Pictures of Heat Rash in Toddlers

Heat rash is also known as miliaria and prickly heat.  It is common in infants and toddlers, but it can also affect adults, especially during humid and hot weather.  Heat rash develops when your sweat ducts are blocked and the perspiration ends up getting trapped underneath your skin.  Some of the symptoms include superficial blisters or even red lumps that are deep.  Some types of heat rash can feel extremely itchy or give you a prickly feeling.  Usually heat rash will go away on its own, but some forms of heat rash will need medical care.  The best way for you to relieve the symptoms would be by cooling the skin of the toddler or infant in order to prevent the child from sweating.

Normally adults will develop heat rash in their skin folds and wherever the clothing is causing friction to occur.  With infants and toddlers, the rash is usually found on the shoulders, chest, and neck, but it sometimes can even occur in the elbow creases, armpits, and groin.  There are three different forms of heat rash or miliaria, and they are categorized based on where the sweat ducts are blocked.  The symptoms and the signs of each of these will vary. 

Types of Heat Rash

Miliaria Crystallina is the mildest type of heat rash. It affects the sweat ducts in the top layer of the skin.  It looks like tiny superficial blisters and bumps that are clear and will break easily.  The blisters from miliaria crystallina are not painful or itchy.  This form of heat rash will generally clear up on its own, but it can also come back if the humid and hot weather continues.  While it is common with young children, it can also be found in adults.

Miliaria Rubra occurs in the outer layer of skin but deeper.  It is sometimes referred to as prickly heat.  The adults who develop miliara rubra after they have been exposed to the humid and hot weather or if they have been confined to bed rest.  Infants will usually develop this form of heat rash in the first few weeks of their lives.  Some of the symptoms include itchy or prickly feelings in the affected area, red bumps, and little or no sweating in the areas that have been affected. 

Miliaria Profunda is a less common form, and it occurs usually when adults have had repeated trouble with miliaria rubra.  It will affect the dermis, which is a deeper layer of the skin, and it usually appears soon after the exercise or activity that causes one to sweat.  Some of the symptoms will include a lack of perspiration, which can actually lead to the symptoms of heat exhaustion, including nausea, dizziness, and a rapid pulse.  Another symptom includes flesh colored lesions that are firm and look a bit like goose bumps. 

Heat rash will normally heal on its own without needing medical care.  If your child has symptoms that are lasting more than a few days, you should see your doctor.  If the rash appears to be getting worse, or if there are signs of infection, you should also see a doctor.  Here are some of the symptoms that should signify a concern and a trip to the doctor:  fever or chills, swollen lymph noes in the neck, armpit, or groin, pus draining from out of the lesions, and an increase in the redness, swelling, warmth, and pain around the area that has been affected. 

Causes of Heat Rash

Heat rash will develop when your sweat ducts are clogged.  Rather than evaporating, the perspiration will stay under the skin, which causes a rash and inflammation.  Doctors are not completely sure what causes the sweat ducts to become blocked, but there are some factors that seem to be playing a role.  These factors include the following:

• Particular fabrics.  You may develop a heat rash if you wear clothing that does not allow for perspiration to evaporate normally, so children should dress in natural loose fabrics, especially when exercising.

• Overheating.  Overheating will lead to heat rash, so bundling up with too many clothes or blankets in the winter or sleeping under an electric blanket can cause this problem. 
  

• Medications.  Certain prescription medicines have been found to be linked to heat rash, which would include bethanechol, clonidine, isotretinoin, and doxorubicin. 
  

• Using heavy ointments and creams.  These products can block sweat ducts, causing problems.

• Physical activity.  Hard work, intense exercise, or activity that causes excessive perspiration can lead to heat rash.

• Tropical climate.  Weather that is hot and humid can lead to heat rash.

• Immature sweat ducts.  Since a newborn's sweat ducts are not fully developed, they are able to rupture more easily, and lead to perspiration being trapped under the skin.  This often happens in hot weather, but it can happen any time that an infant is dressed too warmly.  Newborns that are in incubators or who have high fevers can also develop blocked sweat ducts. 
  

There are also certain risk factors that put an individual at higher risk of developing heat rash.  Some of those risk factors include living in a tropical environment, being a newborn, and participating in physical activities of an intense nature.  Newborns tend to be the most susceptible to heat rash.  Being in a hot climate is going to cause you to heat up, and being involved in physical activities, especially if you are not wearing clothing that is moisture-wicking, can cause heat rash to occur.

Complications of Heat Rash

Heat rash will normally heal without any problems, but there are complications that can occur on occasion, which would include infections and heat exhaustion.  Sometimes a heat rash will become infected from bacteria, which will lead to itchy and inflamed pustules.  This can happen with children who are in diapers, but it is not the same as diaper rash, which will result from tender skin becoming irritated rather than from blocked pores.  Heat exhaustion can be caused due to the sweat ducts being blocked.  Heat exhaustion can cause dizziness, low blood pressure, headache, nausea, and a fast pulse.  If the heat exhaustion is untreated, it can lead to heatstroke, which is a condition that is life-threatening. 

Treatment of Heat Rash

First of all, to both prevent and treat heat rash, sweating needs to be reduced.  This can be accomplished by being in air conditioned buildings or using fans to circulate the air, wearing clothing that is lightweight and will allow for breathing, and limiting physical activity.  Once the skin is cool, the heat rash will often clear up very rapidly.  In general,  mild heat rash does not need any other treatment.

More severe types of heat rash may need topical therapies in order to relieve any discomfort and prevent more complications from occurring.  The topical treatments may include calamine lotion in order to soothe the itching, topical steroids for serious cases, and anhydrous lanolin, which will assist with preventing duct blockage and keeping new lesions from being formed. 

Prevention of Heat Rash

In hot weather, children should be dressed in loose, lightweight clothing that will wick the moisture from the skin.  As much time as possible should be spent in cool areas if possible, such as in air conditioning or with fans.  When bathing, use cool water and a soap that is nondrying.  Avoid soaps with fragrances or dyes.  Following a bath, let the child's skin air dry instead of toweling off.  Use cool compresses or calamine lotion in order to calm the itchy and irritated skin.  Avoid the use of ointments and creams, which can block the pores more.  Usually if you are able to keep your skin dry and cool, any rash that you get will be able to clear up on its own within about seven to ten days.