Syracuse Parent and CNY Family

Dr. Monica Jones is a pediatrician with Syracuse Pediatrics. Reach her at www.syracusepediatrics.com. To send a health-related question to the doctor, write to editor@syracuseparent.net

Many summer rashes do not require treatment
Posted on Mon, June 4th, 2007
Written by: Monica Jones, MD, Pediatrician/Syracuse Pediatrics
email: editor@syracuseparent.net

Along with the sun and fun of summer come the itchy rashes as well. There are a whole slew of things that can cause them and here are just a few of the more common ones and simple things you can do to treat them.
When the warmer weather arrives and it gets hot and humid out, your body’s response is to sweat to keep you cool. When the sweat glands in your skin get blocked, they form small red bumps – usually on the face and arms. This is what most people call heat rash or prickly heat. The best thing to do for this is nothing. Creams and ointments will just plug up the pores even more. Just bathe your child and help keep them cool. This rash usually clears up on its own within a few days.
One way people cool off is to go for a swim. Sometimes after swimming in a pool, lake or ocean a rash can appear. There are several types of rashes that can occur after swimming. One is hot tub folliculitis. Here you see small red bumps around the hair follicles under your child’s swimsuit – usually around the butt or thighs.
Sea bather’s eruption comes after swimming in the ocean. It causes red itchy bumps and is caused by small organisms from the ocean embedding themselves into the clothing and releasing toxins into the skin.
Finally, swimmer’s itch – another set of itchy red bumps with small blisters that appear after swimming in freshwater like lakes. It usually shows up in spots where the skin wasn’t covered by a swimsuit. Washing off after swimming can help reduce the chance of these.
Ok so you’re done going for a swim and now your child is outside playing. Remember to put on sunscreen and then think about using a DEET containing insect repellant. Sometimes though your child is so tasty that the bugs bite anyway. Stings from bees, wasps and hornets are relatively common. While these can be painful, if your child is not allergic to these stings, they are not that serious. Typically you will immediately see a red swollen area that can swell to a 2-3 inch circle over the first day or two. This does not mean you are allergic.
Bee stingers should be removed as soon as possible. Ice cube over the sting can help reduce the pain. If you know your child is allergic to stings, you should talk to your doctor about carrying epi-pens which are preloaded syringes with epinephrine, a life saving drug that can block the deadly reaction.
Regardless of which of these rashes your child is suffering from, the treatment is usually the same. Simple oatmeal baths, over-the-counter antihistamines such as Benadryl and possibly hydrocortisone are enough to settle the itching until they resolve on their own. If the symptoms are not going away within a few days, then of course you should contact your doctor. Enjoy the sunshine!

Dr. Monica Jones is a pediatrician with Syracuse Pediatrics. Reach her at www.syracusepediatrics.com. To send a health-related question to the doctor, write to editor@syracuseparent.net