Do you need to be bothered when a baby has a rash? Oh yes. Absolutely yes. Rashes don’t just come by. They’re no doubt uncomfortable for both baby and parents, especially the mother. Typically, they’re treatable, even with home remedies. In some cases, they may be a sign of a serious infection. As we all know, babies have new skins and developing immunity hence their skin is extremely sensitive. They react to heat, allergies, friction, dampness, chemicals, fragrances, fabrics. They even react to their own faeces. The heat rash happens one of the most common rashes seen in babies.
In heat rash (also known as prickly heat or milaria), excessive sweating clogs sweat glands, trapping perspiration beneath the skin and resulting in telltale red bumps or blisters. Babies cannot respond to heat like adults too. You could simply pull off your shirt if you’re feeling too hot. A baby can’t. Their bodies are also poor at regulating temperature. These factors make it more likely for them to develop heat rashes. Wearing clothes that are very warm for the weather, sitting babies near heat sources such as fires and swaddling a baby in a warm weather is not encouraged. Basically, anything that gets a baby too sweaty may cause a heat rash. The rash appears red, and there may be blisters (raised skin containing fluid) too. The skin also feels hot to touch. Of course, the baby is in obvious distress and displays it the best way they can. They cry out. They don’t let you sleep too. In most cases, heat rash clears up fairly quickly and does not cause too much discomfort, so it may not require a trip to the doctor. If you’re unsure, please take that trip. If you are, what do you do?
Get mild soap and tepid water to soothe the baby’s skin during bath time. This can also be done periodically during a typical hot day. Ensure the affected skin is always dry by gently patting it with a cloth. As much as is possible, make the environment cool enough for the baby with a fan or air conditioning. Do this in moderation. The baby does not need any powder, oils or lotions at this point in time. Please skip. If it’s okay, give the baby a break from all the clothes and let him/her wander around naked. Keep the baby well hydrated too. This will require breast feeding at demand and constant access to water for older babies. No rash cream is needed. This is not an allergy or an infection unless a doctor says it is.
If a supposed heat rash persists three days or more, then go see a doctor. This is also true for a rash that breaks out with pustules (collections of pus in skin) on the first day. This does not sound like a heat rash. Keep your baby healthy!
Reference: whattoexpect.com
