A healthcare professional can diagnose the condition by examining the person. The exam may include gently maneuvering the patches to check for bleeding under the white curd like areas. If in doubt, scrapings of the areas are sent to a lab for analysis. If the doctor suspects that there is a serious underlying illness present, he or she will need to check for this as well. Infants should be seen by a pediatrician immediately if there is any indication of symptoms.