On an infant, lesions from scabies can be widespread. Scabies can have firm or nodular lesions as well as small, flat lesions, as seen on the limb of this infant. This image displays pink, raised lesions at the wrists typical of scabies on an infant. This image displays an infant with a variant (with firm skin lesions) of scabies. A superficial bacterial skin infection, caused by scratching, is present at the thigh. This image displays an infant with a widespread, bump-like allergic reaction to scabies, known as an id reaction. This image displays a fine, small, scaly track in the skin, called a burrow, caused by a scabies infection on the bottom of the feet. This image displays the tiny, linear, scaly trails of the scabies mite, called a burrow, on an infant's foot. In infants, scabies can cause pus-filled lesions, as seen at the base of the thumb. This image displays a small, curving line of scale typical of a burrow; the other lesions show the spectrum of scabies with oozing and crusted skin lesions as well as bumps. Look for tiny linear areas of redness and crusting between the fingers, representing the female mite's burrow. In scabies, there can be hundreds of skin lesions that occur as an allergic reaction to the few scabies mites that are actually present. This image displays the mite of scabies magnified under a microscope.
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Scabies (Pediatric)  A parent's guide for infants and babies

Picture of Scabies (Pediatric): On an infant, lesions from scabies can be widespread. Divider line
On an infant, lesions from scabies can be widespread.
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Overview
Scabies is a common itchy rash seen in children and infants that is highly contagious. It is caused by a small bug known as a mite. (The scientific name of the mite is Sarcoptes scabiei.) The female mite typically enters the skin through skin folds, such as the space between the fingers and burrows or invades the skin, forming a red "tract." She then proceeds to lay eggs in the skin, which will later hatch into larvae. The first sign of a scabies infection is usually several small (1–2 mm) red, crusty bumps on the hands and feet. The skin of infants is often more exposed and more sensitive, and, therefore, these lesions can develop into large blistering lesions or pus-filled bumps. Scabies is extremely itchy because the human immune system forms an allergic reaction to the mite and the eggs that hatch.
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Last Modified: 22 Dec 2008
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