Impetigo and Other Bacterial Skin Infections: When to Seek Care

An independent educational resource prepared by Mark M. Simonian, MD, FAAP

Sources checked: August 13, 2026     |     Medical review completed: August 13, 2026

This page is for general education only and does not replace individualized medical advice. This resource does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. For questions about your own child, contact your child's current healthcare professional.

Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare

2497 E. Herndon Avenue, Suite 101, Clovis, CA 93611     |     559-538-3070

A sore that becomes red, painful, warm, swollen, drains pus, or develops a honey-colored crust may be infected. Most skin infections are treatable, but they should not be squeezed, picked, or assumed to be a spider bite without an examination.

Urgent Warning Signs - Check This First

Call 911 now for severe trouble breathing, blue or gray color, a seizure, a child who is limp or unresponsive, or another life-threatening emergency.

Get emergency medical care now

  • Rapidly spreading redness or swelling with severe pain, a child who looks very ill, confusion, repeated vomiting, fainting, or other signs of a serious infection.

  • Redness or swelling around an eye, difficulty moving an eye, vision change, severe headache, or a child who cannot keep fluids down.

  • A baby younger than 3 months with a rectal temperature of 100.4 F (38.0 C) or higher. Do not give fever medicine before the baby is evaluated unless a clinician specifically directs you to do so.

Contact your child's healthcare professional today

  • Fever with a red, warm, tender, or spreading skin area; red streaks; new swelling; pus; or increasing pain.

  • A boil, abscess, or painful bump that is warm, draining, getting larger, or not improving within 24 to 48 hours. Do not try to pop or drain it at home.

  • A rash of blisters, open sores, or yellow/honey-colored crusts, especially around the nose or mouth, on the face, or in the diaper area.

  • A skin infection in a child with a weakened immune system, diabetes, significant eczema, a recent operation, or a history of resistant skin infections.

What Impetigo Can Look Like

Impetigo is a common, contagious bacterial skin infection. It often begins in a small break in the skin, such as a scratch, insect bite, or area of eczema. Small red bumps or blisters may open, ooze, and then form yellow or honey-colored crusts. It is common around the nose and mouth but can occur anywhere.

Other bacterial skin infections can look different: a warm, painful, expanding red area may be cellulitis; a tender bump with pus or drainage may be a boil or abscess. Families cannot reliably tell by appearance whether an infection is caused by a resistant germ such as MRSA, so an examination is important when the area is painful, spreading, or associated with fever.

What to Do Until Your Child Is Seen

  • Wash hands before and after touching the area. Gently clean the skin with soap and running water, then pat dry.

  • Cover draining sores with a clean, dry bandage when practical. Do not share towels, washcloths, razors, clothing, sports equipment, or personal care items.

  • Keep nails short and discourage scratching or picking. Do not squeeze, puncture, or drain a boil or bump at home.

  • Use prescription medicine exactly as directed and complete the full course unless the prescribing clinician tells you otherwise. Do not use another person's leftover antibiotic or a prescription saved from a previous illness.

School, Childcare, and Sports

Ask the prescribing clinician and the school, childcare program, or sports organization when your child may return. Return guidance depends on the diagnosis, whether treatment has started, whether the child feels well, and whether lesions can be fully covered with a clean, dry dressing.

For impetigo, public-health guidance supports return after appropriate antibiotic treatment has started, with exposed sores covered; some programs use a longer exclusion period. For draining wounds or contact sports, follow the clinician's and organization's specific instructions. A child should stay home if drainage cannot be contained or the child cannot maintain good hygiene.

Preventing Spread at Home

  • Wash the child's clothes, towels, washcloths, and bedding after use; do not share them until washed.

  • Clean frequently touched surfaces and shared sports equipment according to product directions.

  • Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered. Treat eczema and itchy skin as directed, because broken skin makes infection more likely.

  • If several household members, classmates, or teammates develop similar sores, contact a healthcare professional or school/childcare program for guidance.

Related Guides

Sources and Medical Review

Sources checked August 13, 2026. Medical review completed August 13, 2026.