of consistent treatment, making it a treatment that is easy to stick to until the end — even for the fussiest of children. For children under 12 years of age, ask a doctor or pharmacists for treatment advice.

That said, before starting any treatment, make sure to check with your child’s doctor if Silka Ⓡ Antifungal Cream is a good solution for your child’s individual needs.

Take care!