Physiological erythema: the causes of reddening of the baby's skin after birth do not require any therapeutic measures. This is an absolutely natural phenomenon, taking place on the second or third day of the baby's life. Physiological erythema is a kind of reaction of the skin of a newborn to completely new environmental factors for him. The intrauterine habitat is very different from the external one, so redness is a kind of adaptive moment, accompanied by blood rushes to the baby's skin. The capillaries expand, which is characterized by reddening of the body. Erythema is a manifestation of the body's reaction to an environment that is unusual for a baby.
Toxic type of erythema
This type of reaction sometimes follows the physiological as its consequence. The main reason for its occurrence is considered to be the occurrence of an allergic reaction to mother's milk. The cause of the appearance may be hypothermia of the skin of the child. Toxic erythema is a rash on the baby's skin in the form of red or grayish spots. Usually they are noticed on the arms, legs, head of the child. In the center of these spots, small bubbles with liquid transparent contents are often observed. To avoid getting hitmicroorganisms, these rashes should be carefully blotted, leaving no mechanical damage, scratches. Infection can lead to the spread of ulcers throughout the body.
Infectious look
Erythema infectiosum is a human disease caused by parvovirus type B19. This disease is very rare, and is not yet fully understood by scientists. The chance of infection in infants is almost zero. Symptoms are similar to those of acute respiratory diseases: fever, nasal congestion, cough, runny nose, sore throat. A few days later, rashes on the face are noticed, accompanied by pain in the muscles, joints and in the abdomen. The general condition worsens, weakness appears. In the second stage of the disease, an itchy rash spreads to other parts of the body. Treatment of this type of erythema is similar to antiviral therapy - bed rest, drinking plenty of water, taking drugs that destroy viral infections. But remember that erythema infectiosum is extremely rare.
Child care during an erythematous reaction
Postpartum redness on the baby's body disappears within a week. But you can alleviate this condition by doing the following:
- Let your baby's skin breathe, take off his clothes more often. Taking air baths accelerates the disappearance of the phenomenon of erythema in children.
- If you notice peeling on the skin, you can use baby cream, smearing the reddenedplaces.
- Prevent dehydration of the newborn, drink purified water more often.
- After bathing, gently and slowly pat your baby's body dry with a soft towel.
And there is no need for parents to worry about this - in a maximum of two weeks you will forget about such an unpleasant episode and will enjoy life with your baby.
