Miliaria in newborns - happens often, can be treated quickly

Miliaria in infants occurs due to the fact that their skin is very delicate and susceptible to various microbes. Most often, rashes appear on the neck, groin, folds, and butt. If you do not pay attention to the reddish spots in time and do not start treatment, they can turn into blisters. The heat rash causes extremely unpleasant sensations for the baby, and it literally attracts various infections.

Kataliya.ru will tell you how to treat heat rash in a newborn, as well as what preventive measures exist that can be used in the future.

What does miliaria look like - signs and characteristics

• Prickly heat in the neck area is usually localized in its folds, although it may well spread to the back and shoulders. Externally, it appears in the form of small reddish dots. The skin itself is damp to the touch.
• Heat rash appears as a small red or pink rash that occurs immediately after heavy sweating.
• In the areas of the armpits, the miliaria usually settles in the folds, appearing as a reaction to tight wrapping or rubbing with a vest.
• A sweat rash on the butt or groin area is a very extensive rash of bright red rash, often complicated by the simultaneous appearance of diaper rash or even infection (urine and feces are a strong irritant for the baby’s skin).
• As for prickly heat on the face , it rarely occurs. Usually - when the humidity is too high, there is too much cream on the skin or the baby is overheated, localized on the forehead and cheeks, in some cases - on the chin.

Miliaria is often accompanied by the appearance of small blisters with various contents (serous or transparent). An increase in temperature (except in cases of infection), as a rule, is not observed.

Children's prickly heat on the face

Treatment for this disease is usually not very severe or very long. All that is needed to speed up the baby’s recovery is to take care of the child’s hygiene and immediately eliminate those factors that could provoke the inflammatory process.

Some mothers try to bring the skin on their child’s face into good condition with the help of compresses and lotions. Such methods are strictly not recommended. Because they not only do not contribute to recovery, but also cause complications because they moisturize the skin even more. But when heat rash occurs in babies, how to treat it without resorting to chemicals?

Washing with a weak solution of chamomile is suitable for eliminating prickly heat under the nose and under the lower lip. This product is great for babies because it almost never causes an allergic reaction. Chamomile is also known for being an excellent natural antiseptic.

Types of miliaria

According to the signs of the rash, there are 3 main types of miliaria:

1. Crystalline. This is what is usually observed in infants. Signs: pearlescent or white blisters that merge with each other as the rash spreads. The size of the bubbles is about 2 mm. After the vesicles are damaged (a day or two), areas of peeling appear on the infant skin. Areas of distribution are the neck with the face and the upper half of the body.
2. Red. Signs: tiny uniform nodules or blisters and noticeable redness of the skin around them. With this type of miliaria, the blisters do not merge, and at the sites of the rash there is pain when touched with fingers and itchy skin. In hot weather or high humidity, pain tends to intensify. The main areas of manifestation: the groin and armpits, skin folds on the neck.
3. Deep. Signs: bubbles 1-3 mm in diameter (flesh color) on the arms/legs or torso. They appear after sweating - after an hour or two, and also quickly disappear.

If, in the presence of miliaria, an infection also settles on the skin, then we are talking about microbial eczema - that is, infected miliaria, which is characterized by the appearance of blisters with the presence of a cloudy liquid, redness of the skin and a rise in temperature.

When to contact a pediatrician

Although home treatment for heat rash gives good results, you need to know the reasonable limits. During therapy, strict monitoring of the child's condition is necessary. The appearance of certain signs is considered a good reason to contact a pediatrician:

1. The prickly heat on the baby’s face does not go away for more than 4 days, and no visible improvements are expected. This is evidence of a complication of the pathology, which cannot be dealt with on your own, or a sign of incorrect diagnosis.
2. The rash spread to other parts of the body and greatly increased in size. Such manifestations are characteristic of measles, rubella and other diseases accompanied by rashes.
3. The child is very capricious and there is an increase in body temperature. An indirect sign of bacterial infection, resulting in intoxication.
4. The nature of the rash has changed, the contents of the bubbles have acquired a yellow or whitish tint. This indicates the beginning of suppuration caused by improper treatment.

Usually, with proper treatment, the main symptoms of the pathology disappear after 1-1.5 weeks. If this does not happen with strict adherence to the pediatrician’s recommendations, you need to come for a second appointment, and, if necessary, consult with another doctor.

https://youtu.be/wc8L-1Ni_uI

How not to confuse heat rash with other diseases?

Many mothers confuse miliaria with ordinary skin peeling or atopic dermatitis. It is worth noting that prickly heat is a phenomenon that occurs due to heavy sweating, and blisters and redness of prickly heat primarily manifest themselves in the folds - that is, in the folds of the arms, legs and groin.

You should also know that there are no additional signs of heat rash . If they appear (fever, etc.), this is a reason to go to the clinic. In any case, only an experienced dermatologist or pediatrician can make an accurate diagnosis.

Symptoms of the disease

Many mothers and fathers, who first encountered strange spots and blisters on the face of their beloved baby, can easily confuse prickly heat with other skin diseases. The forehead and cheeks are favorite places for prickly heat: this is where redness is observed. Depending on how prickly heat looks on the face of infants, there are several types of this disease:

1. Crystalline. The initial form of prickly heat, which, with prompt treatment, goes away without a trace in a short period of time. Small pimples are located in dense groups, do not itch or cause pain in the newborn.
2. Red. The next stage after crystalline, if treatment is not started in a timely manner. The bubbles merge into single nodes surrounded by redness. The affected part of the face begins to itch and hurt. This type of heat rash is more difficult to treat.
3. White. The colorless liquid inside the blisters turns white, which means infection has entered them.
4. Yellow. Infected miliaria with blisters containing yellow fluid inside.

If parents do not start treating prickly heat in time in the very first phase, then the risk of infection of the rash increases. When finely blistered areas already have areas of confluence into large nodes, you should carefully ensure that the baby does not scratch or injure the itchy areas. To do this, you need to cut his nails short and put scratches on his hands.

The main causes of heat rash in infants

The key reason for the formation of miliaria in an infant is clogging of the sweat gland ducts. That is, the more the baby sweats, the higher the risk of prickly heat.

It also manifests itself under the influence of other factors:

• Disturbance in the activity of the baby's sweat glands due to their immaturity.
• Keeping the baby in an incubator with warm/humid air (due to prematurity).
• Increase in temperature due to the development of infection.
• Taking diuretics that increase sweating in the baby.
• Prolonged stay in diapers or diapers without proper hygiene procedures.
• Prolonged exposure to the sun.
• Hormonal changes in the first few weeks after birth (this is normal).
• Using a collar bandage for the neck (to support it).
• Using caps and other clothing that is too “unsuitable for the weather” in hot weather.
• Violation of hygiene requirements.
• Overweight baby.
• Clothing or swaddling that is too tight.
• Use of synthetic fabrics in clothing/underwear.
• Using cosmetics that interfere with normal air exchange of the skin (for example, creams that clog skin pores).

What is a mysterious rash and why does it occur?

A child's heat rash is a rash on the skin that is accompanied by irritation and redness. There are two groups of reasons for its occurrence: internal and external.

External reasons

• Improper child hygiene. Delayed diaper changes and infrequent bathing provoke the growth of bacteria and a rash appears.
• The use of creams with a greasy texture in the summer leads to the formation of a dense film that prevents the evaporation of sweat.
• Clothing made from synthetic fabrics and an incorrectly selected diaper size can cause skin irritation.
• Stuffiness and low humidity levels in a children's room have an adverse effect on the condition of the skin.

Internal reasons

• Insufficient development of the baby's sweat glands makes the process of sweating difficult.
• The thermoregulation center in young children is not yet fully formed, so it does not always cope with fluctuations in ambient temperature.

The main cause of heat rash in young children is overheating of the body and lack of proper care. Here you can learn how to properly rinse a baby’s nose – such manipulation causes a number of problems for inexperienced parents.

Dangerous sweat rash - what could be the consequences?

For infants, sweating rash is not such a dangerous disease. In any case, with a timely visit to the doctor and the measures taken, it will pass quickly enough and without consequences.

If preventive and therapeutic measures are not taken, and the negative factors are not eliminated and continue to act, then the miliaria becomes a “springboard” for the active proliferation of microbes, which, in turn, leads to the onset of infection, the appearance of pustules, eczema, inflammation , etc.

The risk is very high, given that the baby’s blood vessels are too close to the skin —even the tiniest wounds are potentially dangerous for the baby. Therefore, it is not recommended to leave the sweat patch to its own devices.

Treat on time!

Is it dangerous for very young children?

As such, prickly heat does not pose a threat to the baby’s health; if it is treated in time and care for the skin, it will go away very soon.

But, nevertheless, the baby’s skin is very delicate and is highly exposed to harmful microbes, since the body’s defense mechanisms are just developing.

Miliaria serves as a suitable place for the development of bacteria, and this is dangerous, because bacteria cause subsequent inflammation of the affected skin, and then the appearance of ulcers.

They, in turn, are a greater threat to the health of the little one than prickly heat. Therefore, treatment of prickly heat in newborns should be timely.

For these reasons, parents should pay attention if the baby begins to behave anxiously, and not overlook the occurrence of prickly heat, and take timely care of the baby.

Methods for treating prickly heat in a newborn - for the attention of parents!

The fight against prickly heat should be started immediately, as soon as its first symptoms are detected. How to treat it and prevent it from recurring?

Let's remember and use it in practice!

• Air temperature for a children's room. It is recommended to maintain it within 20-22 degrees (stable). Regular ventilation is mandatory (we take the baby to another room).
• Only high quality diapers! The ones that are “breathable”, allowing air to pass through so that the baby’s butt doesn’t rot. And definitely in size. The diaper should not be too tight. We change regularly - we don’t wait until the diaper is full to capacity.
• We put loose clothes on the baby. It should not restrict movement and be too close to the body. We choose exclusively natural fabrics for clothing and linen - no synthetics!
• We do not overheat the baby. We dress him according to the temperature in the room.
• Twice a day we bathe the child in boiled water , adding a decoction of string or chamomile to it. After each use of the diaper “for its intended purpose,” be sure to wash the baby. You can use additional cosmetics for babies, but you should first consult with your pediatrician.
• Air baths. We regularly organize baby showers for them.
• We eliminate all factors that contribute to an increase in sweating in a baby - increased air humidity, too high a temperature in the room, etc. Do not forget that the baby also often sweats “from exertion” - for example, when he screams for too long and hysterically, strains or has difficulty feeding (in particular, when the mother’s nipples are inverted, when the baby has to “sweat” to get enough food).
• We strictly follow the sleep and nutrition schedule. Don't forget about regular walks. If the weather does not permit, you can take a walk right on your balcony or (if you don’t have one) simply by opening the window wider.
• We do not give up breastfeeding (if possible) - mother's milk protects the baby from many health problems, including this one.
• You should stop using creams for a while. They create a moist environment on the skin, which only intensifies the manifestations of heat rash. It's better to use powder.

Treatment

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

1. Bathe your child correctly. If your child suffers from prickly heat, bathe him in boiled water. Add a little manganese, herbal decoctions (See the article on herbs for bathing). Chamomile and string relieve irritation. A decoction of thin blackcurrant branches is also good. Itching can be easily relieved by washing the affected areas with boiled water and a light soda solution.
2. Do not dress your baby immediately after bathing. It is better to wait until the skin dries and the moisture is absorbed, then treat the sweat patch with powder and let the baby lie naked.
3. Avoid baby creams. It’s hard for a child’s delicate skin, covered with cream, to breathe, and 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 a child’s cheeks, but be careful to avoid getting it in the eyes.
4. Protect areas affected by miliaria from damage. Trim your baby's nails regularly to prevent scratching of the skin. You can wear scratch gloves.

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

Read more: Diaper rash in a newborn baby: prevention, how to recognize and how to treat

Remedies for the treatment of miliaria in an infant

No special medications are usually prescribed for the treatment of miliaria (unless, of course, it has caused complications in the form of an infection).

Can be used:

• Decoctions of herbs (chamomile, currant twigs, oak bark, celandine, yarrow) and potassium permanganate (until the water turns pink and no more than 1-2 times a week) when bathing.
• Baby powder for treating skin folds.
• Baking soda (for wiping areas with miliaria, 1 tsp per glass of water - and wipe the skin with a cotton swab dipped in this solution).
• Bapanten or Benzalkonium cream for treating and drying the skin.
• Zinc ointment. This remedy has anti-inflammatory and drying properties. The product should be applied exclusively to clean and dry skin 5-6 times a day.
• Calamine cream. To relieve itching, cooling effect.

Attention! We do not self-medicate! Before using any means, be sure to consult with your pediatrician. Take care of your kids!

Fighting methods

You can get rid of prickly heat only if you find out the reason that caused the development of irritation. If you simply fight the manifestations of pathology, then it will appear again and again, so it is important to act directly on the very cause that provokes the development of the disease. You can read about how to get rid of heat rash in adults here.

You can get rid of prickly heat in a newborn using disinfectants, solutions and creams. Treatment of prickly heat should be comprehensive and include the following:

• medicinal baths. Chamomile, string, oak bark, yarrow - all these herbs can overcome irritation and inflammation. Medicinal herbs are prepared half an hour before taking a bath. Treatment with baths should continue until clinical symptoms disappear. Baths based on a weak solution of potassium permanganate are also useful. After bathing, the skin should be dried and then powdered with baby powder;
• disinfecting solutions such as chlorophyllipt, salicylic acid, boric acid, methylene blue are another way to quickly remove the disease;
• baby powder. It may contain anesthesin, which has a cooling effect, as well as panthenol, which has healing properties;
• It is important to carefully choose creams and ointments for your child. They must be based on zinc, boric acid or panthenol. Products should not irritate delicate skin.

Popular means

It is worth noting that the treatment of a child cannot be limited only to compliance with hygiene standards. They must be observed in conjunction with the use of medications.

Bepanten

The cream is highly effective against heat rash in children, due to the fact that its active ingredient is provitamin B5. When the substance gets on the skin, it turns into pantothenic acid. The cream helps to moisturize the skin and restore its damaged areas.

Zinc ointment

Miliaria in a child will be cured faster if you lubricate the affected areas with zinc ointment. Thanks to zinc oxide, as well as petroleum jelly, the substances included in the product, an antibacterial effect is exerted on the affected area. And thanks to the creation of a protective film, moisture is retained. Zinc can dry out pathological areas.