How To Determine What Is Causing Skin Irritation

Skin irritation can be caused by a variety of different stimuli–including, sometimes, our very own biology. It is important that you know how to figure out the difference, not just for your kids but for yourself! The last thing you want is to drop a bunch of money on doctor’s visits, medications, etc. if you don’t actually have to, right? Here are a few different tips that you can try before you rush to the ER when those red bumps appear.

Take a Breath

Before you panic, take a few big deep breaths and then look at the skin again. Is the rash still there? Has it spread? Has it gotten more severe? If the rash has spread or gotten much worse in the time it has taken you to take a few calming breaths, you should call your doctor. If not, continue to our next tip.

Think

Have you recently switched detergents or body wash? Go back over the last few hours. Did you dress your baby in a material that they haven’t worn before? Babies have extremely sensitive skin. Try changing them into soft clothes for sensitive skin and wait a little while. Is the rash fading or clearing up? That’s a sign that something about the clothing is what irritated your young one. If the soft clothing was washed in the same detergent you used for the original outfit, you’ll know that the irritation is fabric based. If you used a different detergent, consider switching to whichever detergent you use for sensitive skin clothes.

If the change of clothing (or bedding!) doesn’t help, think back to what your little one has had to eat or drink recently. If they are still breastfeeding, think about what you might have eaten that might be causing the reaction. Write it down so you can keep an eye out for the reaction in the future when you eat that food again. If the rash recurs, you’ll know you’re dealing with a food allergy.

Bathe

Sometimes we come into contact with a very specific irritant that has nothing to do with what we’re wearing or consuming. For example, maybe your little one touched a plant that can cause skin issues or to which they are allergic. Give your little one a bath with warm water and mild soap–baby soap is best even if your child is older because baby soap is developed to be as mild and skin-friendly as possible. If the rash fades, you’ve likely washed off the dander or whatever might have been clinging to the skin (sometimes even tiny fragments of certain plants can cause large reactions especially in the young and the elderly).

What to Watch For

During the first hour or so after noticing the rash, it is important to stay vigilant–especially if the steps we’ve outlined above haven’t worked. Call your doctor and ask if you can give your child some children’s Benadryl or apply some allergy cream and see if that helps. If it doesn’t, keep an eye out for the following symptoms:

Fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. All of these are signs that something bigger than a simple skin irritation is affecting your child. If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms alongside a rash, call your doctor immediately. They’ll likely tell you to head to the ER, but call first.

Spreading. Keep an eye on your tiny human for a few hours. If the rash spreads–especially if it’s spreading quickly–that’s a sign that you’ll want to call your doctor and maybe even head to the ER.

Severity. If the redness is just spots or blotches that don’t appear raised or more pink in color than red, it’s okay to wait the rash out for a few more hours. If, however, the rash is raised, causes skin texture changes or is a violent red (or if the spots/bumps/etc grow in size) call your doctor.

Remember: don’t panic! Patience is key, especially with all of the playing outside we do during the summer. Just because there are spots doesn’t mean that there is something seriously wrong!