When you first have a baby, there's plenty to worry about. Things are a little easier the second time around, but even then you can face problems you never experienced before. Naturally, what you worry about most is your baby's health. You want them to be happy and healthy all the time, but that's not very likely. One of the issues you can encounter is skin conditions, and there are several that are common for little ones. Many of them will soon clear up and are nothing to worry about, although some of them are slightly more serious. It can be more worrying when you don't know what you're looking at, so read this guide to find out about some common baby skin conditions.
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| DieselDemon |
Cradle Cap
Cradle cap is something that many new parents will notice in their newborn, and it's nothing to worry about. It creates yellow-coloured scaly patches of skin on their head that can be greasy and weepy. It doesn't look very nice, but it's harmless and usually doesn't itch or hurt your baby. As well as on their scalp, you might notice it on their neck, face, ears or even in their nappy area. No one is certain why it happens, but it might be because of overactive sebaceous glands. It usually clears up quite quickly without the need for treatment. You can use baby shampoo to wash their head gently, so the scaly skin doesn't build up.
Eczema
Eczema can vary in severity. Up to twenty percent of babies experience it and while for many it can be mild, for others it's more serious. Babies can get eczema anywhere on their body, and it usually appears as dry patches that are often itchy. Some babies can have a more severe form of eczema that requires careful management, including regular baths, a special diet, and medicated lotions. Your doctor can diagnose eczema and suggest how to treat and manage it. One of the most difficult things to address with little ones is the itching. They're too young to understand that they shouldn't scratch, so using ScratchSleeves or a similar product can help them.
Contact Dermatitis
Many babies may experience contact dermatitis at some point. It's just a reaction that their skin has to something that irritates it. Babies might have more sensitive skin, but this is a problem we still sometimes encounter as adults. Their skin might be irritated by soap, detergents or grass, and plants, among many other things. Generally your baby will get red, itchy bumps. The key thing is to find the cause, which may involve thinking about what has changed recently or what they did the day they developed the rash. Sometimes it could take a while to identify a pattern. If they have a rash all over their body, the likely cause is your laundry detergent.
There are several other skin conditions your baby might show signs of. Many are nothing to worry about, but if it looks painful or doesn't go away, see your doctor or ask your health visitor.
