Mulluscum Contagiosum

amother

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 3:49 pm

My 5 year old daughter has mulluscum. It is highly contagious among children and can last for a fairly long time. I cant keep my daughter away from other children for months. My daughter's pediatririan said just to make sure she doesnt bathe with any other children. I should just let it run its course. Has anyone's child ever had this?

sky

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 4:15 pm

I've had this with a few of my kids. I find its fairly common where I live.
Not bathing together and using separate towels helps.
But I found my other kids got it anyways. If they go swimming in a kiddy pool with another child who has it then they can catch it.

rosebunch

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 4:17 pm

Oh yes!! BTDT!! VERY frustrating. Not bathing together is only one way from keeping it from spreading. It can spread from just touching. Which area does she have it on?
For one of my kids I used cetaphil antibacterial bar soap every time I bathed her. I rubbed the soap on the area and let it sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing. It worked wonders and within two weeks it was gone.
Since she gave it over to my other kids, I tried treating them with that soap and it didn't work.
I applied apple cider vinegar with a cotton ball to the area and taped it down for a couple of hours. This popped the pimples, but was very painful for the child since it ate up the surrounding skin. I then applied a bandaid with some bacitracin to heal it....
If you don't plan on treating it with any of these methods, make sure to keep the area covered with Band-Aids so it doesn't spread to your entire household. Hatzlacha!

abs

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 4:37 pm

I had 2 kids with it the same time. I used it as an excuse to stop bathing them together (opposite genders) but then I realized it will get spread all over again in day camp with kiddie pools and such. Eventually it went away. Whatever you do, don't let the pediatrician "burn" them off. Mine tried and it was awful and ugly. (And painful) Just wait until they go away on its own.

amother

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 4:40 pm

OP here: my daughter's pediatrician told me the same thing. As long as its not bothering her, I should just let it run its course. Im just concerned about her giving it to my nephew. They are very close and hug each other all the time. I cant keep them away for months......

Scrabble123

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 5:35 pm

I know someone who goes to the dermatologist as soon as she finds 1 molloscum. He removes it (or them if there are a few) and BH that has kept it from spreading on the child's body and to other children...

sky

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 6:02 pm

abs wrote:

Once a person gets it they don't get it again. It just takes 18 months to go away and new pimples appear in the randomest places so it seems like it is around forever.
In some ways I'd rather my kids get it when very young then have it when older and they are self conscious.

Scrabble123

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 6:05 pm

sky wrote:

Once a person gets it they don't get it again.

That's not true. One does not get lifetime immunity from this infection.

Yes. Recovery from one infection with molluscum does not prevent future infections with molluscum so it is important not to pick at or scratch other people’s skin.

CDC wrote:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd.....ction

Once I am cured can I be reinfected with molluscum contagiosum?

Yes. Recovery from one infection with molluscum does not prevent future infections with molluscum so it is important not to pick at or scratch other people’s skin.

However, molluscum contagiosum is not like herpes viruses, which can remain dormant (“sleeping”) in your body for long periods of time and then reappear. If you get new molluscum contagiosum bumps after you are cured, it means you have come in contact with an infected person or object.

Last edited by Scrabble123 on Mon, Feb 09 2015, 8:10 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 6:28 pm

I slathered my kids with Tea Tree Oil soap in the bath (from Trader Joes) and it disappeared within days.
My pediatrician was shocked how quickly it cleared up - and my DS had it all over his arms and knees.
B"H has not come back in more than a year.