Prevent heat rash for children in the summer

This is an automatically translated article.

This article is professionally consulted by Master, Resident Doctor Dang Thi Ngoan - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital.
Hot weather causes heat rash to appear on skin areas such as forehead, neck, chest, back, and sometimes the whole body, making the baby uncomfortable. 8 ways to prevent heat rash for children in the summer below will help your baby have healthy skin.

1. What is heat rash?

Heat rash is a common disease in young children in the summer. It often appears on areas of the skin such as the forehead, neck, chest, back, and sometimes the whole body. Most of the heat is benign and will go away on its own when the weather cools down. However, parents should not be subjective, because when children scratch a lot due to heat rash, it will scratch, which can lead to superinfection and other complications... Therefore, parents need to be proactive in preventing heat rash. for baby.

2. Manifestations when children have heat rash

Heat rash often appears in clusters or large patches in areas of the skin that secrete a lot of sweat such as the neck, chest, back, forehead..., or in large interstitial areas such as armpits, groin, severe cases can be almost Body. Heat rash is red-pink papules, on the surface with small blisters, or alternating white pustules. When a child has heat rash, the child's skin is inflamed, so the child feels itchy, irritated, and uncomfortable. Itching makes children not sleep well, young children often cry. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent heat rash for babies to sleep well. When itchy due to heat rash, children scratch their skin, which can easily lead to bacterial superinfection. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria that often causes superinfections, folliculitis, and boils. When the weather turns cool, the chrome will go away on its own and often leave white, thin flakes of skin, within a few days, the skin will return to normal and leave no scars. When it's hot again, heat rash may reappear.

3. How to prevent heat rash for children in the summer

The principle of preventing heat rash for babies is how to keep the baby's body cool, breathable, limit sweat secretion, and prevent skin inflammation. Here are ways to prevent heat rash for children in the summer that parents can actively take:
Children's place must be cool, ventilated, avoid taking children to crowded, stuffy, hot places, wind secret. Children's clothes and diapers should be made of thin, loose, airy, and sweat-absorbent fabrics. Do not use synthetic fibers, squash, do not absorb sweat. When the child's body is not hot, it will limit sweating, so the heat rash can quickly disappear. Bathing children regularly helps to cool the body, clean the skin, and open the pores. It is possible to use diluted potassium permanganate, shower gel to bathe the child. Do not use soaps or shower gels with a pH that is not suitable for your baby's skin. Some types of leaves and fruits used to cook bath water have the effect of supporting the prevention of heat rash for babies such as peach leaves, mulberry leaves, bitter melon, watermelon rind, grapefruit rind, centella asiatica, sorghum, etc.

If the skin is very inflamed and the child has a long-lasting heat rash, a cream containing mild corticosteroids can be applied, and the cream may contain antibiotics to fight infections. However, the child needs to be taken to the doctor to be prescribed the right medicine. In case the child has a bacterial infection of the hair follicle with symptoms such as pustules, large acne, it is necessary to apply iodine alcohol (eg betadin) several times a day. One of the ways to prevent heat rash is using high doses of vitamin C, which can help reduce the disease and reduce sweat gland damage. With the type of deep heat, there is a risk of destroying the child's sweat glands, losing the ability to sweat, so isotretinoin can be used, but when used, it must be strictly indicated by a doctor. Give children enough water to drink, especially detox drinks such as tapioca water, ground water, black beans... These are tips to help parents prevent heat rash for babies in the summer so that they can help their children. can eat well, sleep well, not uncomfortable because of itching caused by heat rash.
For children to be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiency causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption,... If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your child. Take care of the baby and the whole family.