Scalded skin syndrome

• fever
• redness of the skin (erythema) which spreads to cover most of the body
• skin slips off with gentle pressure leaving wet red areas (Nikolsky sign)
• large areas of skin peel or fall away (exfoliation or desquamation)
• painful skin
• infant appears quite ill

• positiveNikolsky's sign (skin slipping off when rubbed)

Tests include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• cultures of the skin and throat (often yield staphylococci)
• skin biopsy (done only in rare cases where diagnosis is in question, such as when the skin condition may be due to a drug reaction known as toxic epidermal necrolysis or TEN)
• check of electrolytes to see if fluid loss has caused difficulties

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