Why heat rashes appear in babies and how to treat them

Babies are much more sensitive to environmental stimuli than we adults are. One such stimulus is heat, which can cause a skin reaction in the form of small red pimples. But, before you panic, let’s explain what is the cause of these rashes and how to avoid them.

O awesome.club will explain about this reaction known as miliaria, popularly called prickly heat so you know when you need to go to the doctor.

Commonly known as a “heat rash,” miliaria is a rash caused by sweat that is trapped under the skin when the pores are clogged, causing redness, swelling and the appearance of small itchy pimples.

Adults can also suffer from this problem. But babies are much more vulnerable due to several reasons: their sweat glands are much smaller, their organism is not yet well developed to deal with temperature changes, they tend to have more folds in their skin (where the heat) and, finally, they have no control over their surroundings or the clothes they wear—which, of course, are chosen by their parents.

The most affected areas are precisely those that have more folds and are in constant friction: neck, shoulders, chest, upper part of the armpits, inner part of the elbow and groin.

As is to be expected, this condition is more common in warm seasons and in places with hot and humid weather. However, there are a number of recommendations that you can follow to help your baby get rid of the problem.

Children must be dressed according to the weather. It is not necessary that they always have several pieces of clothing or covered with blankets or blankets. A newborn only needs one more layer of clothing than an adult. Prevent the baby from receiving the direct rays of the sun. Put on breathable and loose clothing. Give preference to cotton and avoid synthetic materials. Keep the places where the baby is cool, either with fans or air conditioning (avoiding the child receiving the air directly, so as not to catch a cold). Constantly monitor whether the baby is sweating and how his skin is.

The miliaria usually disappears on its own after a few days and without the need for medication, but there are some measures that help improve and relieve the baby’s discomfort.

Put the prevention tips mentioned above into practice. Apply cold compresses to the affected area. Keep the baby well hydrated. Regularly wipe the baby’s sweat. Do not use ointment that has not been prescribed by your doctor, as it can clog your pores. Give fresh water baths and use specific soaps that don’t dry the skin. Instead of using a towel, allow the skin to air dry – as long as it is not exposed to drafts to avoid possible colds.

If there is no improvement after 3 days, or if the rashes get worse, it’s time to see a pediatrician. In this situation, it’s possible that your baby has already scratched the affected areas, causing an infection. Therefore, it is advisable to visit a specialist to treat the problem and make sure that it is a heat rash rather than another factor.

These are some signs of infection to watch out for:

Pain, swelling, redness or a high temperature around the affected area. Pus in the lesions. Fever or chills.

We hope that the information has been useful when dealing with this very common problem at high temperatures. Do you know any other advice for treating miliaria? Tell in the comments.