Heat Rash - Derry,NH

That's so tough, since there could be a number of things going on! I'm inclined to think that the switch to a big girl bed is just a coincidence in this case. An extra pad between the bed and the sheet wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing though. Heat rash is often allergy related. Have you ruled out food allergy? What about your laundry detergent(is it petroleum based, perfumed?) What kind of soap are you using?

Lukewarm oatmeal baths are great. I've also heard that a more base water is beneficial. Try throwing in some baking soda next time. You could always try making a paste on a particularly itchy spot as well.
Good luck, I hope she's feeling better soon!

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Your poor little girl! I wish I could tell you any ideas about why she has this rash. All I can offer is information about clients I have who have experienced similar rashes. Most irritations on the skin are a result of the artificial chemicals and fragrances that the skin is exposed to. This can be found in detergents, fabrics, lotions, sunscreen, shampoo, etc... I am more than happy to send samples of creams, shampoos, sunscreen, etc... to you to see if it clears up your daughter's rash. I am an independent consultant with Arbonne International. Arbonne creates all products without artificial chemicals and fragrances. We are also a vegan certified company that does not use animal by product or animal product that can cause reactions on the skin. Let me know if you are interested! Good luck to you and your little one.

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I don't know how big her rashes are...but a friend of mine recently went through a phase of having huge welts all over her body...they did every allergy test under the sun. Her son also ended up getting it. She had 3 steroid shots and was extremely itchy and miserable. It turned out to be simple bed bugs. Her husband had recently travelled to a hotel for business and had apparently brough the buggers back with him. Since they had a bed skirt around their bed (and their sons) they travelled up them. Her husband was not allergic to them...so he was not affected. She and her son were allergic. I have not medical background...this is just a hunch.

Good luck!!

H.. (SAHM to 3 boys 4 1/2, 3 1/2 and just turned 1)

ps. This friend is the most clean and tidy person I have ever met!!!

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My son gets a similar reaction each summer and we are pretty sure he is having a reaction to the sunscreen. I am trying different brands, have not found the right one just yet but this is something to think about.

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When our little girl had a "heat rash" it was because of the polyester pj's and detergent we used. The polyester keeps the moisture in. As soon as we switched to cotton and "clear" detergent it went away. Hydrocortizone should be a last resort, try cornstarch baby powder to make a buffer/protective layer. Hope she gets well soon!

My sister-in-law had the same problem with her 2 year old and they discovered she was allergic to peanut butter, so it could be an allergic reaction to some new food she is eating or even one she has been eating and just became allergic to. I drank milk until I was 25 and then got allergic to it. It's a thought. Good luck

I would go to a dermatologist to see exactly what it is. Did you rule out food allergies? Good Luck.

Hi Olivia,
I certainly wouldn't discount the possibility of an allergy to the new bed - have you tried changing her sleeping arrangement for a few nights? Also, cold damp washcloths applied frequently can really help bring down a heat rash. Good luck!

Given everything you have done and the way in which it is spreading, this is definitely NOT heat rash, and you should have a good argument with your child's doctor! This is entirely too dismissive of you and your child, as well as unhelpful to her recovery.

You also can't keep covering a child with hydrocortizone. I would not get into steroids such as prednisone with a young child, so if you are advised that way, I would ask a lot of questions. I would take it slow with stuff like Benadryl too. Once in a while it's okay, but living on it for a chronic condition is a bad idea.

Besides, these drugs only treat the symptoms, not the cause.

It could be a reaction to detergents, so I would switch to a no-fragrance/no dyes brand, and even use a little less of it unless clothes are extremely dirty.

I would also consider the possibility of some type of food allergy. There is a wonderful children's nutritional supplement (vanilla & chocolate) which helps tremendously with skin conditions such as eczema - I have many friends whose kids have had skin problems caused by various allergies or diet problems, who have had fabulous results. The products work by supporting the immune system and giving outstanding nutrition, sweeping out toxins and allergens. The benefit is, kids often don't get sick much either - no more ear infections, strep throat, etc.!!

The product was formulated by the same scientists who developed Enfamil and ProSoBee, the company has been around 20 years, and the products have earned US government patents, which means there is nothing out there that has the same ingredients or does the same things. The products are not sold in stores because there's no way to give the consumer the same support and guidance. It's sold only through direct marketing, like Mary Kay and other top companies. If you are interested, I would love to introduce you to it! There are some great stories to listen to on conference calls too - some live, some recorded. Depending on where you live, you might be able to come to one of the weekly meetings to learn more. Let me know if you are interested. I'd love to share with other moms!

You can try giving her some benadryl (before bed during bath time). I got terrible heat rash all the time as a kid - it's a histamine reaction, and can be really itchy (as you know). I if it doesn't get better soon, or keeps getting worse, I would ask for another opinion.

Hi...Could it be Fifth's Disease? It's a Viral infection that shows up as a rash-the baby/child might experience some discomfort and a low grade fever and it happens around this time of year.It goes away on it's own and for the most part the symptoms are benign but perhaps it isn't heat rash?!

Funny you should mention the thing with the bed: my sister (who's 24) just had a doctor's appointment for a similar rash. She gets it when she's in the sun, but it had gotten totally out of control. The doctor said it's a combination of regular heat rash, but also mites...they're always on our skin, I guess, but she's having a bad outbreak. Ew, I know. Perhaps the new bed is particularly mite-y, and it's irritating her skin...or maybe it's an allergy to down or another material they used in her mattress? Good luck!

There is a possibility that she could be having a reaction to the detergent used to wash the sheets. Are you using a different kind of detergent now that she is in a big girl bed? I got a bad rash some years ago, and it turns out the detergent was the culprit. I switched to Arm & Hammer sensitive skin (has no colors or fragrances) and the problem went away. You might want to try using this for her clothing and sheets regardless, since at the very least, it will ease some of her discomfort while she has the rash.

Good luck!

Does your daughter eat a lot of strawberries?

My son started experiencing rashes around the same age, starting on his torso and spreading. Our doctor kept saying it was eczema, and put him on steroidal creams which made it worse. We finally realized that every time he ate strawberries, the rash appeared within 30 minutes. We have completely eliminated strawberries and strawberry flavored things from his diet and he hasn't had a rash since.

If you think it is the bed, you can always buy a hypoallergenic mattress cover. It should keep any allergens in the mattress. I think Febreeze also makes a spray that is specially for eliminating odors + allergens as well.

For itchy skin, Aveeno's new eczema line works well. They have a creamy body wash and lotion. Not everywhere seems to carry it; I found ours at Walgreens.

It sounds like it could be scarlet fever. My son had the same thing! For a week a really bad itchy rash. I was told to give him the Zyrtec to stop the itching. But it never went away and then all of a sudden he said he wasn't feeling well and 2 days later started spiking a fever and he had strep/scarlett fever. I would ask them to do a throat culture.
N.

My son has the same thing!! I found this on-line and I am going to see if I can find it!

"Caldesene® Baby Corn Starch Powder #1 brand recommended by pediatricians! Recognized as safe and effective by moms and doctors in treating diaper rash, prickly heat and chafing
contains cornstarch and zinc oxide which form a protective barrier to repel moisture and help keep skin dry... plus aloe and chamomile to soften and soothe baby's delicate skin."

I always used baby powder that was 100% cornstarch it will help clear it up.

It sounds like she may have eczema not heat rash. My 3 yo daughter just recovered from a really bad outbreak that was triggered by the heat. You may need something stronger than the over the counter cortizone cream to get it under controll, & then work back down to the over the counter version. this is what we did & it only took 4 days to resolve itself. now we just keep her rubbed down in Aquaphor on a daily basis. Oatmeal baths only draw moister out of the skin. make sure to use a petrolium based ointment. and keep baths tepid, not hot.

good luck
B.,
mom to an adorable 3 year old girl

She could be allergic to the mattress (is it new or same one you used in crib)? If it is new it could be an allergic reaction. Have you been using any new laundry detergents? I have very sensitive skin & any time I use a new detergent I am playing with fire. I sometimes will break out in a bumpy, itchy, ugly red rash all over! I just recently found out on my own I am allergic to Ajax dish detergent which I have used most of my life (my mom always used it when I was a kid). I was using it not only for dishes but to wash my hands when I ran out of hand soap & got a nasty red rash on my hands & arms. Once I stopped using it the rash was gone.
So try changing your laundry detergent maybe a free and clear and DO NOT use softner until you figure out what is causing the rash. Are you now using a pillow for her maybe she is allergic to what ever it is filled with. My husband has to be careful about fillings in comforters/pillows.
Good luck! Oh someone mentioned strawberries, I forgot my son cannot eat them because he also broke out in dry red rash docs also called eczema I figured out myself it was strawberries. He hasn't had any since and rash is totally gone.

Hi J.,
Have you considered a sunblock allergy? My kids are all allergic to sunblock. They would be fine until they were about 2. The rash they would get from the sunblock looked very similiar to heat rash. My two oldest have the reaction and my youngest boy didn't have a problem until this summer (he is almost three). With my kids, the allergy would always start out very light and it seemed the more often that we would use the sunblock the worse the rash would get. If you think that this may be the problem, try any of the generic sunblocks. We use either Target brand or No-Ad. Something about the generics seem to help. Hope this helps!

Have you tryed that benadryl cream and or/oral benadryl it really helps with the itching

Where are the cats??? are they allowed on your daughters bed???

I would find a pedia dermatologist/or a derma that takes 2yr olds, it could be, and i can't think of it but its a rash that travels and then its gone.....It very could be something in the bed that she is allergic too as well, i guess i was not too much giving with any help, but i would take her for a 2nd opinion asap.

good luck to you

Sounds like contact dermatitis to me. Could be the bed. Try getting a natural mattress pad for between the bed and sheets. Make sure you don't use anything with fragrance that contacts her skin or the clothing and linens that she contacts (such as clothing detergents, soaps, lotions, fabric softener, bug repellent, sunscreen, your perfume, etc.). Do not use soaps on her. Stop putting anything on her skin (no lotions or creams). Be strict about this and her skin should clear up within a few days.

Hello J.,
As a child I suffered with the same kind of rash, as a matter of fact I had it until I started have little ones of my own.
Have you tried a baking soda bath? How about appling
ointment I now use for diaper rash and ordinary "BOO-BOOs"
called Butt Paste put out byBoudreaux's. Excellent stuff,
it contains zinc. Good luck