There are many ways your child may suffer discomfort and unless you are well trained or have garnered enough experience you may never know this. Heat rash is one of the common things that cause great discomfort for children. It starts with the sudden development of bright red pimply rash on some parts of the body such as near edges of nappy or underwear, under the arms and on the neck. If you ever observe rashes in any of these places, rather than panic you can be comforted by verifying that it is only rashes. Heat rash or prickly heat as it is sometimes called occurs as red pimply skin eruption is a development you may observe on your child if he overheats under a humid or hot weather.

Heat rashes appear most on certain parts of the body especially in parts that does not receive much exposure to air than it develops in others such as areas of the body where there are folds of skin and areas where clothing fits snugly. Such areas will include the groin, armpits and upper chest. It is possible that heat rashes may appear on the scalp or forehead of your child if he wears hats. If you are wondering about the kind of sensation that comes with heat rashes, it is usually not that of pain but it could be so itchy and intense that the stinging sensation can cause a lot of distress for your child. Also the pimples may become tender to the touch and this may add to the discomfort your child will experience.

It is not uncommon for some parents to get worried when they see heat rashes on their children but this needn’t be the case because it is only a sign that your child is reacting to heat stress. At this stage what should be upper most in your mind are the steps to be taken to let your child cool off before this development changes into a something more serious such as heat stroke or exhaustion.  Children with heat rashes that are left unattended to will soon be unable to control their body temperature as it would become higher than normal and lead to dehydration.

Some of the Causes of Heat Rash
Hot Weather
The ambient temperature has a lot to do with the development of heat rashes. Under a hot and humid temperature, your child’s body would try to compensate for this by sweating to cool down. Sweating for a long time can cause the skin pores to become clogged up and further sweat will be disallowed from coming out again. There would be so much heat generated within the body of the child at this stage because there is no more sweat or immediate cooling system and this will result into the development of rashes. Babies as well as young children are more prone to heat rash as their sweat glands are not yet fully developed.

Clothing Type
The type of clothes your child puts on really matters too. The kind of fabric that the clothing you put on your child will to a large extent determine how comfortable your child will be. If adults do readily complain of heat under certain types of fabrics, you can expect no less feeling from children. Your child could have sweat trapped in his skin with tight or heavy clothing because this will greatly contribute to irritation. Any type of clothing or situation that makes a child sweat heavily is capable of causing heat rash. So even if a child runs around in a hot environment, this can as well cause heat rash.

Ways Heat Rash Could Be Treated
Usually when heat rashes appear on children they are able to clear off in a matter of few days. However there are some things you may do to get your child relieved of the itching and discomfort.

Let Your Child Stay Away From Hot Environment
If your child is quite active which is very good, then make staying a shady or airy room your option. You may however want to encourage some quiet time for him which will help in preventing heavy sweating. You could get yourself equipped with a handheld or mini fan if you would like to go visiting in a hot country or during the summer heat. Stay in a well ventilated and airy room at night during hot season.

Get Your Child Undressed Or Dressed In Cotton
The use of synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon should be discouraged as these can cause the trapping of heat. Clothing made of natural fibers is better and should be encouraged. Loosening his clothing and giving him more nappy-free time is also a good step for treating heat rash as well as preventing it.

Other Steps That May Be Taken
Calamine lotion may be applied in copious amounts on the body but the eyes should be avoided in this case.