Parenting Club

9 - 18 Months: Skin Conditions

You don’t have to take the rough with the smooth! We can help you keep your baby’s skin soft and healthy

Eczema
Nappy rash
Chickenpox
Cradle cap
Further information

Never before will you have felt anything as smooth and soft as the skin of your newborn. If only it could stay that way. The fact is, their delicate little birthday suits have not yet acclimatised to the outside world and have none of the resilience of adult skin. And this sometimes means that velvety soft gives way to red, spotty and rough - sending us parents into a spin. To help you fret less and soothe more, we’ve put together a guide to the most common skin complaints…

Eczema

What is it?

It’s the name for a group of conditions that cause hot, dry, itchy - and, in severe cases, broken, raw and bleeding - skin. Eczema can be hereditary and most often affects skin creases, the hands and the face.

Rates of childhood eczema have risen hugely recently: according to the National Eczema Society, it now affects 20% of UK schoolchildren, compared to just 3% in the 1950s. Thankfully, most children ‘grow out’ of eczema by their teens.

What makes it worse? Everything from diet to dust mites has taken the rap, but Dr Mike Cork, who leads the Biomedical Genetics Dermatology Research team at Sheffield University, is among the first experts to highlight the link between the increase in sales of soap and detergent-based products and rising levels of eczema. ‘The first step towards soothing sensitive skin,’ he says, ‘is to cut right down on soapy detergents and switch instead to moisturising creams.’

What makes it better?

  • Keeping bathwater bubble-free.

  • Moisturising like mad with special emollient creams.

  • Buying cotton clothes and bedding.

  • Keeping your child’s nails short, and putting socks or mitts on his hands at night, so he can’t scratch.

  • Using non-biological washing powder; avoiding fabric conditioner.

  • Seeing your GP - if the eczema is severe. A steroid cream may be needed to stop the itching and give the skin a chance to heal.
Nappy rash

What is it?

It’s a skin irritation on your baby’s bottom and groin, probably caused by a reaction to the chemicals in his wee. Nappy rash can get very severe if the irritated skin then gets infected.

What makes it worse? Some experts blame harsh detergents (in washing powder and baby wipes), or the build-up of soapy deposits. Others put it down to not changing nappies often enough. Whatever the cause, nappy rash is more common during tummy upsets, when your child is teething or if there is a big change in his diet (the introduction of solids, for example).

What makes it better?

  • Letting your baby go nappy-free for an hour or so a couple of times a day, so that air can circulate.

  • Changing his nappies frequently, patting the skin dry very carefully, and putting lots of protective barrier cream around his sore bits.

  • Switching to hypoallergenic baby wipes and, if you use cloth nappies, non-biological washing powder.

  • Seeing your GP - if the rash is very severe or you suspect an infection. You may need a special cream to clear up the infection.
Chickenpox

What is it?

It’s an infectious illness caused by the varicella virus and many children catch it before the age of eight. It usually starts with a slight fever, sometimes with mild flu-like symptoms. Then a red, pimply rash appears, spreading from the head and back to the rest of the body. The pimples then turn to itchy, fluid-filled blisters that form scabs in a day or two. Patches of spots continue to appear for up to six days. Your child will be infectious from two days before the first spot until the day the last spot pops and crusts over. Once your child has had chickenpox, he’s unlikely to get it again. And the younger he is, the less severe it’s likely to be.

What makes it better?

  • Dabbing calamine lotion on the spots (avoid the eye area).

  • Putting bicarbonate of soda or oatmeal in his (lukewarm) bath.

  • Trimming his fingernails to prevent scratching that could lead to permanent scarring.

  • Letting him sleep it off and making sure he has plenty of fluids.

  • Giving infant paracetamol to relieve any fever.

  • Seeing your GP - if he seems very unwell or develops a cough.
Cradle cap

What is it?

It’s officially called infant seborrhoeic dermatitis and it usually starts on your child’s scalp. It doesn’t look nice - thick, scaly, greasy patches - but it’s not sore or itchy and it often clears up on its own. It’s usually thought of as a newborn condition but it’s actually quite common up to the age of one.

What makes it worse? Don’t comb it out vigorously or try to pick it off with your fingernails: you could damage the skin and leave it prone to infection.

What makes it better?

  • Gently massaging a little olive oil into his hair and leaving it overnight. In the morning, put mild shampoo on his (dry) hair and rinse it out.

  • Brushing his hair every day with a very soft-bristled brush.

  • Seeing your GP — if it’s severe or spreads to the face, neck or groin.
Further information
  • Call the National Eczema Society helpline on 0870 241 3604 or visit www.eczema.org

  • Call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

  • Visit the ‘Kids’ Health’ section on the Health Club website.

  • See your GP if you are concerned by any of your child’s symptoms.

By Nicola Davenport