General information, not an individual diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional if you are unsure about your situation.
If scabies is suspected, seek medical assessment to confirm the diagnosis before treating an adult or child yourself. Itching alone does not establish its cause.
Once scabies is confirmed, tell the doctor about close, prolonged and frequent skin contacts over the preceding weeks. The doctor determines who needs treatment; the contacts concerned are treated at the same time as the affected person.
Clothes, underwear, sheets, blankets and towels that may have been contaminated also need attention. Ameli advises machine washing them at 60 °C and, if possible, drying them at a high temperature.
For fabrics that cannot tolerate hot water, Ameli describes another option: keep them for one week in an airtight plastic bag. Ask for instructions suited to the particular items and textiles.
For common scabies, vacuum the home and discard the vacuum bags immediately. According to Ameli, further disinfection of the home is unnecessary in this situation.
Itching may persist after treatment without proving failure. If it is intense or persists, contact the doctor to review the situation before repeating treatment; ask about the rules for a child’s return to group care or school.
Sources
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