What is happening inside my child’s body? Ringworm (also known as tinea) is not caused by a worm at all. Rather, it is an infection caused by a fungus. The infection can actually appear anywhere on the body, and depending on where it is, it is given different names. Ringworm on the feet is called tinea pedis (athlete’s foot), on the scalp tinea capitis, and on the rest of the body tinea corporis.
Tinea on the majority of the body looks like a perfect circle with central flaking and sometimes some mild redness. If you look closely at the edges, you may be able to see tiny pinpoint blisters forming the perimeter. Dark skin may appear lighter where there is ringworm.
Between the toes, tinea doesn’t look nearly so circular, and the perimeter is often more flaky than blistery.
Tinea on the scalp looks perfectly round but doesn’t always have associated central flaking. Instead, the area can be almost bald with short stubs of broken hair extending 1 to 2 millimeters above the scalp. The presence of broken hairs within the patch helps to distinguish ringworm from alopecia (hair loss).
Sometimes the area with tinea itches; other times it is hardly noticeable. If your child scratches the rash, the central area can become very red, bloody, or even scabby.
It is important to remember that many different organisms live on our skin. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi are all normal inhabitants. When these invaders grow rapidly or penetrate under the skin surface, they can cause an infection. But it is a safe bet that most of the time, we all have a little bit of fungus or bacteria | somewhere on our bodies, and we don’t need to worry.
Fungi like to live in places that are warm, wet, and dark. Therefore, tinea thrives in parts of the body that meet these criteria — the groin, skin folds, and armpits. Yet it is not uncommon to see a patch of ringworm on an arm or leg, in an area that is airy and dry.
Ringworm is reportedly contagious, passed from one child to another when there is skin-to-skin contact or sharing of brushes, combs, towels, clothes, and so on. However, given that we all have various organisms living on our skin at all times, just because your child comes into contact with someone who has ringworm does not mean that she will develop the infection.
Dogs and cats commonly carry ringworm. This type of infection is slightly different from the one typically seen in humans, but it can be passed back and forth between pet and owner. Small pets, such as hamsters and gerbils, also can carry and transmit ringworm. In fact, transmission from these animals is actually more common than from cats and dogs.