How to Treat Prickly Heat in Babies
Prickly heat is characterized by the appearance of a rash with small raised spots on the skin. Although prickly heat is generally harmless, it can interfere with baby's comfort. For that as a parent you must know how to treat prickly heat in babies. If you don't know, see the explanation in this article.
Usually prickly heat appears in the area of the head, forehead, neck, chest, armpits, groin, or in other baby skin folds. Prickly heat can occur due to the influence of hot and humid weather or if the baby has a fever and sweats a lot. This condition can cause the baby's skin pores to become clogged and sweat can't come out.
Babies and children are more prone to prickly heat than adults. This is because the pores of the skin of babies and children are smaller than the pores of adults. In addition, sweat glands and ducts in babies and children are not fully developed.
How to Cure Prickly Heat in Babies
Prickly heat usually goes away on its own within a few days, unless the prickly heat becomes infected. You can relieve the itching and discomfort experienced by the baby due to prickly heat.
How to relieve prickly heat in babies that you can do at home are as follows:
1. Avoid hot and humid air
To relieve prickly heat in babies, the first is to move the baby to a cool and shady room. If you use an air conditioner or fan, you should not point it directly at the baby's body.
In addition, if you are going out of the house, don't forget to bring a fan and put a hat for your baby. Also make sure the baby is drinking enough breast milk. The goal is to replace fluids in the body that are lost through sweat so that the baby does not become dehydrated.
2. Wear clothes made of natural fibers for your baby
How to treat prickly heat rash in babies can be by wearing clothes made of natural fibers for your baby, for example with cotton. Avoid wearing clothes made of synthetic fabrics, such as nylon and polyester, as these types of fabrics can trap heat. In addition, you can also give your baby loose clothes, so he doesn't feel hot.
3. Don't hold the baby often
If you want to deal with prickly heat in babies, then you should not hold the baby too often when the weather is hot. This is because when the baby is hold, he will be faced with 2 hot temperatures, namely the weather and your body temperature. But if you still want to hold your baby in hot weather, make sure your baby wears light, soft and breathable clothes.
4. Keep baby's skin cool
How to cure prickly heat rash in babies can be by keeping the baby's skin cool. You can cool the baby's skin that is affected by prickly heat using a cool wet cloth or it can also be done by bathing the baby.
5. If you really need to, you can give lotion and cream
If when you touch your baby's skin and your baby cries, then how do you treat prickly heat in babies? You can apply calamine lotion to the skin. However, keep in mind not to apply lotion to the skin near the baby's eyes.
If the prickly heat experienced by your baby is very severe, you can give him hydrocortisone cream but must be according to the doctor's advice. It's best not to use lotions or other types of creams, as they can make skin rashes worse.
Prickly heat usually goes away on its own. However, you can also try how to treat prickly heat in babies as described above at home. If prickly heat in babies is accompanied by a fever of more than 38 degrees Celsius, shortness of breath, a rash that doesn't go away after more than a week, is infected or seems to be getting worse, immediately take your baby to the doctor to get the right treatment.
