What to do when your child has a skin infection
If your child has a skin infection, follow these steps every day.
Instructions for washing hands
Always wash and dry your hands before:
- eating or preparing food
Always wash and dry your hands after:
- sneezing, coughing or blowing nose
- playing outside
- touching animals
- going to the toilet
Wash and dry hands before and after touching infected skin.
![Poster about checking skin infections](/sites/default/files/styles/sm/public/images/checking-skin-infections-washing-drying-hands-small_0.jpg?itok=8ezPOKao)
Questions to ask the health professional
Questions to ask:
- What type of infection is it?
- How often do I change the plaster or dressing?
- When can my child play sport?
- Are there any side effects from the medicine?
- What sort of medicine is it (pills, liquid, cream) and how do I use it?
- How do I stop my child from getting this infection again?
- How do I clean it?
- What do I do if it gets worse?
- When can my child go back to school?
- How do I tell if the infection is getting better or worse?
- Do I need to treat the rest of the family - or how do I stop them getting this infection?
![Poster about questions you can ask your child's doctor when your child has a skin infection](/sites/default/files/styles/sm/public/images/checking-skin-infections-things-to-ask-doctor-nurse-small.jpg?itok=2OWAQfoD)