Heat rash, more commonly known as prickly heat can become the bane of your toddler’s existence, especially during summer. These rashes typically affect the skin, in the body parts that remain sweaty for a long duration. They may appear as tiny little dots or pricks in sweat-prone areas like the neck, upper chest, and back, and can cause irritation and discomfort in your toddler’s skin.
The sight of your little one getting affected by a heat rash may alarm you at first, but don’t worry, it is not considered to be a serious skin condition. In fact, it is self-limiting and can be resolved in a few days with certain at-home treatments.
Types And Symptoms Of Heat Rash In Toddlers
Heat rashes can be of different types, depending on their clinical features, location, and other factors such as the child’s age. The sub-types of heat rash include:
- Miliaria Rubra: This sub-type of heat rash appears as red to pinkish bumps without any pus. It can be a few millimetres in size and appear as blisters. The bumps usually appear on the forehead, the fold of the neck, armpits, creases of elbows and knees, and groin areas. These rashes subside after a few days when the body temperature returns to normal.
- Miliaria Profunda: This form of heat rash is uncommon in children, but might develop if the symptoms of miliaria rubra are ignored. They appear as large bumps on the skin and may itch a little. These rashes may require medical intervention.
- Miliaria Crystallina: This is the least severe among the types of heat rash. It usually occurs in neonates as their sweat glands are yet to develop fully. These bumps mostly appear on the neck and face. They can be reduced within a few days by avoiding excessive clothing and cooling down the body.
Causes Of Heat Rash In Toddlers
A heat rash occurs when sweat glands get blocked as sweat gets trapped within the sweat pores. The most common factors that might cause the blockage of sweat pores include:
- Hot weather: It is the primary cause of heat rash in toddlers. It makes your child sweat more, thus exacerbating the chances of a heat rash.
- Layered clothing: Dressing your toddler in too many layers of clothes or tight clothes during the warm weather can also lead to excessive sweating and heat rash.
- High humidity levels: These can also cause heat rash, as it slows down the evaporation of sweat, causing it to stay longer on the skin.
- Intense physical activities: Playing outdoors may also cause your child to sweat more as compared to when they are indoors, thus increasing the chances of developing a heat rash.
6 Home Care And Prevention Of Heat Rash In Toddlers
While heat rashes usually heal within three to four days as your child’s body cools down, they can cause prickliness and itching, which may lead to further skin irritation. However, you may speed up the healing process of the rashes by taking a few remedial steps at home to cool down your child’s body and prevent the accumulation of sweat in their skin.
Give Them A Cool Bath
Make it a habit to give your child a bath with cool water as it may help soothe the itchy and prickly feeling caused by a heat rash. Bathe them with a natural foaming wash and shampoo to help wash away sweat and dirt and hydrate their skin. Make sure the foaming wash and shampoo contains ingredients like aloe vera and calendula extracts, cocoa oil, vanilla oil, and organic coconut oil that help soothe skin irritation and inflammation and also condition and moisturise their skin. After bathing, pat dry your toddler’s skin with an absorbent towel.
Dress Them In Fewer Layers Of Clothing
Poor evaporation of sweat may increase the chances of heat rashes. To avoid blocking the sweat glands, dress your child in fewer clothes made from natural fabrics like cotton. Cotton allows ventilation and helps absorb sweat easily.
If you do notice a heat rash on your child’s skin, consider letting them wear only one layer of clothing to help cool their body down.
Keep The Temperature Cool And Ambient
Make sure that the fan in your child’s room runs at a maximum speed during the summer. If possible, keep all the windows of the room open for better airflow. In case you are afraid of your child getting mosquito bites, consider applying natural mosquito repellent patches on their clothes to keep them protected from insect bites for long hours.
Additionally, if the weather gets severely hot and humid, use an air conditioner to make the temperature comfortable and prevent excessive sweating in your child.
Use A Natural Baby Powder To Soothe The Rashes
Powders can help absorb sweat, keep your child’s skin dry, and reduce itching and discomfort caused by rashes. Opt for a talc-free natural baby powder formulated with organic actives like zinc oxide, arrowroot powder, oatmeal powder, rose and shea butter, chamomile extract, and maize starch. All these ingredients are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich and help calm the skin, keep it soft and smooth, and prevent heat washes.
Use the natural talc-free powder after giving your child a cool bath and patting their body completely dry. Apply on the affected areas and other sweat-prone areas such as the back, chest, armpits, and neck.
Give Your Toddler Plenty Of Liquids
Give your child plenty of water to drink as it will help keep their body cool and prevent dehydration. If they get bored of drinking plain water, you can consider giving them fresh fruit juices, or a cool glass of lemonade.
Dry Off Their Body After Exercise
After playing outdoors or exercising, your child may come back home sweaty. Let them stand under the fan after coming back home as it helps evaporate the sweat, thus reducing the chances of prickly heat. Additionally, you may also give them a change of clothes and a cool bath to bring their body temperature down.
Excessive sweating and high humidity levels are the main causes of heat rashes in children. Although these rashes subside within a few days, they can cause itching in your child’s skin. To heal them you may try to keep your toddler’s body dry and cool and give them a cool bath and apply talc-free powder to their body.
If the symptoms don’t subside within a week, you may consult your child’s paediatrician for treatment tips.
Featured image: freepik.com
