Don’t Let Heat Rash irritate your kid

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    Every school going kid gets excited thinking about their summer vacation and they wish their holidays to be filled with lot of fun. Many of the children want to spend their most of the time in playgrounds; but parents cannot ask them to stay at home all the time because of the hot weather outside.

    The hot and humid climate during summer increases the chance of suffering one or the other heat related health issues especially in kids. And one of the most common, irritating heat related conditions is heat rashes; often known as prickly heat. Though heat rash is common in all age groups, it is mostly seen in kids. To avoid heat rash and treat if they occur, let us know about prickly heat rash in detail.

    What are heat rashes?

    As the name suggests, prickly heat rash is a particular heat rash characterized by a feeling of being pricked i.e. stinging sensation. These heat rashes may be seen anywhere on the body, especially on the areas mostly exposed to the sun. They appear as tiny blisters or bumps and look red if the skin is light.

    Causes of heat rash:

    The main cause of heat rash is excessive sweating, which leads to the blockage of sweat glands and remains trapped in the skin layer. Since the sweat clogs the skin pores, it results in the eruptions and hence rashes. Some of the other reasons which may cause heat rash can be;
    • →Over dressing the children which can cause overheating
    • → Using synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon which trap heat
    • → Warm bedding
    • → Children who are obese can more likely to sweat

    Remedies for heat rashes:

    Heat rashes often disappear on their own and need no medical attention. But as they irritate the skin, there are some home remedies to soothe the skin and prevent the condition from being worse. Here are some tips for you to avoid or treat the heat rashes and making your child comfortable.
    • → Keep the skin cool by using wet wipes or wet clothes to subside the temperature.
    • → To soothe the skin in the affected areas, try a cold compress. You can wrap few ice cubes in a napkin for cold compress.
    • → Apply a paste of sandalwood powder and rose water to the affected area and rinse it with cool water after the pack is dried. This may help to soothe the skin as sandalwood is known for its cooling properties.
    • → Boil some neem leaves in water and add them to the bucket of bathing water, this helps to soothe the irritated skin as neem has high antibacterial properties.
    • → Applying calamine lotion liberally on the rashes can give relief from the stinging sensation of the rashes.

    How to prevent heat rash?

    The only way to prevent heat rash is to protect body from overheating. Here are some tips which can avoid body from overheating and therefore prevent heat rash.
    • → Limit the sun exposure by changing the play timings to the late evening or making a shaded area for playing.
    • → Make sure to keep your kid or baby stays clean and dry at all times.
    • → Dress him / her in loose, light coloured cotton clothes and avoid synthetic fabrics.
    • → Try to hold your baby less. If a baby is held all the times, it may contribute to overheating.
    • → Avoid too much application of lotions or creams which tend to clog skin pores and sweat gets trapped in them which lead to heat rash.
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