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Rash - child under 2 years

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Erythema toxicum on the foot Heat rash Miliaria profunda - close-up Erythema toxicum neonatorum - close-up

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Rash - child under 2 years

Definition:

A rash is any skin bumps or blotches. The rash can be red, skin-colored, or slightly lighter or darker than skin color. By far the most common skin problem in infants is diaper rash. Diaper rash is an irritation of the skin caused by dampness, urine, and feces. However, there are other skin disorders that can cause rash. These are usually not serious unless accompanied by other symptoms.

Alternative Names:
Baby rash; Diaper rash; Miliaria/Milia; Prickly heat

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Considerations:

Most bumps and blotches on a newborn baby are harmless and clear up by themselves. Diaper rash is very common -- most babies who wear diapers will experience it to some degree. Diaper rash can be caused by continuously wet diapers, infrequently changed diapers, and using plastic pants to cover the diaper.

Common Causes:

• Diaper rash (rash in the diaper area) is a skin irritation caused by prolonged dampness and the interaction of urine and feces with the skin.
• Yeast diaper rash is caused by a type of yeast called candida, which also causes thrush in the mouth. The rash looks different from a regular diaper rash. It is very red, and there are usually small red bumps on the outer edges of the rash. This rash requires treatment with medication.
• Heat rash (caused by the blockage of the pores that lead to the sweat glands) is most common in very young children but can occur at any age. When the weather is hot or humid, the infant sweats, but because of the blockage of the sweat glands, this sweat is held within the skin and forms little red bumps, or occasionally small blisters in young infants.
• Prickly heat causes rash or blotches during hot weather or in a hot environment (the same as heat rash).
• Milia/miliaria are tiny white, clear or red bumps on the skin (usually on the face and chest). Usually the white or clear ones are seen in newborns. The red ones are also called heat rash or prickly heat.
• Erythema toxicum can cause flat red splotches (usually with a white, pimple-like bump in the middle) that appear in up to half of all babies. These blotches rarely appear after 5 days of age, are usually gone in 7 - 14 days, and are nothing to worry about.
• Baby acne is caused by exposure to the mother's adult hormones. Little white dots often seen on a newborn's nose represent an abnormal amount of normal skin oil that is a result of these hormones. Acne usually occurs between 2 and 4 weeks of age, but may appear up to 4 months after birth and can last for 12 - 18 months.
• Cradle cap causes greasy, scaling, crusty patches on the scalp that appear in a baby's first 3 months. It usually goes away by itself, but some cases may require treatment with medication.
• Hives are red welts that appear to move around on the body. For example, if you drew a circle to mark one of the welts, a few hours later that circle would not have a welt in it, but there would be welts on other parts of the body. They differ in size and shape and are usually very itchy. The most common cause of hives is a viral infection. There is no treatment for the virus, and the hives may last for a few weeks. You can use antihistamine medication for the itching. Sometimes bacterial infections cause hives. These are treated with antibiotics. Sometimes hives are a sign of an allergy. This will be determined by your health care provider.
• Eczema is a condition of the skin in which areas are dry, red (or darker than normal skin color), and itchy. When it goes on for a long time the areas become thickened. It is often associated with asthma and allergies, although it can often occur without either of these. Eczema often runs in families.

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