Korean Job Discussion Forums

[intherye]

Over the past few weeks, a lot of my kids have developed rashes on the inside of their elbows. Has anyone else noticed this and does anyone know what the story is?
Also, several of them look like they have pink eye, but it doesn't seem to bother them which makes me wonder if it is pink eye.

[skate_of_mind]

Could be scabies, which is very very contagious. Scabies are tiny mites that live just under the skin. They can be present on someone's body for days, weeks and months with no noticable symptoms. However, as they eat your dead skin and poop it back out, your body developes an allergic reaction (it also developes a reaction to the empty eggs left under the skin). The rash is often seen in little rows (although it wasn't when i had it) as the mites move along to new breeding/eating grounds. If the rash is scratched, often the little scabs will bleed a little bit. Scabies usually appears in these places on the body: inside elbow, wrists and hands, ankles and around the belly or groin (the wee buggers like the heat). You can sometimes check if it's scabies by getting a magnifying glass and examining the rash area and looking for tiny black marks. If it IS scabies, treatment consists of spreading a special lotion all over your body and leaving it on for 24 hrs before washing it off (you have to reapply it to your hands every time you wash your hands). This treatment goes for EVERYONE who has been in contact with an infected person (so if the kids have it, all their families should be treated also to prevent a further outbreak). Also ALL clothes and bedding, towels etc should be washed (boil washed preferably) or stored in bags in a cool dark place for a couple of months (so that they all die). Again if it is scabies, yourself, the children and anyone who has regular physical contact with the kids will have to be treated. Lack of treatment can be very miserable and very very itchy as it spreads around the body...
HOWEVER it might NOT be (hurrah) if the 'pink eye' symptoms appeared at the same time and sems to be related as for some strange reason, you don't get scabies above your neck!

have a look here

http://www.thirdage.com/healthgate/files/11581.html

for more info and a pic of a scabies rash on inside of the elbow.

[Luna]

[SeoulShakin]

I taught two sisters who had a rash like thing on the insides of their elbows last year. One of the Korean teahcers just said it was a kind of psoriasis, that worsens with the heat. I hope it wasn't scabies. I'm in a public school this year, and I'm in contact with a lot more kids this year. I'm shuddering at the thought of transferable critters.

[Rteacher]

The rash is most likely some kind of eczema. In older children it often appears inside elbows. http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=1694 http://www.eczema.org/faqfile.htm#whatis

"Pink eye" is also very common among kids in Korea. Since it is usually caused by bacterial or viral infections, it may also be related to the skin rashes...http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/eye/conjunctivitis.html

[oneofthesarahs]

Probably allergies. I get rashes on the inside of my elbows fairly often, and it's strictly allergy-related. It's just a pinkish-red flush, slightly itchy. Cortizone cream (don't know if you can find that here or not) clears it right up.

[aphase]

in korea they call it atopy or something like that. its common and i think the main cause is living in a polluted area. its also genetically inherited. its not scabies or aids or anything like that so dont be so worried.

[swetepete]

They're obviously junkies. Rehab for the lot.