Red dots on the neck? Don’t worry: it’s sudamine

They can frighten parents, who immediately think of some exanthematous disease. There is no need to be alarmed, it is a very frequent phenomenon.

Reddened skin, often covered with tiny red dots in relief: it is a very frequent phenomenon that affects the little ones during the hot season, especially if they have very light skin.

The most affected areas are neck, chest, groin and armpits. This rash of the epidermis is called sudamine (or miliaria) and is more common among children from 0 to 3 years.

The pores of the skin in childhood are smaller than those of adults and this causes greater reactions.

Professor Susanna Esposito, director of the High Intensity Pediatrics Unit of the University of Milan Polyclinic, explains: “It is nothing serious, but it is good to keep the child dry and clean to avoid worsening irritation. And it is enough to use mild neutral creams twice a day. The problem is solved in short. It has a positive effect to expose the child to sunlight, the one that can be taken by going for a walk in the gardens during the less hot hours. The newborn is always left more covered than adults, also because his body struggles to regulate the temperature. When the heat arrives, however, this can lead to the stagnation of sweat ».

It is also necessary to reduce the body heat of the child, making sure that it remains in a cool and ventilated environment, even with the moderate use of the air conditioner, at home or in the car.

Refresh the baby with a bath, even several times a day, immersing him in lukewarm water.

If the baby sweats, dab him with a towel and change his diaper more often. Sudamine may cause itching.

It is better to cut his nails often, so as not to further irritate the skin when the child tends to scratch.

A cotton towel will help absorb excess sweat. Dab fresh and water-soaked towels in the areas affected by irritation.

To prevent or limit the onset of sudamine, it is very important that the child wears light clothes that do not prevent perspiration.

Synthetic fabric clothing should be avoided, as it does not let the skin breathe and promotes irritation.

T-shirts and dresses must be made of natural fibers, cotton or linen. Do not leave children for a long time with wet or damp costumes on, they are another possible cause of skin irritations.

The garments must be wide, soft and comfortable, to allow the child to move freely.

For evening outings in summer, the advice is to dress the little ones “onion”: a light and sleeveless cotton bodysuit, a half-sleeved jumpsuit and a sweater, or a long-sleeved t-shirt if it’s cooler. And keep a cover handy for when the air cools.