What’s Rash

Exclusive to Clicks that Don’t get freaked out by the sudden appearance of red splotches or tiny bumps on your baby’s flawless skin – we’ve got all the help you need Mild rashes Nappy rash

Skin rashes are really common in a baby’s first year, and while it’s normal to worry about these, most aren’t serious and usually clear quite quickly once the cause is removed. To help you, we’ve identified a few common babyhood rashes with some tips on what to do about them. However, with any rash there could be an underlying cause. For this reason, it’s a good idea to consult your family doctor, dermatologist, clinic or pharmacy nurse for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for your baby. patchy or individual spots. Sometimes they’re fluid-filled blisters (called vesicles), scaly or crusty, and you may notice that some rashes have definite borders, while others are vague and difficult to distinguish from the surrounding areas of skin. A rash can appear suddenly or develop over a few days, and while most rashes disappear without leaving any blemishes, a few can leave pigment patches or pockmarks.

If a rash is symptomless, it’s usually quite mild and quickly resolved, but rashes that appear before, during or after a fever are more serious because they may be caused by an underlying viral or bacterial infection. In these cases it’s best to go straight to the doctor.

Remember that it can be difficult to pin down the exact cause of a rash – chemical reactions or allergies, infections, friction against an object or fabric, or even parasites can be to blame. A mild rash usually means that your baby’s immune system has coped quite well with fighting the cause or infection. However, sick babies often have a more severe rash and with early diagnosis and treatment, complications or prolonged discomfort can be minimised. Although effective immunisation programs have brought

These usually disappear quite quickly, but can get worse if they’re ignored. There are many types and causes of nappy rash, but most commonly the skin in the nappy area becomes inflamed either where there is contact with the nappy or in the folds of skin around this area. “Nappy rash in infants under four months is most likely to be related to a form of seborrhoeic dermatitis, which is often associated with cradle cap. Atopic eczema starts around six months and this rash involves the folds of the napkin area and other areas such as creases behind the knees and in the arms folds of the arms,” says Dr Weiss.

If the nappy rash is actually a secondary thrush or fungal infection, you may notice little blisters or even pustules around the edge of the rash. “As the fungus comes from the bowels, the rash is also present around the anal area,” adds Dr Weiss. In this case, see your doctor as you’ll need to be prescribed an antifungal cream.

“Nappy rashes in older infants around nine months to a year may be due to contact with urine for long periods of time. Older children sleep longer and that bottle before going to sleep has to go somewhere! The rash affects the areas in contact with the nappy and spares the folds,” he explains.

You can prevent nappy rash by changing your baby’s nappy often. If the nappy is wet, it must be changed and the skin cleaned with a very mild cleanser.