Your little joy bundle’s skin is soft, smooth and tender. It is important to care for your baby’s skin, especially in thigh, elbow, and neck folds because it is vulnerable to rashes. Neck rashes in babies are the most common of all kinds.
What Is Neck Rashes In Babies:
It is a red, flat or raised rash that especially around the folds of the neck appears on the neck. Rashes of the neck are most common among infants between four and five months. The reasons for the rash of infant neck range from prickly heat to infections of the skin like those caused by fungus.
Causes Of Rash On Baby’s Neck
There are many factors that cause a skin rash on the neck of your baby. A few types of rashes may appear only in the region of the neck, whereas other types may also affect the folds of the area of the diaper, armpit, etc. Here are some common causes of baby neck rash:
1. Stork Bites:
These are tiny pink spots that have been appearing on the neck since birth. In fact, these are not rashes, but blood vessels collected in the dermal layer of one region of the skin. These spots disappear within a few months after birth without any treatment.
2. Skin Irritation:
In the first few months, newborns experience neck rash. This is mainly due to the fact that their neck region is plump and chubby. This leads to the formation of skin folds that rub against each other constantly. The main causative agents of neck rash in babies are excess moisture and constant friction. This rash continues to recur in babies until they learn without any support to lift their heads (which may take a few months).
3. Prickly Heat:
Because of prickly heat, a child may develop a neck rash, particularly in summers when the temperatures are high. As a consequence, sweat can get trapped beneath the skin and block the sweat ducts. Red bumps may appear on the baby’s neck, which may turn itchy. Such a rash is also referred to as heat rash or sweat rash.
4. Milk Drool:
Some excess milk may spread over the baby’s neck during breastfeeding, which is gathered in the folds of the skin. If not correctly cleaned, the skin may stay moist and eventually create a rash.
5. Fungal infection:
Infants and children often experience this sort of infection. Excess moisture and suddenness become a flourishing ground for Candida in the baby’s neck skin fold. Yeast infection is one of the most prevalent causes of neck rashes in babies.
Symptoms:
Itching of the skin followed by pain is the most prevalent symptoms. These symptoms may lead to loss of appetite for children.
When To Call Your Doctor:
As previously stated, the neck rash of your baby may vanish on its own. However, if it is accompanied by fever, you should call the pediatrician of your baby. Pus-filled or fluid-filled skin blisters on your child may show an infection that may require antibiotics. You must call the pediatrician instantly if your child is weeping and is unable to be consoled, is dull and inactive, or has no proper food.
You must call the doctor instantly if you notice tiny red dots or spots that do not vanish when pressed. These spots may happen as a result of bleeding under the skin. This disease is called petechiae and may imply a severe infection.
Remember that you understand better than others about your child. Do not hesitate to call your doctor for further consultation if you notice any skin rash that worries you.
Prevention:
- Regularly bathe your child and keep a healthy hygiene practice.
- Choose the right baby fabrics. Avoid rough clothing, woolen clothing, and blankets.
- For children, these are not advised as they have a delicate sort of skin.
- Remember, after bathing your child, to dry the neck region (and other moisture-prone areas).
- Keep the neck region of your baby open and free of moisture most of the time.
- Dry skin protects moisture from building up in the folds of the skin.
- This helps to heal the rashes more quickly.
- Try to keep your baby in a cool, well-aired room because excessive heat causes the skin folds to swell and leads to skin rashes.
Treatment:
Neck rashes in babies can be handled more often than not without any problems.
1. Cleaning and soothing the skin:
Using fragrance-free, a mild baby wash is necessary to correctly clean the baby’s neck, using soft strokes to prevent further irritation of the skin. Gently pat the neck with a smooth cotton towel after washing, instead of scratching the region. Also, air drys the skin in the neck, so that it is totally dry and devoid of moisture. After washing, you can smooth the neck of your baby with a mild moisturizer or skin ointment to soothe the skin.
2. Dealing with the common rash of the neck:
Rinse the neck region with cold water can give the child some relief from pain and discomfort. Common rashes of the neck generally cure themselves and may not involve any medical intervention. If a child develops a neck rash owing to fungal infection, a yeast cream or antifungal cream may be prescribed by the doctor to treat the rash of the neck. It may also be helpful to apply a topical 1% hydrocortisone cream. However, it is not advisable to use extended hydrocortisone.
3. Treating Heat-Related Rashes:
To allow the skin to breathe and cool off, you may want to remove or reduce baby’s clothing. Use pure cotton, a soft fabric that is breathable. Keeping the child in a cool or air-conditioned space can assist ease some of the baby’s irritation and pain. Applying Lacto Calamine lotion to the rash of the neck can assist to soothe and comfort the skin.
Neck rashes in babies are more probable to happen in the early months after birth. Therefore, during this moment, it is essential for parents to take unique care to avoid a rash from appearing. However, if the child has a fever with the rash that begins to transform into pus-filled blisters, contact your doctor immediately.
Also Read: Heat Stroke In Babies
