Rash, child under 2 years

Alternative names:

baby rash; diaper rash; Fordyce-Fox disease; Fox-Fordyce disease; miliaria; prickly heat

Definition:

An irritation of the skin caused by dampness and the interaction of urine (and ammonia from the urine) and feces. A baby rash is any skin swelling (bumps) or blotches on a baby.

Considerations:

Diaper rash is very common. Most babies who wear diapers will experience it to some degree. Factors that lead to diaper rash include continuously wet or infrequently changed diapers, and the use of plastic pants to cover the diaper.

Most bumps and blotches on a newborn baby are harmless and clear up by themselves. By far the most common skin problem of infants is diaper rash, but there are some other skin disorders that are usually not serious unless accompanied by other symptoms.

Common causes:

• Diaper rash (rash in the diaper area) is a skin irritation caused by prolonged dampness and the interaction of urine and feces with the skin.
• Heat rash (caused by the blockage of the pores that lead to the sweat glands) is most common in very young children, but can occur at any age. With an increase in heat and humidity, the sweat glands attempt to provide sweat as they would normally, but because of the blockage, this sweat is held within the skin and forms little red bumps, or occasionally small blisters in young infants.
• Erythema toxicum can cause flat red splotches that appear in up to half of all babies. These blotches rarely appear after 5 days of age, are usually gone in 7 to 14 days, and are nothing to worry about.
• Baby acne is caused by exposure to the mother's adult hormones. The little white dots often seen on a newborn's nose represent an abnormal amount of normal skin oil that is a result of these hormones. Acne usually occurs between 2 and 4 weeks of age but may appear up to 4 months after birth and can last for 12 to 18 months.
• Cradle cap causes greasy, scaling, crusty patches on the scalp that appear in a baby's first 3 months. It usually goes away by itself, but some cases may require treatment with medication.
• Prickly heat causes rash or blotches during hot weather or in a hot environment.

Note: There may be other causes of a rash in a child under 2 years old. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include unlikely diseases and medications. Furthermore, the causes may vary based on age and gender of the affected person, as well as on the specific characteristics of the symptom such as location, quality, time course, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and associated complaints. Use the Symptom Analysis option to explore the possible explanations for a rash in a child under 2 years old, occurring alone or in combination with other problems.