Pacifier Rash on the Chin... Suggestions?

Alright -
So, all of these responses suggesting that he is allergic to his plastic pacifier (seriously? he would have shown sensitivity to it a LONG TIME AGO) or having an allergic reaction to food (paranoid much?) are off base here - any mother that has had a child teethe in a major way, with OR without the binky habit, has experienced this chin rash situation too.
My daughter was/is a binky addict herself, which causes a lot of drooling without teething along with it (and as he gets older and starts talking "through" his binky, the drool situation will only increase) but a binky habit in tandem with teething is just like turning the drool faucet on full blast. The rash is because his skin is constantly wet (including chin, around the mouth and lips, even the cheeks if the drool spreads) - we went through this with my daughter too, as had a majority of my friends with their children - and since it is not a "rash" caused by any irritant that you can take away, you have to be super diligent about wiping his chin and face. CONSTANTLY. Try to limit his binky time (I know this is hard, especially when they need the sucking mechanism to soothe themselves through teething discomfort) but, at least during the day, try to keep his attention focused on being busy and playing and try to just only let him have that binky at nap and bedtime. When you wipe his chin and face, pat it dry gently with a soft cloth - do not put any ointment or rash creme on his face because, well, none of that stuff will help because the rash is due to moisture, not skin sensitivity. Use plain old vaseline to try to keep a barrier between skin and moisture - putting anything else on the rashy area will only irritate his skin more.
Have you tried tylenol or baby orajel at all to try to soothe his pain?
So, the three things that you need to do reiterated: (1) try to keep the area dry (2) limit binky use during the day to cut down on the excess drool (3) use a thin layer of vaseline to create a barrier against moisture.
This is a VERY COMMON occurance, and unless he is ill in some other way, there is nothing more sinister going on. Children that have any sort of oral habit - thumb sucking, blanket sucking/chewing, a binky habit - usually go through this drool rash phase at some point. Once the worst of the teething is over, the amount of drool will diminish and the rash will subside.

Have you tried Aquaphor? That worked great for my son. He had the same thing you are describing. Though it never fully went away due to constant binky use, it did help.

Hello A. my 3 year old son has red tiny spots on his chin just from always rubbing his lips with drool. I asked his pediatrician if this was a rash. She said no this is an eratent from drool. She asked if he uses a binkie I said no, but he is always rubbing his libs down with his hands. She suggested to apply hydraqortazon cream a few times daily. Then it should go away.
I hope this works for you.

I used Neosporin(sorry not sure of the spelling) It worked great!

I disagree with the OINTMENTS, they trap and hold the problem. Drool is different when they cut teeth-it has acid or something to help the gums break through the teeth.
Two of my kids had that rash, it also came when my son would eat (sloppily)
brightly colored stuff or spaghetti (tomato base). I myself have sensitive skin. I don't know your ethnicity, but fair skin is often sensitive. I NEVER EVER use ointments anymore, anywhere. If you must use Neosporin, I recommend CREAM base.
It's hard to find, but it is out there.
Cream is water based, ointments are petroleum (yes, as in gas) jelly based. Ointments don't dry out. You need to dry out the area.
Aquaphor didnt help either.
It is just excess moisture and teething drool causing the rash. But you may be accidentally worsening it. I doubt it is the binky if he's had one all along. But do sterilize the binky or buy new ones. And make sure he drinks LOTS of water, and avoid artificial dyes/colorings. Good luck.

lanolin before using the paci and any other time you can think to do it. This is perfect because there is no harm like Aquador in case of ingestion. It is more than likely just a moisture rash.

Your child is very likely allergic to the plastic base of the pacifier. You have to be very careful. The rash could become a serious problem, i.e., infection.

Bring him to your Pediatrician or Homeopath to get it cleared up. Hopefully other mothers have information regarding a different kind of pacifier. Elephant Pharmacy might be a good resource.

Best,
C. CG

pacificier rash is worse during summer & teething times due to sweat & excessive drool. We use vaseline or aquaphor on the area. We found that putting it around their lips/chin before giving them their pac (they only get it during naps/bedtime in their cribs)helps prevent it. Also just keep the area dry of drool. Are you using baby wipes to wipe his mouth/face? it may be the problem. one of our twin girls face reacts to kirkland wipes (no problems using them for diaper changes though).

I wouldn't recommened putting aquaphor near his mouth, I use it on my daughter's cheeks & forehead and it works great, but it is not safe to ingest.I found some stuff I use on her chin and around her mouth and it works great. It's called Boudreaux's Baby Kisses (made by the same people who make Boudreaux's Butt Paste) I found it at Target. It's safe and effective. Good Luck!

My son just recently went through this and the Dr suggested hydrocortizone OINTMENT 1%. It worked like a charm. it will help the repel the slobber. We had a family photo I was concerned about and the rash was gone for the pic.
Good luck

Hi A.,

This could be a food allergy. Our second child got this type of rash on his chin and cheeks. I also initially thought it was just from all the drooling. It turned out to be an egg allergy. (He wasn't eating egg; however I was. He was reacting to the proteins passing through my breast milk!)

At 13 months you have probably introduced several new foods lately. Try backing off of the new foods. Is he eating Honey Nut Cheerios? Try switching to plain Cheerios. Did you switch him from formula to whole milk at 12 months? That could also be it. Our third child didn't have a noticeable reaction to the dairy based formula he was drinking (Good Start), but developed a bad rash (on his forehead) when we switched him to whole milk. The rash went away when we switched back to formula, but it comes back if he has had any other dairy products (like butter or ice cream).

Between the two of them, I've had to learn a lot about food allergies. (Many other foods give them rashes and they also have problems with diarrhea, stomach aches, and reflux from various foods.) For kids, the most common foods that cause allergies are: nuts, milk, egg, soy and wheat. Good news is that kids frequently outgrow their allergies.

Email me directly if you'd like to talk more about it.

-D.

Hi A., our 2 year old is a major thumb sucker and has the same rash. The only thing that works for us is Aquaphor lotion every couple of hours. This gets rid of it within a couple of days. Aquaphor creates a water barrier, so once the rash is gone, it prevents it from coming back too.

Good luck!
M.

could be something other than drool-related rash if it is spreading - perhaps eczema? you should have your doc check it out. Also try sterilizing the pacifiers at least every other day - you might also think about tossing the old ones and replacing them, since they may be harboring the germs that are causing the rash. good luck!

Hi A.,
Both of my girls got that, my oldest not so much but my youngest got that a lot. I started putting some petrolium jelly on it and it went away witin a few days it worked everytime. And hospitals use it sometimes for dry and cracked lips, so it's ok to use near the mouth in small amounts.
Hope I could help

You should try Baby Aquaphor...it works wonders. I was only able to find it at a local pharmacy but it is worth the looking! I bought it for my 8 month as recommended by our pediatrician for a diaper rash I couldn't get rid of and that is the ONLY thing I use now. LOVE IT - I use it on my boys as well as myself, it works great for dry hands. :)

I second the petroleum jelly use: really worked for my son. I also kept a cloth diaper or 100% cotton t-shirt to keep drying his chin and mouth-constanly patting him! Once his teeth broke through, the rash went away with the drool. Also, washed his pacifiers every day in warm soapy water or the dishwasher (though the doctor said it was not fungal or anything but irritation).

He A.,

Someone said not to use Aquaphor because it is dangerous to ingest but TWO pediatricians recommended that I use Aquaphor on my nipples because they were so chafed and cracked from breastfeeding. I asked both of them if I needed to remove it before nursing and both of them told me it was fine and a little bit never hurt anyone. One of them told me it was originally created for lips. It works really great.

However, my advice is to get rid of the pacifiers now. It only gets harder when they get older and he will be teething on and off for the next two years... Give him lots of cool teething rings and textured toys to chew on. Hydrocortisone works well also. Dry him off and put a thin layer on three times a day (double check with the pediatrician).

Good luck and I hope his rash goes away soon.

E.

In my natural product line I make a wonderful skin calming agent that is effective in calming rashes, eczema, psoriasis and fungal infections: Rash Relief. I make it in an oil base and a cream/lotion base and the calming effects are nearly immediate. Essential oils provide the therapeutic properties of my blends and are safe for use on infants. Take a look at my website: www.mccluckfarms.com

Good luck!

i'd dry it off real good and then put some vaseline or aquaphor to act as a barrier between the skin and the drool. good luck,
T.