Ashley Nage, from Queen Creek, Arizona, USA, has shared photos of her 19-month-old daughter Charlie with red patches on her skin that can catch people’s attention.

However, her goal is to make it clear that her daughter does not have a contagious illness and to encourage other parents not to distance themselves from children living with skin conditions.

She has also explained how she and her husband respond when strangers accuse them of allowing their daughter to get “severely sunburned.” Ashley’s way of standing up to those who stare at Charlie is simply to kiss and cuddle her in public.

She said: “I really don’t understand why some people can be so unkind toward a child like this. When we take her out, other parents have pulled their children away because they thought she had something contagious.”

Many of those parents were worried that close contact could put their own children at risk, so they quickly created distance.

In response, Ashley openly shared: “My reaction was very simple. I chose to kiss and cuddle Charlie so people could see that her condition is not contagious and, in fact, she is not harming anyone.

“Some people made very hurtful comments asking why we would allow our daughter to get so sunburned. Others acted uncomfortable and questioned why we would dare take her outside without worrying about affecting other people.

“To me, they simply don’t understand the condition, so we don’t let it bother us.”

Ashley has never intended to hide Charlie from the world.

Charlie was diagnosed with psoriasis at just four months old after tiny red spots appeared on her skin and developed into larger areas that can become flaky and shed.

The condition affects more than 125 million people around the world, and symptoms can become more noticeable during periods of stress, illness or food intolerance.

When her daughter Charlie was diagnosed, Ashley said: “I never wanted to hide my daughter’s condition. I don’t cover her up with high-neck clothing. Instead, I still let her wear shorts like other children.

“I don’t feel ashamed because I know my daughter is beautiful. Her psoriasis does not define who she is. She is wonderful, funny and incredibly sweet.

“If I put her in a stroller or tried to hide her, people would become curious and stare, or even look at her with pity. Worse, they might pull their children away from her. I want people to understand that although she has psoriasis, there is no reason to be afraid. Neither Charlie nor her condition can harm anyone.

“I hope they understand that she does not have a contagious illness and that they can show more compassion toward children in similar situations.”

Ashley says Charlie is one of the youngest patients she has encountered with the condition. The couple decided to give her the sweet nickname “unicorn baby,” hoping the affectionate description would help others see that her condition is not something to fear.

The couple have also shared their routine of giving Charlie a gentle two-hour bathing routine each day to help care for and protect her skin.