Rectal itching in children

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Rectal itching in children

A common cause of rectal itching in children is poor cleaning of the area after a bowel movement. Poor hygiene can leave pieces of stool trapped in skin folds around the anus, causing itching and discomfort.

Rectal itching can also be caused by excessive cleaning or scrubbing of the anal area. Try using lanolin wipes, such as "baby wipes," after your child has a bowel movement. Do not use hot water, strong soaps, scented bubble bath, or scented toilet paper to clean your child's anal and genital areas.

Certain foods can sometimes cause or increase your child's rectal itching. To help relieve rectal itching, remove foods such as colas, caffeinated drinks, chocolate, tomatoes, spicy foods, and excessive amounts of vitamin C from your child's diet for a minimum of 2 weeks. Gradually add the items back to your child's diet, one at a time, to help determine the cause of the itching.

Anal and rectal itching may be a sign of an infection or a disease. Local rectal infection may be caused by pinworms or other parasites, scabies, and skin infections.

Pinworms are the most common cause of anal itching in children. The itching is especially uncomfortable at night when the pinworms lay their eggs on the skin around the anus. Sometimes more than one child in a family will be infected by these tiny worms. Your health professional usually will decide to treat all children in your family if even one of them is infected with pinworms.

Call your child's health professional for an evaluation if your child continues to have rectal itching that has not gotten better after 72 hours of home treatment.

Credits

Last updated:	May 22, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer