The Most Common Baby Skin Diseases

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Skin rashes can give babies a hard time. The following are the most typical skin diseases and suggested natural remedies for relief and treatment.

Cradle cap: This looks like a yellow tinged scaly skin type of skin rash that is slippery to the touch seen on the scalp. There may be some acne-like formation pattern along with the flakes. The most known household remedy for this is by putting baby oil on the scalp preferably Emu oil 20-30 minutes before bath. Carefully massage the flakes and gently wash the affected area with the same Emu brand shampoo or just plain baby shampoo.

Heat rash: There is a natural tendency for the body to warm up, especially during summer thereby creating a skin problem called heat rash. Babies are more vulnerable to this type of ailment. These rashes are found on the face and the upper torso of the body. Applying calamine lotion will remove some of the stinging discomfort while dusting some baby powder and starch will keep the affected areas dry and help relieve the itch.

Nappy rash: Also known as diaper rash, this is the most common of the skin rashes that make babies crabby and miserable. Nappy rash is caused by soiled diapers not being changed immediately. When the skin is always in contact with urine and feces, ammonia is released irritating the skin. The rash is seen around the diaper area like the bottom, genital areas, and upper thighs. Changing the diaper as soon as necessary is the best prevention. It is also important to make sure that the baby is cleaned on each diaper change. Wash with wet soft cloth or use gentle wet wipes. Using gentle creams and ointments will help relieve and cure this problem.

Infantile eczema: This dry flaky dull looking skin often starts on the cheeks. Untreated, it spreads to the other parts of the body. This type of skin rash is not contagious and best remedied by using a hypoallergenic soap and gentle moisturizer.

Urticaria: Also known as hives, some parts of the skin are inflamed and look pink or red. Allergy from a certain kind of food may cause this kind of skin problem.

HFMD or hand foot and mouth disease: This looks like a chicken pox that seems either raised or flattened but not itchy. It can start on the palms and soles spreading to the buttocks then on to the gums, tongue, cheeks, until it becomes bad sores. Drink a lot of water.

Thrush: This fungal infection begins in the mouth looking like white patches can spread thoughout the mouth quickly. If not treated immediately, this can spread to the body and cause a lot of discomfort.

One of the most effective products in treating skin rashes is Emu Oil. Used for thousands of years in Australia to treat skin rashes, Emu Oil has a natural antibiotic property that is very effective in treatment of skin inflammation and other skin problems that are bacterial or fungal in origin.

Some babies may be sensitive to Emu Oil so caution is advised and do not forget to consult your doctors if symptoms of skin rashes persist.

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Smart Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Diaper rash is a common infection for babies. Left untreated, it can cause a serious discomfort for your baby. There are preventive measures for diaper rash and ways to care for it.

The simplest thing to do in order to prevent this is by changing your baby’s diaper as often as necessary. Ideally, every two hours. If you leave a diaper on for long periods of time, it promotes irritation and can cause chronic rashes and yeast infections. You can space out the change of diaper to every three or four hours if your baby no longer wets as much.

Another way to prevent a rash from flaring up is to apply a diaper rash ointment on babies during diaper change. Ointments place a protective layer between your baby’s skin and the diaper. And because natural products don’t contain harsh chemicals, they are come highly recommended. Inorganic products with artificial fragrances can cause skin irritation. Ointments not only protect your baby’s skin, but they can also soften it.

Using cloth or disposable diapers for their baby is a parent’s personal choice. If you are using disposable diapers, changing brands can also prevent rashes. If you find that every brand you’ve tried causes rashes, immediately change to cloth diapers. On the other hand, if you are using cloth diapers, always make sure that it’s thoroughly washed with gentle, baby-safe laundry detergent. Adding vinegar to the rinse cycle is said to be an old trick for cleaning and disinfecting cloth diapers.

Be careful with what you are using to clean your baby with. Unscented wipes cause less irritation so it is more advisable to use that scented ones. If wipes cause rashes, use water and mild soap. Remember that babies have very sensitive skin that your ordinary beauty soap can cause irritation.

Fresh air helps dry your baby’s sensitive skin. As often as possible, give your baby’s bottom some time to air out and be diaper-free.

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The Natural Treatment for Diaper Rash

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When urine and feces constantly touch the skin, especially that of baby’s, irritation develops, this leads to diaper rash. The diaper is a perfect place for fungi and bacteria to develop and multiply because it creates a warm and moist atmosphere that places the baby’s waste next to the skin thereby causing this irritation.

Synthetic treatments may contain harmful chemicals which can make problem worse. This is why more and more people turn to organic, natural cure especially when it comes to treating their babies.

Suggested natural treatments

1.      Oatmeal is one of the most common household treatments for many skin dilemmas. Bathe your baby in a warm water and oatmeal solution and let him soak for 15-20 minutes while keeping the water moving with your hands. Rinse, and dry the baby by gently patting with a soft towel then use a natural moisturizer to give some relief. Vegetable oil when applied to the baby’s diaper area proves to be an effective cure.

2.      A mixture of one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water applied directly to affected area will relieve the itch and soothe your baby’s skin.

3.      Another cure is roasted flour. Just brown the flour by roasting over low heat then apply by dusting the baby’s bottom each diaper change.

4.      Another effective by giving the baby a sitz bath 3x a day for not more than 10 minutes. A sitz bath or “sits bath” is done by putting warm water in a basin and sitting the baby in, covering the buttocks and hips. Adding two tablespoons of baking soda makes it a specific treatment for diaper rashes.

There are many other different kinds of natural remedies for diaper rash; it’s just a matter of deciding which one is most effective. And as always, if your efforts fail, it is best to consult a physician to get the best chemical free treatment.

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Differentiating a Yeast Infection from a Diaper Rash

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

For a new parent, it is normal to confuse a yeast infection from a diaper rash. It is important to find out which type of baby rash your child has so that the right treatment can be applied. If left untreated, both rashes can be chronic and very agonizing. Annoying skin rashes like these must be nursed right away so to keep them manageable and would not cause your baby too much pain.

There are dissimilarities in the appearance and origin of yeast infections and diaper rash. Here are some signs that you can look for when verifying if your baby has either a yeast infection or a diaper rash.

It is not typical for a baby to develop yeast infection. Naturally, we have yeasts in our bodies that are generally found in the mouth, bowels, and skin. It grows and multiplies in numbers in moist and warm places. This is why yeast infection is common to develop in babies having a diaper rash or by just wearing a diaper. You might also notice that if your baby has a yeast infection in the mouth, they will have a diaper rash or a yeast infection on their bottom too.

How can you tell which type of rash your baby is suffering from since yeast infection looks similar to a diaper rash? Well, yeast infection is characterized by lots of red bumps on the infected area. Some of the bumps may appear to have puss in it, and the skin looks scaly. It appears to be more like eczema and as other types of skin rash, it makes the skin turn red. It is probably yeast infection if you are treating the rash but does not clear up within two days. This should be medicated with a baby safe yeast infection cream.

A diaper rash, on the other hand, will just make the affected skin reddish but does not have any little puss-filled bumps. The rash is distinct and you can obviously still see the part where the skin is infected and where is healthy. When treated with diaper ointment, this should clear up just within two days.

Being able to identify the difference is a huge step, next is finding the right cure. It is important to use organic products to treat both yeast infection and diaper rash because they do not have any synthetic ingredients or chemicals that could further damage the baby’s skin.

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Cradle Cap, Heat Rash or Baby Acne – What Skin Infection does Your Baby have?

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There is a list of skin infections that babies can acquire and it is important that we know what the symptoms are. Individually, they require different treatments.

Cradle cap

Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis, like neonatal or infantile acne, are very much related to the hormonal changes connected with pregnancy – the oil glands going into overdrive.

Signs and symptoms:

*crusty, greasy, scaly, red patches seen on the scalp of recently born babies

*possibly it has to do with overactive sebaceous glands (these secrete the oil in the skin)

* redness can be prominent within the crease of the baby’s armpits, behind his ears, and neck

* If it only appears on the scalp, it is called cradle cap. But when it spreads in other location like in the face and in the diaper area, it is seborrheic dermatitis. If this occurs, you should ask your doctor for a stronger treatment or alternative cure for it.

Heat Rash

Babies are very vulnerable to heat rash, mainly because their sweat glands are not fully developed yet. Hence, their ability to balance their core body temperature is lower. Heat rash is described as by tiny, yellowish bumps on the skin, surrounded by a red area.

Signs and symptoms:

* Often erupts on areas of the body mostly covered by clothes, which includes armpits, chest and back, and sometimes the groin area.

* In worse cases, it can cause fever

* Tends to be associated with hot surroundings and humid environments

* Prickly and sudden painful feeling

Baby Acne

Baby acne oftentimes happens more on boys than girls, just like the teenage acne. However, unlike acne that occurs on older people, it is generally painless.

Though it can spread on the chin and forehead, it generally takes place on the face of babies – most often the cheeks. Permanent scars are very unlikely to happen especially if this type of acne is mild to moderate. If left untreated, it can get worse and leave scars that survive to adulthood. Babies who experience severe acne have a bigger chance of also developing acne vulgarise when they reach puberty. Aside from papules and pustules, neonatal acne can include features of regular acne such as blackheads and whiteheads.

This condition is attributed to an infection caused by a genus of yeasts called malassezia. A wide number of various and different species belong to this genus, although it has not been proven which specific specie causes these skin irritations. Malassezia yeasts can create a range of skin conditions such as neonatal cephalic pustulosis, as well as seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.

Although a typical antifungal cream can be applied, neonatal cephalic pustulosis usually goes away on its own.

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