Heat Rash

Heat rash, or prickly heat, is more common in babies, as parents tend to overdress their little ones. It is the end result of the excess heat having no place to go. When a baby becomes hot, sweat must evaporate off the skin to cool him down, but if you have him bundled up in too much clothing, plastic pants, or heavy moisturizers, the sweat becomes trapped beneath the surface of the skin and causes an itchy rash. Newborns are particularly susceptible to heat rash because of their immature sweat ducts.

Preventing Heat Rash:

  • Do not overdress your child.
  • Avoid heavy moisturizers that contain oil but stay with a light water-based oil instead.

Home Remedies For Heat Rash:

Bring The Temperature Down:

The first step you have to take when treating heat rash is to get the child to stop sweating by removing some clothing, taking the child into an air-conditioned room, and putting him into a tub of lukewarm water.

Get Rid Of The Itch:

To treat the itching that accompanies heat rash, add some baking soda or a collodial oatmeal product such as Aveeno Bath Treatment to a tub of lukewarm water. Let the child splash around in the tub for a few minutes in order to soothe the skin and stop the itching.

Use A Cool Compress:

Using a cool compress may help stop the itching better than a thin coating of moisturizing lotion. To make the compress, dip a washcloth into a mixture of one teaspoon baking soda per cup of cool water and apply to the rash for five or ten minutes – longer if your child is able to tolerate it. Repeat this process four or five times daily.

Give An Antihistamine If Needed:

When you put your child to bed, if he is extremely itchy, give an itch-relieving medication such as Benadryl Elixir. Some doctors don’t advise the cream or spray because it can cause a reaction.

Hydrocortisone Cream:

If your child is three or older, you can use a light coating of 1% hydrocortisone cream for the itch twice a day for two days.

Avoid Greasy Sunscreens:

Heavy, oily sunscreen tends to cause heat rash for older kids because it tends to clog sweat pores. Instead of oil-based cocoa butter-laden sunscreens, use the less greasy lotions that are hypo-allergenic, block both UVA and UVB sunlight and are made especially for young children.