It is important to note that a staph infection is typically triggered by the staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Among children, staph infection usually occurs on the skin but can also develop inside the body. The treatment for this form of infection requires antibiotic medications to help eliminate the infection as well as resolve the signs and symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if the child develops symptoms of a staph infection.
Once a child develops some of these symptoms, it is best to schedule an appointment with a doctor so that proper assessment can be carried out and proper treatment can be started. This will ensure that the infection will not lead to the development of any complications.
Development of skin lesions
Once a child develops a staph infection on the skin, he/she might also end up with various types of skin lesions. Boil which are pus-filled lesions with the hair follicles or oil glands are the typical symptoms of a staph infection. Boils are usually swollen, red and sore that can develop on any part of the body including the buttocks, face or inner thighs. These can cause discomfort to the child.
A staph infection can also trigger the development of impetigo which is a communicable infection of the skin that results to an itchy, crusted lesion on the face or extremities. As for cellulitis, it is an infection under the skin which causes swollen areas of skin, usually in the legs.
A baby with a staph infection can also end up with scalded skin syndrome that can trigger the manifestation of rash or blisters. The skin lesions that are triggered by a staph infection are usually mild and can be managed quickly as long as the right form of treatment is started.
Flu-like symptoms
Once the child ends up with a staph infection after the ingestion of tainted food or beverages, he/she might end up with various flu-like symptoms. Intense stomach cramping, diarrhea or nausea can develop among children within an hour after consuming food that has been contaminated by the staph bacteria and these symptoms can persist for several days.
Pneumonia or endocarditis
In case a staph infection enters the bloodstream, it can trigger a condition called bacteremia. This occurs when the bacteria infects the internal organs. Once the bacteria reaches the lungs, the child can end up with pneumonia.
The indications of pneumonia include difficulty breathing, fever, headache, cough, as well as fatigue and muscle pain. The staph bacteria that reach the lining of the heart can also cause endocarditis to develop. The symptoms of endocarditis among children include difficulty breathing as well as heart murmurs, fever, night sweats, swelling of the feet or legs and pale skin. If not treated, this condition can be life-threatening.