Parents, are you bothered by the rash you see on your baby’s neck? Don’t panic, as it might just be a case of baby drool rash. Learn why it happens here.
What can you read in this article?
- What is baby drool rash?
- Baby drool rash or eczema?
- Causes of baby drool rash
- Home remedies and prevention for baby drool rash
- When to visit a paediatrician for baby saliva rash?
Babies usually explore, and often it involves their mouths which might result in a lot of drool. And baby drool rash is common where there is saliva or drool.
Drooling is normal in young toddlers, particularly as their teeth emerge. Usually, there is nothing to be concerned about. Excessive saliva, on the other hand, might irritate a baby’s skin and produce baby drool rash.
Table of Contents
What is baby drool rash?
According to the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, the salivary glands of an infant start working between the ages of 2 and 3 months. Even if your kid isn’t teething, this can cause drooling.
Drooling, or sialorrhea, is usual in healthy infants, but excessive saliva contact irritates the skin and creates drool rash. Drool rashes usually appear as flat or slightly elevated skin patches. The skin may appear cracked or have little red pimples on it.
Baby drool rash or eczema?
Some parents get confused about whether the rashes they are seeing on their baby’s neck are baby drool rash or eczema. But they don’t realise that drool rash is actually a type of eczema, in the form of contact dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis flares up and causes a rash when the skin comes in direct contact with an irritant. In this case, your baby’s own saliva is the one irritating the skin, causing the rashes.
Causes of baby drool rash
As a result of the skin being constantly wet with drool, a saliva rash can occur around the mouth and on the cheeks, in the folds of skin on your baby’s neck, and on your baby’s chest.
Drooling begins at 3 to 6 months of age, when babies become “oral-centric,” according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Drooling serves a variety of tasks including:
- Keeping solid food moist in the mouth
- Breaking down carbohydrates is the first stage of digestion.
- Assisting the baby in swallowing
- Assists digestion
- Getting rid of food stains
- Preventing cavities in the baby’s teeth
When baby drool rash is present, you may observe red, irritated skin or little red pimples. This can occur for a variety of causes, including:
1. Teething
Teething can create a drool rash in some cases. Although babies drool long before their teeth appear, we cannot deny that saliva production increases during the teething process.
When your baby’s teeth begin to break through the gums, he or she may put his or her fingers or fist in their mouth and suck on toys, smearing drool all over their face, neck, and chest.
Swollen gums and fussiness are some indicators of teething if you’re not sure if your infant is set to obtain their first tooth or not. Increased saliva during teething may help protect and comfort a baby’s delicate gums, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
2. Pacifiers
Pacifiers are a good and effective technique to soothe your child. However, because the skin around the pacifier is always wet, babies who use a pacifier may develop a saliva rash. Long lengths of time with residual breast milk or formula around a baby’s mouth might irritate the skin and cause a rash.
3. Food
Babies have a tendency to eat in a sloppy manner. They frequently end up with food all over their faces. Drool rash can occur when food dries and remains on the skin for an extended period of time.
How to prevent baby drool rash
While drool rash is not communicable, your infant will be bothered by the red, itchy, bumpy spots on their skin. Because babies seem to be capable of creating an unlimited amount of drool, dealing with drool rash can be tough for parents and caregivers. However, there are several things you can do to avoid this from happening.
To avoid developing a baby saliva rash:
- After feedings and naps, gently blot your baby’s face and neck to remove drool.
- Dress your baby in breathable clothing.
- After meals, don’t allow food to sit on their faces.
- After feeding, gently dab your baby’s face with tepid water.
- For your baby’s clothes, use gentle, fragrance-free detergents.
- If your baby is teething, give them a cool teething ring or a cloth from the refrigerator. This will soothe the gums and prevent excessive drooling.
- Keep your baby’s skin clean and as dry as you can.
- Change your baby into clean, dry clothes whenever their clothing becomes wet from saliva.
Home remedies for baby drool rash
For baby drool rash treatment, the goal is to support the skin’s healing process while avoiding drool from creating further irritation. Follow these strategies for speedier healing in addition to the preventive measures listed above:
1. Wash your baby’s skin daily.
After feedings and naps, gently wash your baby’s mouth and neck with warm water. Use a clean cloth and look for any saliva that has dripped from your baby’s mouth in the folds of his or her neck.
2. Prevent the area from getting damp for a long time by putting a barrier on your baby’s skin.
Using a delicate blotting motion, pat the skin dry.
3. Petroleum Jelly should be used.
First, apply petroleum jelly to your baby’s rash after their skin has dried. Secondly, you can apply an emollient such as this to the inflamed regions with your doctor’s advice and if the baby has no skin sensitivities.
Lastly, petroleum jelly, which is made up of a mix of mineral oils and waxes, can soothe mild skin irritations while also hydrating the skin. This will help protect the skin from further irritation.
4. Check that your baby’s pacifiers and bottles aren’t irritating him.
Pacifiers should be cleaned regularly, and bottles should be cleaned after each feeding to prevent bacterial growth.
5. Rethink the pacifier.
Stop using the pacifier f you notice that it makes your baby’s rash worse by keeping the area around his mouth damp. In some instances, however, the pacifier may assist in limiting the amount of drool that really comes out of your baby’s mouth, so experiment to see what works best for your child.
6. Consider irritants in the surroundings.
Could the rash be triggered by your baby’s blankets, bedding, or surroundings? When your baby’s skin is already irritated, his or her sensitivity to scents and other harsh skincare products is intensified.
Make sure the laundry detergents you’re using on your baby’s clothes and bedding are gentle and won’t irritate his or her skin. It is always a good idea to use gentle, fragrance-free products on your kid. Babies’ skin is extremely sensitive and absorbent, and harsh chemicals can quickly irritate it.
Baby drool rash usually goes away on its own within a week of the first showing, without the need for medical intervention. However, it’s critical to maintain proper hygiene and select the best skin care products for your kid to aid in the healing process.
The rash is not contagious and can be readily treated at home with proper care. However, you should see your child’s paediatrician to rule out any underlying health issues. Whether it’s a baby drool rash or an infection, the paediatrician can assist you to confirm the diagnosis.
When to consult the doctor for baby drool rash?
Baby saliva rash usually clears up in five to six days after using the following home cures. Drooling is natural, but if the baby exhibits any other symptoms of illness in addition to excessive drooling, don’t hesitate to consult your baby’s paediatrician.
Consult your child’s doctor if:
- the rash starts cracking or weeps.
- the rash does not get better even after a week of home management.
- your baby gets increasingly uncomfortable and itchy.
- your baby looks lethargic.
- your baby refuses to feed.
- baby has a fever along with the rashes
- your baby seems to hold his head in a strange position
- baby has difficulty breathing or swallowing.
- your baby is experiencing anything else causing him a lot of pain.
Baby drool rash can be unpleasant and uncomfortable for babies, but it is usually harmless. Simple home remedies, such as wiping up saliva on a regular basis and keeping the baby’s skin dry, can help treat and prevent drool rash.
And, if the rash appears to be severe or occurs in connection with other symptoms, it is recommended to see a doctor.
Written by Matt Doctor and republished with permission from theAsianparent Philippines.
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