A systemic disease is a condition that affects the entire body. A variety of systemic diseases in children are associate with rashes. While the rash may be the most obvious symptom of these diseases, these conditions often need medical attention as they involve one or more internal organs. Some systemic diseases can be prevented by vaccination or treated with long-term medications, while others may require emergency treatment. These diseases can be diagnosed based on the appearance of the rash and on other symptoms that the child has.
Infections
Systemic infectious are a common source of rashes in children. Measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox are systemic infections that can be prevented with vaccines. Meningococcemia, a dangerous systemic infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, can cause a severe infection of the meninges, the tissue that surrounds the brain. Infective endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart valves, can cause fever and a rash. Rocky mountain spotted fever is more common in boys under 10 years of age and has symptoms of head, fever and rash.
Allergy
Systemic allergic reactions can also cause rashes. Many of these occur within hours of exposure to an irritating substance, known as an allergen. Systemic symptoms of severe allergies can include swelling of the face and lips, breathlessness, wheezing, stomach pain and irregular heart beats. The skin can also be involved in this reaction in the form of hives, also known as urticaria. Urticarial rashes appear as red, itchy welts, which may appear and disappear in different parts of the body.
Autoimmune Disease
Systemic lupus erythematosus is more common in young girls, and may cause a rash on both cheeks. It may also cause a rash after an individual has been exposed to sunlight, a phenomenon called photosensitivity. Still's disease, a type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, can cause joint disease in girls under 16. It causes joint pain, high-grade fevers, and a salmon-pink rash. Juvenile dermatomyositis is a disease of skin and muscle that affects girls. The average age of onset is 7 years. Symptoms include muscle weakness and a rash on the eyelids and over the joints.
Other Reactions
Besides the diseases listed above, a number of more unusual diseases can cause rashes in children. Nutritional deficiencies in niacin, vitamin A or zinc are all associated with rashes. Interstitial nephritis is an allergic reaction within the kidney, some patients with this condition also have a rash. AIDS in children can cause dermatitis and a skin tumor known as Kaposi sarcoma. A blood disorder, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, is a disease of low-platelets that can cause bleeding into the skin. Henoch Schonlein purpura is a disease of blood vessels that can cause a rash on the buttocks and legs in children between 2 and 8 years of age; it can also cause stomach and joint pain, and bleeding into the urine.
References
- "Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics"; Dr. Robert M. Kliegman, et al.; 2008
- PubMed Health: Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
- International Still's Disease Foundation: Photos of Still's Disease Rash
