5 Common Medical Conditions That No One Shares On Instagram

We live in a sharing society, but we don’t share all things equally.

We’re likely to share a cute video of our children blowing out their birthday candles or a picture of our kids in their baseball uniforms.

There are plenty of things that parents and kids go through that no one feels the need to post. Some of them are thought of as “gross” or “weird.”

But even celebrities aren’t immune to gross and weird. America’s cutest couple recently went through a battle with pinworms … it was so memorable that Kristen Bell felt the need to share it with everyone with a Netflix subscription when she went on the Joel McHale show and shared about her family’s experience with pinworms.

Here are 5 common medical conditions that no one (except maybe Kristen Bell) shares on Instagram:

Pinworms

Pinworms are an annoying cause of anal itching. Kids (usually elementary age) get them from touching and ingesting the eggs from foods on contaminated surfaces. You can usually diagnosis pinworms with the story alone but if you see a moving worm on the stool or toilet paper, you know what’s going on. Treatment is a medicine that you take twice, one immediately and one 2-3 weeks later depending on the type of medication.

For more information, read our full post on pinworms: 4 Things Every Parent Should Know about Pinworms

Molluscum

One of the most common skin problems that no one seems to know about is molluscum. Molluscum contagiosum is a viral rash that causes little flesh-colored bumps that can look like they have clear fluid inside. They are similar to warts in that they can spread from child to child and a child can spread them to other parts of their bodies. They tend to go away on their own but they can be frozen or removed if they are bothersome or are in tricky parts of the body. They are not concerning but one of the most annoying conditions we see in pediatrics.

For more information, read our full post on molluscum: The most common rash you never knew about

Scabies

Although less common than some of the other topics on the list, scabies is another condition that we see frequently but you’d never know it. Scabies is an infection with a parasite that causes itchy red rash all over but is most present in the spaces between the fingers and toes. The condition is not necessarily related to cleanliness, although this is a common misconception. Treatment is a topical cream that is applied neck to toes and repeated in a week.

For more information read this post about scabies (and cooties): Eww, cooties: The Doc Smitty on lice, scabies and yes, cooties

Lice

Oh, the dreaded email from the school, “There has been a case of lice in your child’s classroom.” Lice is sooooo common. Almost every child will have a case at some point during their school-age years. The diagnosis is made after the discovery of live lice or nits (which are eggs) on the scalp. The child will commonly be itching their scalp. The treatment is a shampoo that kills the nits or a treatment to remove the nits and prevent re-infestation.

Treatment for lice has become more complicated because of lice that are resistant to standard treatments. Here’s an article that explains what you need to know: 4 Ways to Fight Against Super Lice

Bedwetting

No one talks about this…but 15 percent of 5 year olds still wet the bed… 5 percent of 10 year olds…

Almost every bedwetter has another bedwetter that sits with them in class every day.

There are some subtle things you can do to help. But, most of all, children outgrow their bedwetting on their own time with bladder maturity and not often because parents find the magic fix. There are solutions that can be explored for sleep-overs and overnight camps.

There are some warning signs that might warrant further concern or investigation. Read more here: Bedwetting: When should you be concerned?

So what should you remember?

1. Get kids and do weird stuff (these and many others) that no one talks about.
2. It’s ok to keep it to yourself or share.
3. Even if you choose not to share, remember that you’re probably not alone.