Wondering what that rash, welt, or bump on your child's skin is? Infection, allergies, and temperature extremes are often behind the skin conditions seen in babies and children -- and many are minor and easily treated. You can learn to recognize some of the most common conditions -- but remember: always consult a doctor for proper diagnoses and treatment.

A bacterial infection of the skin that is very common in children. It gains access through damaged skin, such as cuts, grazes or insect bites. If there is direct skin-to-skin contact with others, or if bedding, clothing or towels are shared, it can spread rapidly through families and communities.This rash can occur anywhere on the body, but most frequently on the head and neck.

Ringworms

Worms don't cause ringworm. Instead, this skin infection is caused by a fungus living off dead skin, hair, and nail tissue. Starting as a red, scaly patch or bump, it develops into itchy red ring(s) with raised, blistery, or scaly borders. Ringworm is passed on by skin-to-skin contact with a person or animal, and by sharing items like towels or sports gear. Most ringworm infections can be treated with antifungal creams

A child who was born with a usually fatal genetic skin disease, recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, has been treated and is living a much better life now thanks to University of Minnesota Medical School researchers and cord blood and bone marrow stem cell transplants. The disease causes the skin tissue to be extremely fragile, and also makes the whole intestinal tract very thin as well, so they usually get all sorts of infections and don't last long.

Hives, also called urticaria, are an allergic reaction. Unfortunately, the reaction can be to almost anything, including cold, heat, and even emotional tension. Unless you already have a good idea what is causing the hives or you have just taken a new drug, the doctor is unlikely to be able to determine the cause. Most often, searching for a cause is fruitless.

Eczema is an unpleasant and restricting condition for any child. It is also distressing for their parents who find there is very little they can do to take away the irritation and pain, except to use a prescription steroid cream. Such creams can seem like a miracle, as they can vastly improve the painful and unsightly eruptions. However, they suppress rather than cure.

Cradle Cap

Cradle cap (also called seborrheic dermatitis) is a rash that begins as scaling and redness on a baby's scalp. This condition is a non-infectious skin condition and is a form of eczema. Seborrheic dermatitis is common in infants, usually beginning in the first weeks of life and slowly disappearing over a period of weeks or months. The condition rarely is uncomfortable or itchy.