There are no children in the world who would never have the most common classical prickly heat. What to do if the baby has diaper rash and how to treat it, as well as how to prevent the appearance of a rash, we will tell in this article.

What it is?

Prickly heat is a dermatological lesion in which skin rashes of varying intensity appear due to an imbalance between sweating and subsequent evaporation of moisture. Sweat glands work from birth. At some moments of life, they are activated, and then more sweat is released. If at the same time it does not have the opportunity to evaporate normally and quickly, it causes severe local skin irritation.

Sweating can occur in children of any age. However, it is most common in newborns. This is due to the peculiarities of the skin of children of the first year of life, and to the peculiarities of infant hygiene. The skin of babies after birth is 2.5 times thinner than the skin of adults. The subcutaneous fatty tissue is underdeveloped, because of this, the skin looks almost translucent, blood vessels and the venous network can even shine through it. Exactly because of this reason skin newborns have such a diverse color - from pale pink to rich red and even purple.

The thermoregulation center in the brain of children is not sufficiently developed, so babies give off heat faster and accumulate it faster, that is they are more likely to get cold or overheated. This means that sweating is not a constant value. In addition, the ducts of the sweat glands in children are narrow, which means that sweating cannot be considered sufficient. The ducts are formed on average up to 5 years, and therefore sweating can occur not only in a newborn, but also in a baby at 2-3 years old.

Sweat is an aggressive environment, it contains not only salts, but also bactericidal substances that “corrode” the natural lipid film on the skin of a newborn. The delicate and vulnerable skin of babies reacts painfully to contact with sweat.

Prickly heat in the medical language is called miliaria. This term refers to the blockage of the ducts of the sweat glands, as well as the resulting skin reaction.

Launched miliaria turns into diaper rash, and then, in the absence of help, into diaper dermatitis, which can be complicated by bacterial inflammation, infection, sometimes even systemic bacterial infection, which poses a danger to the life of the child.

That is why it is important to recognize prickly heat as early as possible and take appropriate measures to alleviate the condition of the child.

Causes

The mechanism for the development of prickly heat is quite simple. The body of a child when overheated, and it happens quickly enough, tries to somehow cool down, for this, the sweat glands begin to actively produce a secret - sweat. But the ducts are narrow, they get clogged easily. This is how local inflammation occurs, and the sweat that gets on the inflamed skin only aggravates the situation. The main reasons that cause overheating in children are as follows:

  • heat in the room;
  • too warm or extra clothes, the choice of clothes is not for the weather;
  • violation of the acid-base balance of the skin due to improper use of cosmetics and skin care products for the child;
  • disease associated with high fever.

Thus, a child who is "dressed up" is protected from freezing with a couple of heaters installed in the children's room, and babies who are bathed too often with soap are more likely to suffer from miliaria. There are also babies who are at risk in terms of the frequency and likelihood of sweating:

  • allergic children;
  • children with overweight, obesity;
  • children with established diabetes mellitus;
  • toddlers with confirmed rickets;
  • children who often suffer from loose stools;
  • babies with seborrheic dermatitis;
  • premature babies;
  • children who are bottle-fed.

Not only too frequent hygiene procedures with soap and others can cause prickly heat. detergents, which dry the skin and increase the risk of miliaria, but also children, whose hygiene is removed too little attention. Untimely diaper changes, infrequent washing, bathing and neglect of air baths lead to prickly heat no less than all other reasons.

Be sure to take into account that the acidity of the child's skin is almost at a neutral level, this creates a favorable environment for the reproduction of bacteria. In adults and adolescents, by comparison, the acidity of the skin is shifted towards an acidic environment, so it is much more difficult for bacteria to survive on it.

Often parents, wanting to do what is best, themselves increase the likelihood of developing prickly heat. Thus, the blockage of the ducts of the sweat glands and the oxygen exchange of the skin are affected by cosmetics on a fatty basis - baby cream, massage oils.

Often prickly heat is provoked by warming compresses, which are applied by parents to their little ones when colds, even an ordinary heating pad, which mom and dad put in the baby's bed in winter, can cause fragments of miliaria. Synthetic clothing, in which the skin "does not breathe", and a poor-quality or unsuitable diaper contribute to prickly heat. In children under 6 months, such skin irritation is more common also due to the adaptation of the skin to the environment. After nine months of being in the uterine waters, it is quite difficult for the skin to “adjust” to the air environment with all its dangers - microbes, viruses, fungi and allergens.

More often prickly heat manifests itself in summer, when it is hot outside, and in winter, when parents, fearing hypothermia of the child, do everything to make it hot at home. In spring and autumn, before and after the start of the heating season, miliaria is much less common.

Kinds

Depending on the degree and duration of exposure to sweat on the skin, the degree of blockage of the ducts of the sweat glands, several main types of prickly heat are distinguished.

crystalline

Red

This type of skin lesion is manifested by tubercles, the skin around which is inflamed and somewhat swollen. The tubercles are not prone to merging with each other. Sometimes such prickly heat is manifested by a red or rich pink rash.

deep

With this form of skin disease, vesicles form in the deep layers of the skin, as a result, blisters form very quickly and disappear just as quickly, leaving no traces.

White

With such prickly heat, the liquid inside the vesicles resembles milk, it is white or with a slight yellowish tint. When the bubbles burst, light crusts remain on the skin.

infected

This is the name of any form of prickly heat, which is complicated by the addition of a secondary infection - bacterial, fungal, less often viral. Pathogenic microorganisms enter the body through bursting vesicles, through microcracks in the skin, and also with weeping eczema. The most common is staphylococcal prickly heat, less often - streptococcal or mycotic.

diaper rash

This is the form that prickly heat acquires with a sufficiently long course. Any type of prickly heat can go into diaper rash if measures are not taken in time. Diaper rash is accompanied by severe inflammation of adjacent tissues, the formation of weeping eczema. Diaper rash occurs as a result of a complex effect on the affected skin of urine, feces, synthetic materials, mechanical friction.

Symptoms and signs

The main symptom of prickly heat is the appearance of a rash and skin inflammation. It is usually located in the skin folds, on the back of the head, on the neck, under the chin in neck crease, on the chest and back, under the armpits, on the pope and in the groin area. On the body, prickly heat is located where there is close contact with clothing or a diaper. In children who are swaddled tightly with a "column", rashes may appear on the body and on the stomach.

It is necessary to sound the alarm and call a doctor only if there is doubt about the origin of the rash, and the formation of weeping diaper rash has also begun and pustules have appeared.

Sweating affects the behavior of the child. Rashes can bother him, itch, itch. The kid begins to behave capriciously, his sleep worsens, his appetite suffers. When trying to touch the sore spot, the child's anxiety increases.

Sweating in children under one year often manifests itself on the nose, behind the ears, on the scalp. It looks different, and therefore it is often confused with an allergic reaction and some infectious diseases. But all these ailments require medical care, whereas mother is able to cope with prickly heat on her own. That is why it is important to learn to distinguish prickly heat from other skin rashes.

If an infection occurs, the symptoms change. The child's body temperature rises, pustular or crusty whitish formations appear on the inflamed skin, noticeable cracks can form that begin to bleed. Infected prickly heat often occurs in children with weakened immune systems, babies who have recently suffered certain diseases, as well as crumbs with chronic and congenital ailments.

How to distinguish from illness?

First of all, you should learn to distinguish between prickly heat and allergic reactions. Sweating is usually located only in areas where sweating is difficult - in the folds, under the diaper, in the place where diapers fit with tight swaddling. An allergic rash can be located anywhere, even on exposed skin. Eruptions on the cheeks, therefore, are more often of an allergic origin.

For differential diagnosis at home, you can conduct an air test. A child with prickly heat, left for several hours without clothes and a diaper, shows a rapid improvement - the elements of the rash turn pale and begin to disappear, the inflammation decreases.

An allergic rash does not go away so quickly and does not show sensitivity to exposure to air currents.

It is possible to distinguish prickly heat from a great many infectious diseases, which are also accompanied by skin rashes, by the presence or absence of additional symptoms. For viral or bacterial infection the temperature always rises, and often the fever begins first, and only then a rash appears after a day or two. Prickly heat is not characteristic of fever. A rash during infections tends to quickly spread throughout the body, prickly heat does not change its place of deployment.

If you cannot distinguish, you should call a doctor, this is especially important when it comes to the appearance of a rash in a newborn child up to 28 days from birth.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of this skin ailment usually does not cause difficulties for the doctor, even with a visual examination. But if there is any doubt, then the baby will take a blood and urine test, a sample of feces and a swab from the throat for laboratory microscopic examination.

If the test results do not indicate that there is a bacterial, fungal or viral infection, then the doctor will simply give parents advice on proper skin care for the child in order to avoid the recurrence of prickly heat.

Treatment

Treatment of miliaria is carried out at home, only a complicated form of infected prickly heat may require hospitalization, when bacterial or fungal infection comes first with all the ensuing risks.

The appearance of prickly heat is always a signal that the child is hot. Therefore, it is recommended to start by putting in order the microclimate in the room. The optimal conditions for healthy baby skin are as follows.

Air temperature - +19 +21 degrees

To regulate the heating in an apartment building, you can purchase special regulators for the heating system. They will reduce the air temperature in the room to the desired values. Most moms say +20 is too cold. For adults, maybe it is. But children, who overheat faster, perceive this air temperature best of all.

Relative air humidity - 50-70%

You can measure this parameter using a hygrometer, and a special device, a humidifier, will help create the desired climate. There are devices with built-in hygrometers. If there is no money to buy the device, wet towels hung on batteries or an aquarium that can be installed in the children's room will help to humidify the air. It is especially important to humidify the air in winter, at the height of the heating season, since any heating dries the air.

Cloth

You need to dress the child according to the weather, not wrapped up and not overheating.. This is especially important when choosing wardrobe items for walking. If the child returns from the street sweaty, then he is dressed too warmly. At home, you can not wear a cap and a warm blouse. At night, do not wrap the child in a warm blanket and put heating pads in the crib.

Clothing should be made from natural fabrics, synthetics and semi-synthetics should be avoided. For babies under one year old, it is better to buy things with the seams out, since mechanical irritation by the seams only increases the likelihood of prickly heat and diaper rash.

Be sure to arrange air baths for him every time before dressing the child and before changing the diaper - this is both hardening and a method of treating prickly heat.

Bathing

Bathe the child daily, but without the use of soap. It is also better to refuse the use of potassium permanganate solution. For bathing, you can use decoctions of medicinal plants - sage, chamomile, string, older children can add a decoction of celandine to the bathing water.

Very effective for diaper rash and sweating rashes the most common Bay leaf. It is brewed until a pale yellow decoction is obtained, which is then added to bathing water.

Phyto baths should not be long. It is best to limit the time of bathing in water with decoctions of medicinal herbs to 5-10 minutes. Therefore, it is advisable to alternate baths - one day the usual bathing in ordinary water, the next evening - a bath with a decoction. Do not use medicinal plants without the permission of a doctor if the child has a tendency to allergic reactions.

Effective remedies

The main requirement for remedies for treating a problem such as sweating is mild drying properties. Therefore, baby cream and any other fat-based oils and creams will not work. You need to use only those preparations that dry the skin and create a protective layer. Here is just a sample list of such funds.

"Bepanten"

This drug can treat diaper rash even in the smallest children. The cream contains not only dexpanthenol, which has anti-inflammatory properties, but also vitamin B5, which accelerates tissue regeneration. Since the cream is still moisturizing, it should not be used for weeping diaper rash.

Apply after water procedures, air baths on dry skin, as well as prickly heat, complicated by the formation of traumatic crusts after wet eczema. There are no restrictions on the number of applications per day - you can apply it to the baby's skin at least with each diaper change.

"Chlorophyllipt"

Oil solution and spray for external use are the forms in which the use of this drug is recommended for the treatment of diaper rash and sweating. The preparation contains eucalyptus leaves, which have a fast healing effect, and also destroy many pathogenic microbes. Alcohol solution for children is prohibited.

The agent is applied to the affected areas of the skin 2-3 times a day. With caution, the drug should be used to treat allergic children, since eucalyptus can provoke allergic attacks. The course of treatment should not exceed 10 days.

Zinc ointment

This drug is well known for many generations. The ointment can be applied to the child's skin 1-2 times a day with a very thin layer. If a child's prickly heat is complicated by pustules, then zinc ointment is also applied to neighboring areas of the skin to prevent the spread of a bacterial infection.

"Sudokrem"

The basis of this drug is zinc oxide. It is this substance that effectively dries damaged skin and prevents the reproduction of pathogenic microflora. Zinc oxide and a base that has a water-repellent effect create a protective film on damaged children's skin. This film limits the impact on the affected area from the outside. The drug is allowed for children of any age, since it is not toxic.

"Desitin"

It's another one effective drug containing zinc oxide as the main active substance. It dries, disinfects the skin, promotes rapid healing even complicated eczema. The preparation contains cod liver oil, rich in vitamins A and E, which help rapid tissue regeneration. The drug is applied in a thin even layer on the skin up to 6 times a day. With caution, use the ointment for children who are not yet a year old because of the risk of overdrying the skin.

"Drapolen"

The main active ingredient is benzalkonium chloride. This cream has an excellent anti-inflammatory effect. The protective layer that the drug creates lasts for several hours. Before going to bed, the cream is applied in a thicker layer so that the protection is enough for a longer time.

In some cases, an allergic reaction may develop. If the application of the drug caused redness, it is no longer worth using it.

"Dexpanthenol"

This is a gel, cream and solution for external use based on the active ingredient of the same name. It has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. For babies with sweating, it is preferable to choose "Dexpanthenol E" - a drug additionally enriched with vitamin E. The agent is applied to clean skin several times a day.

Baby powder

Classic baby powder has a lot of advantages. Its main task is to dry the skin. That is why it should always be in the home first aid kit in case of prickly heat or diaper rash. However, the powder should be used very carefully.

The basic rules are:

  • you can not sprinkle with talc weeping eczema with diaper rash;
  • should not be applied a large number of powders in skin folds, where it is “compressed” and will additionally irritate the skin;
  • do not use powder all the time - talc dries the skin too much.
  • When choosing a powder for a child, it is better to give preference to one that contains anesthesin and zinc derivatives.

All these remedies will help to quickly and painlessly get rid of prickly heat. Subject to all hygiene requirements and the use of pharmaceutical preparations based on zinc and dexpanthenol, unpleasant skin phenomena disappear after a few days.

More thorough treatment will require complicated prickly heat.

When a pustular rash appears in the area of ​​diaper rash recommended ointments with antibiotics "Lekomekol", erythromycin ointment, as well as "Baneocin" in powder and ointment.

Against the most common bacteria, which can penetrate the skin, the integrity of which is compromised, aniline dyes are effective - “brilliant green” and “Fukortsin”. But it should be remembered that they can not be applied to the mucous membranes, genitals, anus.

If signs of an attached infection appear, a doctor's consultation is required. Only he will be able to establish which microbe caused the inflammation and advise a specific drug.

Prevention

Prevention of prickly heat is quite simple, it is enough to create for baby favorable living conditions:

  • Do not dress the baby too warmly, do not wrap him up;
  • As far as possible, refuse tight swaddling, unless, of course, it is recommended by a pediatrician;
  • A nursing mother needs to monitor her diet so that the baby has fewer prerequisites for the appearance of any rash. When choosing artificial dairy adapted mixtures definitely need to consult a doctor.
  • Air and sun baths are useful for children. True, it is worth avoiding drafts and direct sunlight on the skin if the child is not yet six months old.
  • Choose good quality diapers for your baby.
  • Timely wash the child, change diapers, give him a full bath once a day, without being zealous, especially with the use of soap and detergents.
  • Bathing in the summer can be more frequent - up to 2-3 times a day.
  • Dress the child only in clothes made from natural fabrics.

What to do with sweating, see the transfer of Dr. Komarovsky.

For information on how to treat prickly heat in children, see the following video.

Instruction

Add a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a decoction of chamomile and string to the bathing water. So you disinfect the inflamed skin and cope with the irritation that was caused by sweat secretions. However, bathing in water with a solution of potassium permanganate dries the skin a little. To eliminate dryness, every time after bathing, apply a thin layer of cream to the baby's skin, excluding redness.

Prepare a decoction for bathing: mix 3 tablespoons of chamomile and 3 tablespoons of string and brew them in one liter of water, then let the decoction brew for an hour. Strain the finished broth through several layers of gauze and add to the water for bathing the baby.

Wipe the problem areas of the skin with a cloth previously moistened with a soda solution (add one teaspoon of baking soda to one glass of warm boiled water).

When the first signs of prickly heat appear, eliminate the cause of its appearance - excess clothing. Bed linen and clothing should be made from natural fabrics, such as organic cotton. The layers on the baby should be as small as possible - his body should "breathe".

Use powder, in no case do not lubricate redness with cream and vegetable oil - this can aggravate the problem.

After bathing, do not dress the baby immediately, wait a couple of minutes. This is necessary in order for the moisture to dry completely. Give your child air baths 2-3 times a day: undress him completely for 10-15 minutes.

In the event that prickly heat appears on the skin under the diaper, try to change diapers as often as possible or, if possible, refuse them completely for the duration of treatment.

After consulting with your doctor and with his approval, use special creams to treat prickly heat, for example: Drapolen, Bepanten, Desitin, etc.

If after 2-3 days after the start of daily hygiene procedures, prickly heat does not begin to disappear, or if it spreads further along the child's skin, be sure to contact your local pediatrician or allergist. The doctor will determine the cause of the prickly heat and prescribe treatment.

Related videos

note

Treatment of prickly heat in newborns. As soon as a newborn baby has sweat on the skin, it is urgently necessary to take such measures for its treatment as: Adjust the temperature in the room where the newborn is located (normal temperature is 20-22 degrees), as well as humidity (50-70 percent), every 2 - 2.5 hours to ventilate the room and do wet cleaning once a day.

Useful advice

She rarely bothers the child herself, but with untimely treatment, itching begins. The child will begin to itch and may introduce an infection that will cause an inflammatory process. Prickly heat in newborns is very common, and the parents themselves provoke its appearance, due to inept actions and not so good care behind the baby's skin. Dress your child only in natural cotton clothes. Do not buy synthetics, they sweat in it! How to treat prickly heat?

Sources:

  • Sweating in newborns and infants
  • How to deal with sweating
  • how do you treat prickly heat

Prickly heat in newborns is a red rash on the skin of a child that looks like a rash. Prickly heat is a fairly common occurrence in newborns (especially in summer, in the heat), because. their skin is very sensitive to temperature changes, and any other irritants. Sweating in a child can manifest itself in the first days after birth. You must be able to recognize it and prevent it. (In addition, everything is not as scary as it may seem at first glance to young and inexperienced mothers)

What does a sweatshirt look like

Prickly heat looks like a small rash (pimples) of red or pink color, appears on the skin areas that sweat the most (mainly in all the folds on the baby's skin), also on the buttocks, back, on the elbows and under the knees, in the area between the legs, on the neck and even on the cheeks. These are pink spots or small bubbles with liquid. Often occurs after sleeping or walking. Usually prickly heat does not cause the child much discomfort, does not cause fever, pain, the baby remains active and mobile. (except in some cases)

Causes

The main reason is sweat. Baby sweats = clogging of skin cells occurs = prickly heat occurs.

Don't CUSH your child too hard! When a child is hot, his sweat glands produce a special secret that prevents the body from overheating. It happens that taking care of the health of the baby, they dress him too warmly, swaddle tightly or cover the skin with a large amount of cream. Then the secret cannot be normally released through the pores and accumulates in the glands. The baby sweats and sweat appears.

We watch the video (What causes prickly heat in infants and how it looks)

Kinds

  • Red prickly heat: similar to hives - solitary blisters, or nodules with reddening of the skin around. There may be pain, itching.
  • Crystal prickly heat: it manifests itself differently - small bubbles are located close, in bulk, do not cause trouble for the child, disappear in 2-3 days. In difficult cases, if an infection has been introduced under the skin, the following types of disease can develop:
    • White prickly heat - instead of a clear liquid, a white liquid is observed in the bubbles.
    • Yellow prickly heat - water in the bubbles will be yellowish.

Prevention

It is easier to prevent a disease than to think about how to treat - folk wisdom advises. Indeed, it is worth giving more attention prevention of prickly heat, thereby reducing the likelihood of its occurrence.

  • Don't keep your baby in diapers. Whatever the advertisements say, diapers make it difficult for air to reach the skin, they are very hot. It is better to use diapers only for walks and for a night's sleep. Use ;
  • Wash after every bowel movement. Use plain water or baby wipes, then treat the wrinkles with talcum powder;
  • Maintain indoors 20-22 degrees. It is quite enough for the normal well-being of the baby, the main thing is to prevent drafts;
  • Dress for the weather. Do not wrap the baby either indoors or going for a walk. It is easy to determine whether a child is cold or warm enough - just touch his nose. Cool nose - the baby is cold, warm - the baby is comfortable, hot - hot;
  • Clothing and linens baby - only cotton and natural fabrics. Synthetics are not suitable for newborns, they make you sweat;
  • Bathe your child every day. It is not worth using soap for every bath, it washes off the protective film, but herbal decoctions - as much as you like.
  • Arrange. This is a wonderful hardening procedure, but also an excellent prevention of prickly heat.

Treatment

Treatment of prickly heat does not require special specific methods. The main thing is to organize. It is very important to prevent the baby from combing the rash, otherwise the infection will get into the wounds and complications will arise. So:

  1. Bathe your child properly. If the child suffers from prickly heat, bathe him in boiled water. Add some manganese, decoctions of herbs (See article). Chamomile, string relieve irritation. Also a good decoction of thin branches of blackcurrant. Itching is well removed by washing the affected areas with boiled water with a light soda solution.
  2. Do not dress your baby immediately after bathing. It is better to wait until the skin dries, the moisture is absorbed, then treat the sweatshirt with powder and let the baby lie down naked.
  3. Avoid baby creams. It is difficult for the delicate skin of a child covered with cream to breathe, sweat accumulates in the glands. Replace the cream with powder, talc quickly absorbs moisture, the skin will sweat less. You can even apply the powder on the cheeks of the child, but carefully, preventing contact with the eyes.
  4. Protect affected areas from damage. Trim your baby's nails regularly to avoid scratching the skin. You can wear scratch gloves.

Watch the video (How to treat prickly heat in an infant)

Do I need to see a doctor?

If you use all methods of treatment and prevention, but the rash has not gone away, the size of the spots has increased, the liquid has changed color, then the disease has become more complicated and you should definitely consult a doctor. He will select special medicines for your newborn baby and prescribe treatment. Also, if you can’t tell the difference between sweating and other similar diseases yourself, a doctor’s consultation is definitely necessary.

Prickly heat is a disease that occurs due to excessive sweating when overheated. The disease can affect a person of any age, but most often it occurs in infants. If the child's body overheats, it acts according to the standard scheme - it produces sweat to cool itself. However, the sweat glands of infants are not yet sufficiently developed and work poorly, so sweat accumulates in the mouths of these same glands, causing irritation of the skin. The pediatrician will tell you how to treat sweating in a baby, but first you need to understand the signs of the onset of pathology.

Sweating in a child is determined by several signs:

  • The appearance of red or pink rashes on the skin.
  • The presence of bubbles, inside which a clear liquid accumulates. They quickly dry out and turn into a crust.
  • The primary sites of localization of the 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 illness in different ways. Some begin to worry, often cry, refuse to eat, while others may not feel discomfort at all, and the symptoms become unexpressed.

The danger of pathology

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

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 the appearance

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

  • Often, caring parents, wanting to protect the baby from the cold, wrap him up, but only make things worse. In addition to the occurrence of prickly heat, as a result of overheating, the infant becomes susceptible to various diseases because his 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 in a timely manner, as moisture can lead to prickly heat.
  • If the child is sick and the disease is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, miliaria may occur as a complication.

If the pathology is not treated on time, then a complication may occur, which is called vesiculopustulosis. These are focal multiple inflammations of the skin, accompanied by the appearance of bubbles up to 3 cm in diameter.

red prickly heat

Prickly heat can appear on any part of the child's body:

  • head;
  • back;
  • buttocks;
  • hips.

Prickly heat in newborns on the face is the same common occurrence, and it is treated according to standard rules.

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

  • burning;
  • pain sensations;
  • combing.

Often, an infection gets into the inflamed areas. Red prickly heat needs medical treatment. It is better not to run the pathology to such a state.

Prickly heat in children can be treated at home if the problem is not neglected.

home therapy

It is not difficult to cure 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 by adding 3 crystals of potassium permanganate to it. This not only dries out the skin, but also helps to prevent infections from getting into it. After bathing, the baby's skin should be blotted with a cotton towel.

It is possible to treat sweating in newborns with folk remedies:

If the therapeutic effect of these measures has not come, you must consult a doctor to avoid complications. It is also worth paying attention to certain rules, the observance of which not only treats sweating, but also prevents its occurrence.

Rules for treatment and prevention

Even if the first sign of sweating has not yet arrived, it is advisable to follow these rules:

Thus, proper and constant hygiene is the best remedy combat prickly heat and excellent prevention of the onset of pathology. Before using any folk remedies you need to consult a doctor.

Sweating in infants is a fairly common occurrence. Often it occurs due to the fault of inept parents and mistakes in caring for a newborn.

The rash is usually localized in places of folds, most often unpleasant symptoms are observed in the cervical crease, in the groin and in the armpits. The spread of prickly heat to the face or head indicates the neglect of the disease and is much less common. Untimely treatment provokes itching and anxiety of the baby. Some babies do not react in any way to prickly heat, while others become moody, refuse to eat, often cry.

Basically, prickly heat develops due to regular unreasonable wrapping of the child, with bad care behind soft skin. A newborn should be sure to bathe every day and wash after each act of defecation. As a rule, cases of prickly heat are more frequent with the onset of summer time.

The skin of an adult is less prone to prickly heat. The sensitive skin of an infant cannot provide sufficiently reliable protection against environmental factors. In addition, the sweat and sebaceous glands of babies do not function at full capacity.

Unstarted prickly heat in itself does not threaten the health of the newborn. But if itching occurs, there is a risk of scratching, through which pathogenic bacteria can easily enter the body. Vessels in babies are close to the skin surface, so inflammatory processes easily develop.

What does prickly heat look like in babies

Depending on the type of rash, prickly heat is classified into 3 types.

Most often, crystal prickly heat is noted in newborns. In this case, the rash looks like a cluster of white or pearly blisters. Their diameter, as a rule, does not exceed 1 - 2 mm. These bubbles burst at every touch, leaving a slight peeling on the skin. This form of the disease affects, first of all, the upper half of the body, the neck.

Red prickly heat has more serious symptoms. Homogeneous vesicles and nodules are formed, the skin around the formations turn red. Usually the elements do not merge with each other, but they can cause noticeable itching, sensitivity and pain when touched. At high temperatures and high humidity, unpleasant manifestations intensify. The localization of this form of prickly heat is the armpits, inguinal regions and the skin of the neck.

With deep prickly heat, flesh-colored bubbles appear. Their diameter is no more than 1 - 3 mm. Symptoms appear a few hours after the skin is exposed to sweat. With proper care, prickly heat is quickly eliminated. The disease spreads to the skin of the legs, arms and torso.

If the skin is inflamed for a long time, an infection can join prickly heat. The body temperature rises, redness with purulent contents and vesicles appear.

Sweating in infants treatment

Sweating in infants does not require specific treatment. It is enough to regularly care for the delicate skin of the baby. It should be ensured that the child does not itch, combing the affected areas should not be allowed. If, however, the skin is damaged, it is necessary to prevent infection from entering the wound.

Crystal prickly heat develops due to the immaturity of the sweat glands. This type of disease does not cause concern in the child. At proper care symptoms completely disappear after a few days without special therapy. Soft, light cotton clothing, which allows fresh air to pass through, promotes rapid healing. It is necessary to ventilate the room as often as possible, with the development of prickly heat in the groin area, it is necessary to change diapers more often, for a while you can completely abandon them. Infants aged 2 to 5 months do not need to be treated with ointment.

With red and deep prickly heat, first of all, it is required to eliminate external provoking factors, such as heat body, warm air in the room and others. It is unacceptable to wrap a newborn, skip bathing. The baby's skin should not be exposed to sweat.

Swimming is best organized in boiled water. This condition is especially true for children under the age of 1 - 2 months. You can add a little manganese to the water, which has a disinfectant effect. If necessary, the affected areas should be treated with any safe drying agents. Itchy elements are recommended to be washed with boiled water, you can dilute a small amount of soda in it.

Your baby's nails should be trimmed short to prevent scratching. You can wear scratches on your hands.

Excessively abundant rashes, which cause a lot of anxiety to the baby, and are difficult to treat, require medical attention.

Ointment for prickly heat in the baby

Use any medicines for the treatment of a newborn is possible only after consulting a specialist. Some over-the-counter ointments and creams contain addictive hormones. It is better to refuse such drugs.

Ointment and powders are prescribed for the local treatment of prickly heat in infants. Ointments with a therapeutic effect are usually required for children aged 6 to 8 months. During this period, the child's sweat glands are practically formed, but if there is evidence, the doctor may prescribe the ointment earlier.

Drying and anti-inflammatory action provides zinc ointment. It must be applied to clean and thoroughly dried skin of a newborn. Procedures should be repeated several times a day. Also, with prickly heat, powders and creams made on the basis of zinc are effective.

Sometimes symptoms do not improve after topical treatment. In this case, internal antimicrobial therapy is indicated.

Sweating on the face of the baby

Prickly heat is extremely rarely located on the face. Basically, the disease passes to the front surface from the neck. But often rashes on the face are of an allergic origin.

You can try to distinguish an allergic reaction from prickly heat on your own.

If you slightly push the element to the sides, then with prickly heat it will burst and become almost invisible.

Washing with baby soap and treatment with baby cream will lead to the disappearance of manifestations the next day.

Cases of the development of a "three-week rash" are known. It occurs on the scalp and face at the age of less than 4-5 months. To make the rash disappear faster, you can wash the child with water in succession.

Sweating on the neck of the baby

It is believed that prickly heat in the neck and on the back of the head is caused by profuse sweating. Evaporation of sweat from the skin occurs, resulting in irritation. This arrangement is most common for prickly heat.

Often the disease appears due to elevated temperatures in the room, with unreasonable wearing of a hat, non-compliance with general hygiene rules. Sometimes rashes are the result of previous diseases, in which there was an increase in temperature.

They have a good effect on the skin by wiping with a cotton pad soaked in soda or iodine solution. You can treat with a decoction of medicinal plants: calendula, celandine, chamomile. Bathing with the addition of herbs, oak bark, leaves walnut or potassium permanganate has a strong healing effect.