The incubation period for staph infections varies depending on many factors, including the type of skin injury and the age and general health of the child. Without treatment, folliculitis can either heal within 1 week or progress to become boils. Without treatment, boils may heal in 10 to 20 days, but treatment makes them heal faster and prevents the spread of staph to other skin areas. Impetigo will require a short course of antibiotics by mouth. A child can carry staph bacteria from one area of his body to another on dirty hands and under dirty fingernails.
Staph can pass from person to person the same way.
This will help to prevent staph from spreading to other skin areas. Most localized staph skin infections can be treated by washing the skin with an antibacterial cleanser, applying an antibiotic ointment, and covering the skin with a clean dressing. To help relieve pain from a boil, try warm-water soaks, a heating pad, or a hot water bottle applied to the skin for about 20 minutes, three or four times a day. For most staph skin infections, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic for your child. If so, give the antibiotic on schedule for as many days as your doctor directs.