Prevention from Prickly heat or Heat rash

The summer season is on its peak and the monsoon season is about to knock your doorstep. The combination of these two seasons makes it a perfect weather condition for having ghamoriya.  The reason behind this is humidity. Such weather condition increases the humidity in the atmosphere to a great extent. Which is why sweating pricks the skin badly.

We as a parent is more concerned about getting rid of the problem of ghamoriya. The best way is prevention from prickly heat. Because it is rightly said that “prevention is always better than cure.”  Further, sharing personal experiences that have helped me a lot in preventing the problem of prickly heat in babies.

Ways to get rid/prevent prickly heat in babies:

1. The right choice of clothing

The clothes that you make a baby to wear during the summer season plays an important role in preventing the baby from suffering from the problem of prickly heat. This is because appropriate clothes keep the body cool. Therefore, you as a parent ensure choosing the clothes that are comforting to the skin of the baby.

I usually prefer the following clothing to prevent prickly heat:

• • Using clothes made from cotton fabric because they are soft, gentle and airy for the skin.
  • Making the baby wear light colour clothes because dark colour such as black, brown, navy blue, etc, absorbs heat.
  • Making the baby wear loose clothes which is not tight on the body. This helps the skin to breathe.
  • Clothing with collar results in prickly heat all around the neck that irritates the baby. Therefore, use T-shirts without a collar. This adds comfort in lying down for the toddlers upto the age of 6 months.
  • Use swaddle to wrap the infants upto the age of 6 months. Swaddle is a soft muslin cloth or a cotton cloth soft for the sensitive skin of the baby. Further, these are perfect to use as a blanket and bedsheet for the baby. I am using the Babyhug swaddle which has a muslin fabric gentle on the baby’s skin.
  • Using soft and cotton fabric socks, cap, mittens for the newborn baby upto the age of 2 months. Make sure that their hands and feet do not sweat otherwise it will result in heat rashes or itching. Remove them at reasonable intervals.

2. Keeping the baby hydrated

One of the causes of prickly heat is overheating of the body. To overcome this issue keep the baby hydrated.

Following are the tips for keeping the baby hydrated:

• • Newborn babies are on breastfeeding and the breast milk has a high percentage of water in it. Therefore, feeding the baby at regular two hours intervals decreases the excessive heat generation in the body.
  • For the babies above six months, encourage drinking water at frequent intervals around 2 hours. Recommended giving boiled and cooled water.
  • Add vegetables and fruits in the food chart either as a part of a meal or as a snack depending on the liking of the baby. Because vegetables and fruits are rich in water content and maintains the body temperature.
  • Serve the vegetables and fruits either in juices or in the puree.
  • I prefer giving cucumber, carrot, pumpkin and lauki either in the morning or in the afternoon. These are high in water content and also builds immunity.
  • Apple juice, dal ka pani and curd rice are must-have recipes to calm overheating of the body. Serving once a day serves the purpose.
  • Coconut water once a day is sufficient. Avoid giving it empty stomach early morning. It is difficult to get digested and can be vomited out.

    

  • Adding soups in the food chart is also one of the good options for keeping the baby hydrated.
  • Serve curd as a part of the meal or as per the requirement of the baby. Curd provides relief from dehydration. I prefer giving a curd in the afternoon.
  • Namkeen buttermilk and lassi are good to keep the body hydrated.
  • Further, check regularly as to the colour of the baby’s pee. If it is the dark yellow colour it is a clear sign of dehydration. Increase the intake of water and other fluids and keep a watch on the condition.

3. Maintain hygiene

The hot weather makes the sweat glands to release the excess sweat. It is usually seen in babies, either their sweat glands are fully developed or are not developed. In both situations, prickly heat or heat rash is common to affect the baby.

One is the situation when the sweat glands of the baby are not fully developed. In that case, sweat coming in contact with air makes the body cold. This means that the baby is overheated.

In other situation when the baby sweat more, the excess sweat gets accumulated either under the layers of skin or over the upper layer of skin. This is because the sweat glands get overburdened due to excess sweat. Resulting in blocking of the sweat ducts.

Therefore, to prevent excess sweat from being trapped in the sweat ducts, hygiene is important.

Precautionary steps for keeping the baby clean are as follows:

• • Bathing is important to clean the germs. Also, keeps the body temperature cool that gives instant relief in itching. Therefore, make the baby bath daily.
    
    At the same time, the baby enjoys in the water tub splashing water and playing with toys. This is one good exercise to keep the baby fit.
  • Change the clothes of the baby in the evening. This helps in removing dust/germs after day-long play and activities. Further, keeps the skin dry and airy which is much needed for early healing of prickly heat rash.
  • In the evening if not making the baby bath, then wash his/her face, hands and feet for washing the extra sweat from the skin.

4. Skincare

Dust and sweating give rise to many skin problems one of which is prickly heat rash. Because the skin of the baby is so tender that it gets infected easily. Therefore, keeping the skin moisturized and nourished is very important to prevent prickly heat.

I am practicing the below precautions to minimise the chances of prickly heat rash in the baby:

• • Most important is massage the baby. It gives nourishment and moisture to the baby’s skin. Further, not only prevent dryness of the skin but also allows the skin to breathe.

    

I prefer to massage the baby atleast two times a day. Massage after the bath helps in easy absorption of the coconut oil in the skin. This provides a cooling effect and is comforting the baby.

• • Use prickly heat powder after bathing over the diaper area, chest, back and neck. This is recommended only for the babies six months and above.

5. Heat protection
   

Preferably avoid taking the baby out during the bright sunny day. This is because staying in a hot atmosphere for a long time results in excessive sweating. The integrated sweat clogged the skin pores. Later resulting in the problem of prickly heat.

But if you are to take the baby out then following precautions are necessary to reduce the chance of prickly heat:

• • Cover the newborn baby from head to toe using cotton clothing. This helps in protecting the baby from coming in direct contact of the sun rays which can cause redness of the skin and heat rash.
  • Heat rash is seen anywhere on the body. Therefore, use swaddle to wrap the hands and feet of the baby above 3 months. This is to avoid the body coming in direct contact with the sun rays.

Further, use full sleeve upper and bottom otherwise, direct sun rays will affect the skin resulting in heat rash.

• • Using loose and cotton fabric clothing because they keep the body cool. Allows skin to breathe.
  • It is preferred not to go out for long hours around four to five hours. But if the situation demands then ensure to keep the baby hydrated by giving water or fluids at an interval of one to two hours.
  • Feed the newborn babies with milk at an interval of two hours. This helps in preventing overheating of the body.
  • If going by car ensure to turn on the air conditioner at 24 ℃ to 26 ℃ to maintain a pleasant environment much before the baby enters the car.
  • Use the shaded area or place for standing or use an umbrella.

6. Use Air conditioner
   
   

Humidity worsens the situation due to increased moisture and warm environment. This prevents drying of sweat and results in itching. The problem of prickly heat arises. Therefore, as a precautionary measure using the air conditioner is important.

Ways in which the air conditioner gives relief in prickly heat are as follows:

• • Using the fan with the air conditioner provides a cool and relaxed atmosphere. This helps in circulating the cool airflow all over the entire room.
  • The air conditioner controls the humidity. This results in low sweating and provides comfort from prickly heat.
  • To keep the baby’s body temperature normal and less sweating use air conditioner. This is to provide a cool temperature for the baby in the surroundings. I prefer maintaining the temperature of the air conditioner in between 24 ℃ to 26 ℃. This is considered as an ideal temperature for babies.
  • If you living in a place where the temperature is too high for the air conditioner to cool the room at 24 degree Celsius then you can adjust the air conditioner temperature from 20 ℃ to 22 ℃.
  • Recommended having Temperature and Humidity Meter in the room. It helps in monitoring the room temperature and humidity on a real-time basis so that you maintain the pleasant and healthier atmosphere of the room.