Symptoms and treatment of heat rash in children. Symptoms of prickly heat on the buttocks. Treatment prognosis and possible unpleasant complications of pathology

Miliaria is a disease caused by excessive sweating due to overheating. The disease can affect people of any age, but it is most common in infants. If a child's body overheats, it acts according to the standard pattern - it produces sweat to cool down. However, the sweat glands of infants are not yet sufficiently developed and work poorly, so sweat accumulates at the mouths of these same glands, causing irritation of the skin. A pediatrician will tell you how to treat heat rash in a baby, but first you need to understand the signs of the pathology.

Heat rash in a child is determined by several signs:

• The appearance of red or pink rashes on the skin.
• The presence of bubbles, inside of which clear liquid accumulates. They quickly dry out and turn into a crust.
• The primary locations of pathology are the neck, buttocks, armpits and groin. In more advanced cases, prickly heat spreads to other areas of the skin.

Children may react to the disease in different ways. Some begin to worry, often cry, refuse to eat, while others may not experience any discomfort at all, and the symptoms become unexpressed.

Danger of pathology

Why are so many people so interested in how to get rid of heat rash in a newborn? The fact is that the pathology itself is not dangerous to the baby’s health. It does not in any way affect the formation of his body and mental abilities. However, skin irritation is extremely favorable for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria there. And this can already be dangerous for the child’s health.

Therefore, it is necessary to treat prickly heat in infants immediately. It is advisable to visit a pediatrician at the first signs of pathology, who will confirm the diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Reasons for appearance

Before deciding how to treat prickly heat in newborns, you need to eliminate the causes of its occurrence:

• Often, caring parents, wanting to protect their baby from the cold, wrap him up, but only make it worse. In addition to heat rash, overheating also causes the baby to become susceptible to various diseases because its immune system suffers.
• Often, treatment for prickly heat in infants is not required if you simply change the brand of diapers. The child may simply have an allergic reaction.
• Unnatural fabrics in which the child is wrapped can also lead to skin irritation.
• It is necessary to change the diaper promptly, since moisture can lead to heat rash.
• If a child is sick and the disease is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, prickly heat may occur as a complication.

If treatment of the pathology is not started in time, a complication may occur called vesiculopustulosis. These are focal multiple inflammations of the skin, accompanied by the appearance of blisters up to 3 cm in diameter.

Miliaria rubra

Miliaria can appear on any part of the child’s body:

• head;
• back;
• buttocks;
• hips.

Heat rash on the face of newborns is an equally common occurrence, and it is treated according to standard rules.

But prickly heat is an aggravated form of the disease. It manifests itself like this: all rashes on the body become bright red, inflammation occurs around the rashes. This causes a lot of inconvenience for the baby:

• burning;
• pain;
• scratching.

Often the inflamed areas become infected. Miliaria rubra requires medical treatment. It is better not to let the pathology reach such a state.

Miliaria in children can be treated at home if the problem is not advanced.

Home therapy

It is not difficult to cure the pathology. The first thing to do is to prevent further sweating in the baby. If the affected area is quite large, you can bathe the child in warm water, adding 3 crystals of potassium permanganate to it. This not only dries out the skin, but also helps prevent infections from getting into it. After bathing, the baby's skin should be blotted with a cotton towel.

You can treat heat rash in newborns with folk remedies:

If the therapeutic effect of these measures does not occur, you should consult a doctor to avoid complications. It is also worth paying attention to certain rules, the observance of which not only treats heat rash, but also prevents its occurrence.

Rules of treatment and prevention

Even if the first sign of the appearance of heat rash has not yet occurred, it is advisable to follow these rules:

Thus, proper and constant hygiene is the best way to combat prickly heat and an excellent prevention of the occurrence of pathology. Before using any folk remedies, you should consult your doctor.

Often newborn babies develop rashes on their buttocks. Prickly heat on a child’s bottom is a kind of rash that is often localized on the buttocks and brings a lot of discomfort and problems to the baby. However, similar symptoms accompany other disorders in the body, such as allergic reactions. Therefore, Parents are contraindicated to independently treat pimples on the baby’s bottom until a doctor confirms the diagnosis.

A baby’s butt is a very vulnerable place with delicate skin, where prickly heat often appears.

Causes of a rash on the bottom of a baby

Often, heat rash in a child occurs during the hot season, when heat exchange in the body is disrupted and because of this, the sweat glands actively produce sweat. It slowly evaporates, as a result of which pathogenic microorganisms begin to actively multiply on the body, which cause pathological irritation. In young children, this occurs mainly due to imperfect functioning of the sweat glands. but there are other factors that influence the formation of prickly heat in a child:

• insufficient hygiene of the baby;
• overheat;
• frequent wearing of diapers;
• low-quality clothing made of synthetic material;
• aggressive hygiene products;
• the use of cosmetics that negatively affect the functioning of the sweat glands.

If you eliminate all these factors, dress your baby according to the weather, don’t bundle him up in the heat, change diapers more often and let your butt “breathe fresh air,” you will be able to get rid of unpleasant symptoms without special means. Parents must understand that the condition of the baby depends entirely on their actions or inactions. Therefore, you need to be careful and responsible about your baby’s health.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of prickly heat in a child are characteristic and pronounced. With this disorder, the baby becomes restless and cries a lot, especially when urinating and defecating, since feces and urine irritate the rashes localized on the butt. The following symptoms are also concerning:

Prickly heat in infants develops from small red pimples.

• red pimples appear on the butt;
• the rash causes itching, peeling and irritation;
• If treatment is untimely, inflammation develops in the affected areas with the addition of a bacterial infection.

The main difference between prickly heat and allergic rashes is the appearance of the rash and its location. With prickly heat, peeling forms on the affected area. Bubbles often appear in places where folds form or there is contact with, for example, a diaper, cap or other items of clothing.

Treatment of heat rash

Pediatrician Komarovsky E. O. insists that sweat on the bottom of a child on the bottom is treated mainly by observing the rules of personal hygiene, ensuring a comfortable temperature, natural feeding and using items of clothing made from natural fabrics. In advanced cases, pharmaceutical drugs are used, many studies of the effectiveness of which are described in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Pharmacy products

The safest and most effective pharmaceutical remedy against prickly heat is regular baby powder or talc. It can be used from the first days of the baby's life. It is preferable to creams and cosmetic ointments, as it never provokes allergic reactions. The product is applied directly to the affected areas and rubbed in well. Talc absorbs excess moisture and prevents pathogenic microorganisms from multiplying on the skin.

"Bepanten", "Sudocrem" and zinc ointment are most often used in the treatment of prickly heat in infants.

The following medicinal ointments and creams are also suitable for infants:

• "Bepanten." Helps damaged skin regenerate faster, resulting in irritated areas healing faster.
• "Sudocrem". It has antiseptic and drying properties, but its consistency is too greasy, so the cream is only suitable for treating small affected areas.
• Zinc-based ointment. Helps prevent bacterial complications, as it has antiseptic properties. This ointment is also good because it quickly removes unpleasant symptoms, which also has a beneficial effect on the baby’s condition and speeds up his recovery.

Is your newborn's face or buttocks red and covered in pinkish or whitish bumps? Is there fluid inside the rash, and does the inflamed skin feel damp to the touch? Symptoms indicate heat rash, which appears in newborns up to one year old. Only a pediatrician can make an accurate diagnosis and distinguish this disease from allergies, who will suggest medications that relieve itching and pimples.

Main reasons

Babies' skin becomes inflamed due to oily creams that clog pores. They do not have time to remove all the liquid that the sweat glands produce; some of the moisture accumulates in the folds, causing irritation. Pore ​​function is impaired by synthetic fabrics, infrequent bathing, too warm clothing and disposable diapers.

Small rashes appear with chickenpox and ARVI, when the temperature rises and sweating increases. Most often, mothers who like to wrap their babies in several duvets and rarely ventilate the room encounter heat rash.

Temperature

Humidifiers are installed in the room where the baby sleeps. Sweat glands work more actively if the air is dry and stagnant.

During feeding, the baby is taken to the parent's bedroom or kitchen, and the windows in the children's room are opened. In summer, it is advisable to leave the window open for several hours; in winter, 10–15 minutes are enough to make it feel fresh, but not too cold.

Children's cosmetics

Miliaria appears due to the wrong cream. Do not lubricate your baby's skin with cosmetics that contain oils or animal fats. Only light formulations that are quickly absorbed and do not interfere with heat transfer. The folds between the legs and under the arms are treated with talcum powder. The powder absorbs excess sweat, but does not clog pores, protecting delicate skin from inflammation. Proper talc contains zinc oxide and starch. Varieties with anesthesin soothe itching, and variants with panthenol remove inflammation and heal cracks.

Add baby liquid soap or foam to the bathing water. The main thing is that the cosmetic product contains a minimum of flavors and fragrances.

Diapers, even those advertised as “breathable,” do not allow air to pass through well, contributing to the accumulation of sweat in the folds between the legs and on the buttocks. In summer, it is recommended to remove the baby’s diaper for 30–40 minutes or several hours. For example, after bathing or washing, when the mother dried the baby and treated the skin with talcum powder.

Water treatments and proper clothing

Miliaria appears in newborns who take a bath only 2-3 times a week. Infants are bathed daily to cleanse the pores of dirt and sweat residue. Be sure to wash after defecation with clean water without soap. No wet wipes.

In summer, the baby is bathed 2-3 times a day; in winter, one procedure is enough. The water should be cool, +34–36 degrees. Such baths protect the newborn’s skin from prickly heat and strengthen the baby’s immunity.

If frequent bathing is not enough, decoctions of medicinal herbs are added to the water:

• sequences;
• oak bark;
• chamomile;
• yarrow;
• sage;
• celandine.

30–40 minutes before water procedures, pour a spoonful of any herb into a thermos or glass jar. Add a liter of boiling water, cover and wait. Dilute the strained infusion with warm water and dip the child in it.

Important: Do not add potassium permanganate to the bath. Even a weak solution of potassium permanganate dries out the child’s skin, and if it gets into the eyes, it causes a burn to the mucous membranes.

If herbal infusions do not cope with prickly heat, herbal infusions are replaced with disinfectants:

• salicylic acid;
• chlorophylliptom;
• methylene blue;
• boric acid solution.

Use weak, one or two percent, agents. Soak cotton swabs in the solutions and wipe the inflamed areas. Add drugs to water.

After bathing, a clean baby is wrapped in a terry towel and waited until it dries. The folds are treated with talcum powder, and then the child is dressed in a thin cotton overall. Pajamas and suits made of synthetic fabric are contraindicated for newborns. The material disrupts heat transfer and leads to the accumulation of sweat, which causes diaper rash and rashes.

Children's clothes and diapers are washed with hypoallergenic powders without fragrances or phosphates. Adult products cause allergies and irritation in newborns.

Soothing decoctions

Areas covered with small pimples are wiped with soda solution:

• Add a teaspoon of powder to a glass of warm water and stir.
• Wait until the particles of the product settle to the bottom.
• Soak a cotton swab in the liquid and gently apply to the reddened areas.
• Do not wipe with a towel, wait until the skin dries on its own.

Make sure that soda particles do not fall on inflamed areas. They leave small scratches and cause irritation.

Bay solution also helps:

• Place 3-4 leaves in a cup.
• Pour 200–250 ml of boiling water into a container.
• Leave covered for 2 hours.
• Soak cotton swabs in the strained broth.
• Apply to the skin, and after drying, treat with talc or special ointment.

Is your baby suffering from severe itching? Chamomile will help:

• Pour 2-3 tablespoons of dried flowers into a jar.
• Combine with a glass of boiling water.
• Leave for 1–1.5 hours, wrapping the container in a towel.
• Warm, strained broth is used for wiping and added to bathing water.

Redness and rashes go away if you treat the newborn’s skin with an infusion of walnut leaves:

• Grind the dried or fresh preparation in a mortar.
• Pour a spoonful of leaf powder into a glass of boiling water.
• Cook the product for 20–25 minutes over medium heat.
• Set aside and leave for 2-3 hours.
• Store the strained nut broth in the refrigerator and reheat before use.

Herbal infusions must be tested: apply a little liquid to the newborn’s forearm and wait 20–30 minutes. If the area is red, swollen, or covered in strange blisters, the baby is allergic to the herbal component. Decoctions to which the baby did not have a reaction are used three times a day after bathing and washing.

Aloe will help with heat rash. Select a large and fleshy leaf, cut and wash. Place in the refrigerator overnight, wrapped in a plastic bag. Remove, cut in half and rub the pulp over the inflamed skin. Blot the residue with a napkin, but do not rinse. Aloe is used after bathing.

Ordinary starch will cope with prickly heat. Dissolve 80 g of white powder in a glass and pour into warm water. Immerse the child in the prepared bath. After the procedure, the reddened areas are sprinkled with talcum powder or starch.

Sea salt is also added to bathing water. It soothes and disinfects, removes inflammation. The method is recommended for children who are allergic to baths with herbal infusions.

Medications

Have the blisters burst, have the inflamed areas become crusty? To soothe itching, apply a clean cotton cloth to the skin. The fabric is dipped in cold boiled water and lightly wrung out. The compress is applied 3-4 times a day. The napkin is changed so as not to introduce an infection into the cracked skin.

After bathing, apply an antiseptic to the skin:

• fucorcin;
• salicylic acid;
• brilliant green.

Use a cotton swab dipped in the solution to treat the areas around the rash and the crust itself. The drugs soothe itching and protect against secondary infection.

Important: A newborn who has heat rash should have his nails cut short and put “scratchies” on his hands. The child should not scratch the blisters, otherwise microbes will get into the wound and inflammation will begin.

Herbal decoctions and disinfectant solutions are combined with soothing ointments:

• Panthenol;
• Zinc;
• Bepanthen;
• Drapolene.

Calamine lotion, which is prescribed to children with chickenpox, also helps. The ointment is applied in a thin layer to clean skin and rubbed in with gentle movements. The product creates a protective film that accelerates healing, soothes burning and redness, and relieves itching.

If prickly heat does not disappear and the child’s condition worsens, the pediatrician prescribes antibacterial or antifungal ointments. A newborn may be prescribed antihistamines, but you cannot buy any tablets or suppositories on your own.

Prevention

In summer, it is recommended to take babies out onto the balcony, removing diapers and onesies. Ultraviolet light in small doses is beneficial for children. The sun dries out diaper rash and destroys the fungus. But you should not sunbathe for a long time so that the newborn does not get burns and irritation.

Tight diapers, like clothes that are too tight, rub and injure the skin. To protect your baby from heat rash, you need to buy diapers and overalls of the right size.

After bathing, it is recommended to examine the child and apply ointment or baby cream with medicinal herbs and vitamins to the reddened areas. The product will soothe irritation and protect against rashes.

Miliaria is a childhood disease that usually appears in babies under one year of age. Irritation and rashes go away if you follow the rules of hygiene, refuse disposable diapers for a while and lubricate the reddened skin with zinc or other soothing ointment.

Video: how to treat heat rash in an infant

Miliaria is a skin lesion caused by excessive sweating. It appears more often in summer with reddish rashes. Localized in folds and natural folds of the skin.

Causes of the disease

The appearance of irritation in the butt, back, abdomen, and armpits of a child is associated with overheating of the body. When the external temperature is high, the baby’s body overheats, sweat is released, which clogs the excretory flows of the glands. Inflammation of the skin develops. Excessive wrapping or dressing inappropriately for the weather or in clothes that are too warm can also lead to skin rashes. By the way, synthetic, thick clothing can also cause this irritation on the skin. High body temperature during illness can also lead to heat rash.

Prickly heat may appear on a newborn's bottom due to diapers. Both insufficient and excessive (soap washes off the protective film on the baby's skin) baby hygiene, excessive use of fatty creams can lead to skin rashes.

Symptoms of prickly heat in a newborn on the stomach, butt, back

Manifests itself in the form of single bubbles or their clusters. It usually goes away quickly if the provoking factor is eliminated. However, if this factor continues to operate or an infection occurs, the blisters become inflamed, filled with cloudy white or yellow liquid, and pain appears.

How to confidently identify heat rash?

• A rash of red or pink color, small, in places where the skin comes into contact with clothing;
• The skin in the affected area becomes wet;
• Itching in the area of ​​the rash;
• Increased sweating.

Prickly heat on the back

It appears quite often on the back. Characterized by a rash that is red in color; If left untreated, it can spread to the groin and abdomen. It appears more often after a walk with the baby, when parents dress the child too warmly or the clothes consist of dense, synthetic fabrics. Prickly heat on the back appears in very young, newborn children, since the child does not yet know how to roll over.

Prickly heat on a child’s back – photo

This type of heat rash occurs under diapers. Appears in children who are forced to spend most of their time in diapers. Increased moisture and impaired evaporation from the surface of the skin leads to the appearance of heat rash on the bottom of a newborn. To avoid rashes from diapers, you just need to change them more often, and it is better to leave the child completely naked as often as possible so that he can take air baths.

Increased moisture leads to heat rash on a child’s bottom

On the stomach

A baby's heat rash on the abdomen appears when the baby is wrapped tightly and warmly. It appears as red pimples, often grouped together.

Miliaria on the abdomen of a baby appears when it is wrapped tightly and warmly

Treatment of prickly heat in children on the butt, stomach, back

• For treatment, decoctions of herbs are used: chamomile, string, calendula. 2 tbsp. pour 1 liter of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain and add the resulting broth to the baby’s bathtub. By the way, in hot weather you need to bathe at least 2-3 times a day. After this, blot the newborn’s skin with soft wipes. Under no circumstances should you put too much pressure on the blisters in the affected area. Potassium permanganate solution can be used as an antiseptic solution. Then talcum powder or baby powder should be sprinkled on the baby's irritated skin. The powder should be sprinkled first on your palms, then on the baby’s skin, so he will not be able to inhale the powder;
• To prevent irritation on the bottom, it is necessary to change the diaper after each bowel movement and at least 6-7 times a day. Girls need to be washed from front to back to prevent infection from spreading from the anus to the vagina. The boy’s genitals, thighs and inguinal folds are washed;
• it is necessary to leave the baby without clothes and a diaper more often. Ventilate the room, walk with him in the fresh air. In warm summer weather, you can put it outside without clothes to take air baths so that the skin can breathe;
• in advanced forms of prickly heat, the use of creams is necessary. But using creams and ointments without consulting a pediatrician or dermatologist is fraught with consequences, as they may contain hormones. Zinc-based creams are used (Bepanten, Zinerit, Sudocrem);
• If your baby scratches skin rashes, you can use a soda solution. Antihistamines, the independent use of which is prohibited, can also help in this case. They must be prescribed by a doctor. It is important to ensure that the baby does not scratch the affected skin: infection and the development of a purulent process are possible. To prevent this, you should use scratchers and trim the baby’s nails.

Attention! If the rash remains unchanged for more than 4 days, the liquid inside the blisters has become cloudy or yellow, the borders of redness increase, pustular lesions or weeping spots are observed on the body, you should consult a doctor!

Prevention

To prevent prickly heat in children on the stomach, back and butt, the following rules must be followed:

• Do not dress the baby too warmly; tight swaddling is prohibited. To determine whether a child is hot or cold, you can touch his nose: if it is cold, then the child is cold, if it is hot, then he is hot;
• Do not use thick synthetic fabrics in clothes for a newborn;
• You need to take your child outside for air more often. In hot weather, it is better to leave the baby's skin open for as long as possible so that it comes into contact with air;
• It is necessary to ventilate the room where the baby is located. Make sure that the air temperature does not rise above 22 degrees;
• If there is irritation on the back, the child should spend less time on it. It is better for him to sleep on his stomach;
• To prevent the appearance of prickly heat on the bottom, diapers need to be changed at least 6-7 times a day and after bowel movements. The baby's clothes also need to be changed more than once a day. Apply a thin layer of fatty diaper cream, and during the treatment of prickly heat, it is better to completely abandon fat-based cream. You can replace it with a water-based cream. Powder should be used in the groin folds.
• When bathing a baby 2-3 times a day, detergents (in particular, soap) can be used no more than once, so as not to wash off the film that forms on the baby’s skin and protects it.

Miliaria on the stomach, butt, under the arms, on the back in adults

Heat rash in adults is as common as in children, especially in hot weather. It manifests itself in the form of reddish, itchy blisters, which, when pressed, cause pain and burning.

Causes

Irritation appears in places where clothing comes into close contact with the skin: a greenhouse effect is created. The rashes are associated with excessive sweating, as a result of which the epidermis undergoes constant swelling, the ducts of the sweat glands become clogged, and their rupture is possible. Inflammation appears. At the initial stages, the blisters are pale pink in color, and then papules appear, followed by crusts.

Causes of rashes:

• significant physical activity;
• hot weather and dry climate;
• high room temperature;
• clothing made of thick synthetic fabric;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• diseases of the nervous system;
• pathology of the endocrine system (hypo- and hyperthyroidism);
• diseases with increased body temperature;
• obesity.

Manifestations on the back

Miliaria on the back of an adult most often manifests itself in the form of a crystalline rash - small blisters, up to 2 mm in diameter, with liquid inside. A more advanced form of prickly heat on the back is red - the papules lie close to each other and cause itching. After some time, rashes of this type can be complicated by purulent skin lesions.

Miliaria on the back of an adult most often manifests itself in the form of a crystalline rash - small blisters, up to 2 mm in diameter, with liquid inside

On the butt

Red prickly heat is most often observed on the buttocks. It is characterized by bubbles with a red outline around them. Inside the bubble there is a yellow liquid. With this type of irritation, a person feels severe discomfort: itching, soreness, inflammation. Less commonly, pale rashes can be observed on the butt, merging with each other, without itching or pain. Such manifestations are characteristic of crystalline prickly heat.

In the armpits

Rashes in the armpit area most often affect people with high body weight. Obesity contributes to increased sweating and heat rash. Tight clothing can also lead to sweat in the armpits, which rubs the armpit area and contributes to the development of complications.

On the stomach

Miliaria in adults on the abdomen occurs due to contact of clothing made of dense synthetic fabric with the skin of the abdomen. Miliaria in adults on the abdomen looks like a cluster of spots and blisters.

Miliaria in adults on the abdomen occurs due to contact of clothing made of dense synthetic fabric with the skin of the abdomen

Treatment

Skin irritation caused by sweat is considered safe only if it is not complicated by infection. In case of pain in the affected area, swelling, yellow infiltrate in pimples, burning, itching, or increased temperature, you should consult a specialist to prescribe antibiotics. To eliminate rashes you need to:

• reduce sweating by reducing physical activity or normalizing body weight);
• You should refrain from wearing thick synthetic clothing. It is better to choose cotton fabric;
• You should try to keep the skin in the affected area open to contact with air. Carry out skin hygiene as often as possible, it should not sweat;
• treat the affected areas with an antiseptic solution: potassium permanganate, chlorophyllipt, salicylic acid. You can also wipe with decoctions: oak or bay leaf;
• For healing, it is better to add decoctions of chamomile, calendula or yarrow to the bath. After taking a bath, the skin is blotted with a soft towel and sprinkled with talcum powder or baby powder;
• To eliminate itching, use soda solution or antihistamines (Suprastin, Diphenhydramine);
• It is recommended to consume carrot and pomegranate juices, sorrel and lentils;
• To eliminate excessive sweating, it is necessary to eliminate the symptoms of the underlying disease.

Prevention

• reduce physical activity;
• In summer, wear loose clothing made of light fabrics. Synthetic fabric is prohibited;
• clothes wet from sweat should be immediately removed and clean ones put on;
• in summer you should take a shower at least 2 times a day;
• You should stay in the sun as little as possible: it helps to narrow the pores, and sweat will not be excreted;
• the room temperature should be comfortable;
• Vitamins A, E, C will help speed up the restoration of the skin;
• To prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system, you can take daily walks and swimming. It is better to refrain from drinking alcohol, tonics, carbonated drinks, as well as fatty and fried foods.

Miliaria in children and adults is not a dangerous, non-life-threatening disease, but it brings great discomfort. In the absence of proper treatment and infection, the rashes can become purulent, which threatens the development of serious complications. To prevent irritation in infants, parents should be more careful about skin hygiene and not overheat their newborns. To avoid relapses, adults need to reconsider their lifestyle, normalize their weight and choose their clothes more carefully.

Miliaria in infants is a skin rash that occurs due to increased sweating. The problem most often occurs in children who are overly bundled, infrequently washed, or use too many cosmetics. Coping with this disease is very simple, the main thing is to follow the recommendations of pediatricians and properly care for the child’s skin.

When a rash forms, parents need to take preventive and therapeutic measures in a timely manner; prickly heat can develop into serious problems: ulcers, inflammation and the proliferation of harmful bacteria and microorganisms on the skin.

The main cause of prickly heat is overheating of the body. In infants, the sebaceous ducts are too narrow; with excessive sweating, they become clogged, and small pimples form on the skin.

Most often, prickly heat occurs in the summer or when the baby is ill associated with an increase in temperature. You should take special care of your child's skin.

Main places of rashes:

1. Groin area . Risk factors include poor hygiene, constant wearing of diapers and excessive use of creams.
2. Neck . Excessive wrapping and accumulation of drool on the chin can lead to rashes.
3. Face . Here prickly heat occurs only in the most advanced cases. Most often it spreads from the neck area or from behind the ears if not treated promptly.

Varieties

There are three types of prickly heat.

1. Crystalline. The type of rash is most common in babies under one year of age. It looks like many white bubbles of small diameter. When you touch the pimples, they burst and leave behind a slight peeling. The rash is not characterized by pain, itching or swelling and goes away on its own within 4 days.
2. Red. Nodules form, around which there is severe redness. The most painful type of rash, swelling appears and the skin begins to itch. It brings great discomfort, the baby often cries and tries to scratch the rash.
3. Deep. It is similar to the crystalline form of the disease, but in this case the bubbles formed are not white, but flesh-colored. With proper care, it goes away within 2 days without discomfort or pain.

Each type of rash must be treated to prevent the appearance of ulcers and infection under the baby’s skin.

Three types of miliaria

Distinctive features

Often parents are unable to distinguish prickly heat from allergies, diathesis and other skin rashes, and begin treatment with drugs that turn out to be powerless and only worsen the picture of the disease. Barring this scenario, it is important to know what prickly heat looks like and how it differs from other types of rashes.

During prickly heat, if you carefully stretch the skin near the blisters in different directions with your hands, they will disappear. This does not happen with allergies or diathesis. An allergic rash is characterized by severe redness and appearance on different parts of the body at once. It can appear after eating a new food product or overeating something. Allergic dermatitis causes severe itching, children are capricious and restless.

In order to accurately determine the nature of the rash on your child’s skin, you need to consult a doctor. If necessary, he will do an analysis for allergic reactions and find out the cause of the dermatitis.

Prevention

To prevent your child from developing heat rash, it is important to follow preventive measures.

1. Ventilate the room often, but avoid drafts. Try to maintain the optimal temperature at 22 degrees. The house should not be hot and stuffy.
2. Dress your child only in soft clothes made from natural fabrics. The same applies to bed linen; the recommended composition is 100% cotton.
3. Stop wrapping your baby up, wearing too many clothes, or swaddling him tightly. The baby should not sweat.
4. Reduce your diaper use. It is very hot in them, the child’s skin stops “breathing”. It is advisable to use them only at night and while walking.
5. Stop using creams in large quantities. Do not apply them in a too greasy layer, otherwise it will make it difficult for air to reach the baby’s skin and clog the pores.
6. Carefully monitor your child’s hygiene, bathe and wash him regularly. You need to wash after every bowel movement. It is advisable to bathe infants up to 6 months of age daily; for slightly older infants, 4 times a week is sufficient. To bathe newborns, try to use only boiled water, possibly with the addition of herbal infusions. After the bath, you need to carefully dry the baby, and then apply powder, special oil or gel-based cream to the skin.
7. It is useful to do exercises and massage for the baby. Place the baby on a flat surface and lightly stroke him on different parts of the body: stomach, back, arms and legs; then alternately bend and unbend the baby’s arms and legs. It takes 5 minutes to charge.

All the methods described will help prevent the appearance of heat rash on the baby’s body. However, if the rash already exists, action is not enough. It is necessary to consult a doctor and treat the child’s skin.

If you cannot avoid the rash, be sure to ensure that your baby does not scratch the affected areas of the body. Trim your child's nails and put scratchy mittens on his hands.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are widely used to treat prickly heat in newborns. Herbal decoctions and infusions, which have an anti-inflammatory and calming effect, help well. Such medicinal products can be prepared from various ingredients.

1. Bay leaf . You need to take 7-8 pcs. dry bay leaves, pour a liter of boiling water over them and let it brew for at least 6 hours. The resulting infusion can be added to baths or wiped on affected areas. The course of treatment is 10 days.
2. Chain or chamomile. Herbs have a disinfecting effect and have a beneficial effect not only on the skin, but also on the child’s immune system and nervous system: sleep improves and anxiety goes away. In order to prepare an infusion, you need to take 15 g of dry leaves, pour a liter of boiling water over them and let it brew for at least 6 hours.
3. Manganese. Use the product carefully, as it can dry out your baby's skin. To prepare the solution, take manganese (just a little, on the tip of a teaspoon), pour it into a transparent glass, pour boiling water and mix thoroughly. Afterwards, be sure to check that all manganese particles are dissolved. Pour the resulting liquid into the baby’s bathtub until it turns slightly pink. Remember that manganese cannot be used often - maximum once a week.
4. Lavender essential oil. Before bathing, simply add 5 drops of oil to the bath and stir. Lavender has an antiseptic, calming effect and has a beneficial effect on the baby's nervous system.
5. Potato starch. Dilute 100 - 150 g of starch with water and pour the resulting mixture into the bathtub. You can use the solution to spot treat the affected areas.

Treatment for prickly heat should begin as soon as the rash appears. Otherwise, swelling, itching and ulcers may appear.

Before bathing your child in a decoction or infusion, apply a few drops of the product to the crook of your baby’s arm and see if there is an allergic reaction. If after 15 minutes the skin does not turn red, it means there is no allergy and the herb can be used.

Medicines

To treat prickly heat in infants, medications are prescribed.

1. Zinc ointment . Applied directly to rashes, it has an excellent drying and regenerating effect.
2. "Bepanthen cream". The most popular remedy for the treatment of prickly heat and a number of other skin diseases. Dexpanthenol, which is part of the drug, perfectly regenerates and moisturizes the skin.
3. "Sudocrem". Analogue of zinc ointment. The composition includes zinc oxide and auxiliary elements. The consistency of the cream is quite greasy; it needs to be applied in a thin layer to avoid clogging the pores and worsening the disease.

All listed medications should be used only as prescribed by a doctor.

In addition to the medications mentioned above, there are many other remedies for getting rid of prickly heat. The active ingredient in them is usually the same - zinc oxide. Only a doctor can choose the remedy that is best for the baby.

Doctors recommend carefully monitoring infant hygiene and observing temperature conditions. When taking preventive measures, the likelihood of prickly heat occurring is close to zero. If you cannot avoid the rash, it is advisable not to self-medicate, but to consult a doctor. He will help distinguish heat rash from other skin diseases and prescribe a treatment regimen. Most often, for the rash to disappear, it is enough to bathe the child in herbal decoctions and wipe the affected areas with tinctures that have an antiseptic effect. In more advanced cases, medications containing zinc oxide are prescribed.

Some mothers try to cure heat rash on their own using folk remedies. However, it should be remembered that contacting a doctor is inevitable if:

• rashes last on the skin for more than 3 days,
• the fluid in the subcutaneous blisters began to become cloudy - a signal that an infection had entered the wound,
• inflammation gradually increases, the skin turns red and swelling appears,
• ulcers appear,
• wounds become wet and take a long time to heal - a sure sign of a fungal infection.

If your baby has the above symptoms, then it is better not to delay contacting a doctor.

Summary

Heat rash is easy to prevent: it is enough to observe the baby’s hygiene and other preventive measures described in the article.

It is sometimes difficult for inexperienced parents to recognize the cause of rashes on the baby’s body, but if you know what prickly heat in newborns looks like, it can be easily distinguished from other diseases. Mothers of infants should remember: if rashes appear only on the face, then most likely there is an allergy or diathesis. If in doubt, it is better to consult a doctor, he will order tests, determine the cause of the rash and prescribe treatment.

Heat rash can easily be treated with folk remedies. It is enough to bathe the baby in a bath with the addition of herbal infusions and decoctions or wipe the affected areas with them. With successful treatment, the rash usually goes away within a few days. If it worsens - inflammation and ulcers appear - then it is better not to risk the baby’s health and immediately consult a doctor. He will tell you how to treat prickly heat so that the rashes go away quickly.