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From mites to infections: the risks of sand for children’s skin

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From mites to infections: the risks of sand for children’s skin

Summer, sun, sea, beach games: fun seems guaranteed. Parents are increasingly aware of the importance of a correct exposure to the sun of their child, in the least sultry hours and well protected by sunscreen. However, we must not forget that even the sand, soft and warm, can hide some pitfalls for the health and serenity of their children.

That is, on the beach it is good to remember that you can involuntarily contract irritations and infections.

The risks of sand for children’s skin

The sand, soft but grainy, can in fact exert a traumatic action on the baby’s skin, especially if it is sweaty. The sand, that is, goes to rub the delicate skin of the child and therefore to irritate it.

In addition, on the sand, especially if it is wet, mites can hide which, through small bites, can irritate the delicate skin of the child, causing itching.

On the sand you can also contract superficial bacterial infections, better known with the term “impetigo”, which can spread quickly, especially by self-contagion. The child, that is, scratching himself can become infected and, by moving his hand to other parts of the body, bring the infection here and there on many other areas of the body. Even sand, especially if wet, can carry bacteria from one area of ​​the body to another or from one child to another. If the skin on which it settles is sweaty and the skin is not intact, for example due to small lesions from dermatitis or from insect bites, it is easier for bacteria to adhere to it and cause infection.

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Fungal infections favored by the presence of infected animals on the sand and by the hot-humid environment are rarer, but possible. These include ringworm, which can affect any part of the body, including hair, and spread everywhere, albeit more slowly than bacterial infection.

The advices

On the beach it is therefore good to always keep your eyes open and take some precautions:

– Even if you are in the “grooming” phase, do not let the children play on the sand naked, without a bathing suit. A valid alternative is to bring a cotton beach towel on which the children can play

– keep baby’s skin clean and fresh, to eliminate sweat and grains of sand, using quick showers with fresh water

– Bring spare swimsuits with you, in order to prevent the sand from sticking to the wet garment and the hot – humidity mix causes maceration of the skin, facilitating irritation and infections.

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