The "favorite" points of heat rash on the child's body

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.
Heat rash is a common skin inflammation in children in the summer, when the weather is hot. Heat rash causes skin lesions in the form of blisters, red papules, concentrated in patches on the skin, or scattered all over the body. Rash causes itching that makes children scratch easily leading to skin damage and infection.

1. Causes of heat rash in children

Heat rash in young children often comes from the following causes:
Due to the environment: Hot summer weather, airtight, not breathable, children sweat a lot, polluted environment, dust clinging to the skin, stagnation on the skin or cannot drain, irritates the skin, causing the child to have heat rash all over the body, or in areas, causing itching, scratching, causing skin damage and dermatitis. Due to wearing clothes that do not absorb sweat, wearing too many diapers. Because the family has grandparents, parents with allergies, especially children under 2 years old, they are often at higher risk of heat rash. Due to not bathing properly, regularly cleaning the skin, especially in the interstitial areas such as the neck, armpits, and groin, causing rashes in the neck. Or bathing too many times a day also loses the protective ceramide of the skin, leading to itchy skin, when scratching a lot, blisters and red papules appear. Scratching with dirty hands can easily lead to skin infections. Due to the use of shower gel or exposure to certain chemicals such as soaps with an inappropriate pH, skin inflammation can also occur. Not drinking enough water needed to help the liver detox can also cause itching, especially when it's hotter, the more sweat is produced, the higher the need for water.

2. The "favorites" of heat rash on the child's body

Heat rash in children often appears on the forehead and head. In addition, in the interstitial areas such as the neck, armpits, and groin, if not cleaned properly, the child is more active, and sweat secretion also creates an environment for the rash in the neck to emerge. In other cases, children may have heat rash on the back, heat rash on the legs, or sometimes the whole body.

3. How to prevent heat rash for children

Children's place should be ventilated and cool. Avoid overdressing your baby or wearing diapers in a closed room all day, which interferes with breathing on the baby's skin.
Regularly bathe the child with cool water daily (if the child sweats a lot, it is too hot, you can bathe 1-2 times a day). When bathing, pay attention to clean the folds and interstitial areas such as elbows, neck, inguinal armpits, to avoid rash in the neck. Note, do not use soap, shower gel with inappropriate pH, causing irritation to the baby's skin. You can take a gentle bath with diluted lemon juice, perilla leaf juice, crushed peach leaves, and pureed bitter melon juice. Gently scrub and wipe the baby's skin with gauze or a soft cotton towel. For young children, gently rub it with the palm of your hand, absolutely avoid rubbing marjoram, peach leaf or bitter melon on your baby's skin. Do not use a brush, ice, loofah, or rough cotton towel to rub vigorously to cause itching, which will aggravate the baby's skin, causing more infection and dermatitis.
Should dress the child in soft, airy, sweat-wicking fabric, to avoid heat rash on the back and other areas such as the chest.
Feed children cool foods such as: cassava, black beans, spinach, drink enough water, especially water that cools the body and provides a lot of vitamin C such as gotu kola juice, orange juice. , lemon juice ... to prevent heat rash for children in the summer .
When the child has heat rash all over the body or in each area, talcum powder can be applied 2-3 times a day, the ingredients of talcum powder are talcum powder and zinc oxide, which has the effect of absorbing moisture and making the skin clear. Should choose talcum powder ingredients with antiseptic, astringent because it can prevent skin infections. Avoid buying antibiotic ointments because the ingredients contain vaseline, which clogs the pores, makes the skin gassy, ​​and sweat cannot escape easily leading to dermatitis.

It is not recommended to kill chrome because this is an unhygienic habit, making the skin susceptible to infection. When treating heat rash, it is necessary to use the correct medicine under the direction of the doctor.
Children need to provide enough elemental zinc/day for them to eat well, reach the correct height and weight and exceed the standard. Zinc plays a role in affecting most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the breakdown of nucleic acids, proteins... Organs in the body when zinc deficiency can lead to a There are a number of diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and guide them to appropriate zinc supplements for their children.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.