Why do many toddlers have red rashes on their faces in Ireland?

regi3457

At the park today I couldn't help noticing that nearly half of all kids (ages 1 - 4 mostly) have eczema or red-like rashes on their faces. We are still relatively new in Ireland so this is something very new for us and not something we have seen elsewhere. Can someone please explain why this is so common here? Is it the climate, lack of sunshine? I actually remember on the plane coming over here I saw a kid who had the same thing and even remember asking my wife why Irish kids have this but a lot of the kids at the park today were not even Irish, they were kinda mixed from all over the place. so whatever it is, it is not genetic.

Anybody have an idea?

shesty

The wind.
Haven't you noticed it would go through you?!!I know my own two year old always has very red cheeks after any time outdoors in the cold, specially the cold wind.Their little faces still have fairly sensitive skin and they're out running around in a harsh cold breeze.Going in amd out of centrally heated houses doesn't help either.Obviously there are probably some teething too, but to me, it's that cold wind and the fact that they are running around wrapped up in it.My face looks like that if i go running in winter.

regi3457

shesty wrote: »

The wind.
Haven't you noticed it would go through you?!!I know my own two year old always has very red cheeks after any time outdoors in the cold, specially the cold wind.Their little faces still have fairly sensitive skin and they're out running around in a harsh cold breeze.Going in amd out of centrally heated houses doesn't help either.Obviously there are probably some teething too, but to me, it's that cold wind and the fact that they are running around wrapped up in it.My face looks like that if i go running in winter.

The wind is pretty hectic at times for sure. Can anything be done to prevent it?

bp

There is also an outbreak of slap cheek at the moment which is rampant in crèches so some could have that! Doctor warned me the other week.

It presents as red rashes on the face hence the name

mapaca

regi3457 wrote:

The wind is pretty hectic at times for sure. Can anything be done to prevent it?

Put a bit of Vaseline on the cheeks before going out in the cold, it protects the skin.

January

My daughter gets a red rash around her lips from licking her dry lips from the wind.

farmchoice

perhaps we could lobby the government or at least the relevant department to only build playgrounds in the lee of hills.

Beanybabog

When I read this thread I was thinking I hadn't noticed this, but then only two days ago I brought my baby for two long walks. The weather was nice but she ended up with roaring red cheeks and very dry skin... I used E45 and it has cleared. It must the cold and wind, followed by central heating.

superman28

It is because of the climate but also the skin type of Irish children but I would believe mainly due to Ireland having the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world.

If you google it,, you would see piles of evidence to support this.. like the line below..



Exclusive breastfeeding for at least four months, compared with feeding regular formula made from cow's milk, appears to help protect high-risk children against milk allergy and eczema in the first two years of life.

texas star

My LO is 19 months and breastfeeding still and got the red rash Dr said it's the wind and prescribed a barrier cream for her cheeks when we go outside.I suppose it makes sense there little faces aren't used to been battered by our winds.

tractorporn

crabbypaddy wrote:

Works finr here also in chrome. Link has a dotmailer query on the end so might be triggering adverts filter or something?

superman28 wrote:

It is because of the climate but also the skin type of Irish children but I would believe mainly due to Ireland having the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world.

superman28 wrote:

If you google it,, you would see piles of evidence to support this.. like the line below..

superman28 wrote:

Exclusive breastfeeding for at least four months, compared with feeding regular formula made from cow's milk, appears to help protect high-risk children against milk allergy and eczema in the first two years of life.

Bull crap!!! My son have been exclusively breast fed for the past 6 months and has eczema not just on his face but all down his torso too!

texas star

Agree with tractorporn

Beanybabog

Mine is breastfed too and getting the dry red cheeks, only when we walk. I second the wind. I reckon our skin probably makes a difference, even if only that red cheeks on a very pale white baby would be more noticeable than inflamed cheeks on a dark skinned baby

Beanybabog

tractorporn wrote: »

Bull crap!!! My son have been exclusively breast fed for the past 6 months and has eczema not just on his face but all down his torso too!

Just out of curiosity, was he premature and did he have cradle cap? My sister has very bad eczema (didn't show until teens) and Mam said someone told her premature babies and lots of cradle cap means more likely to get eczema risks? I never heard this so don't know if it's one of those made up theories!

Further to my last post as well, my sis was the only one breastfed for months - Mam quit after a few weeks on the others and my sis is the only one who got eczema so the theory doesn't ring true in my family anyway!

tractorporn

Beanybabog wrote:

Just out of curiosity, was he premature and did he have cradle cap? My sister has very bad eczema (didn't show until teens) and Mam said someone told her premature babies and lots of cradle cap means more likely to get eczema risks? I never heard this so don't know if it's one of those made up theories!

Not not premature the other way he was two weeks late. He did have a bit of cradle cap but nothing serious.

Just to clarify I'm very much for breast feeding I just cringe when I see claims that it prevents everything! Breast fed babies get ailments too.

regi3457

texas star wrote: »

My LO is 19 months and breastfeeding still and got the red rash Dr said it's the wind and prescribed a barrier cream for her cheeks when we go outside.I suppose it makes sense there little faces aren't used to been battered by our winds.

Hey there, has the rash gone away now?

regi3457

tractorporn wrote: »

Bull crap!!! My son have been exclusively breast fed for the past 6 months and has eczema not just on his face but all down his torso too!

I think what the poster meant was that breastfeeding might help. They say that breastfeeding in general helps protect your babies in their first years of life for all types of illness not just eczema. It makes sense since this is what nature designed us to do.

secman

"Slapped face " virus would explain some of it I'm sure. Hadn't heard of it till recently.

shesty

farmchoice wrote: »

perhaps we could lobby the government or at least the relevant department to only build playgrounds in the lee of hills.

Unfortunately the other side of that is that in the winter, the playgrounds will close due to frost.Two of our local playgrounds are actually built like that, just from circumstance i think, and they close quite a bit in the winter due to frost, especially in the mornings.

Barrier cream is really the only solution.To be honest....the fresh air is such a benefit to them, that it far outweighs red cheeks.Lowering the central heating might help too.

farmchoice

shesty wrote: »

Unfortunately the other side of that is that in the winter, the playgrounds will close due to frost.Two of our local playgrounds are actually built like that, just from circumstance i think, and they close quite a bit in the winter due to frost, especially in the mornings.

Barrier cream is really the only solution.To be honest....the fresh air is such a benefit to them, that it far outweighs red cheeks.Lowering the central heating might help too.

i was joking.

texas star

Hi regi3457 yep was gone in a couple days it was Fucidin H cream hope this helps.

fits

Sun is a factor these days now too.

sydthebeat

Hard water is a common factor in my opinion. There's a definite connection with it and skin irritation and dermatitis

Beanybabog

How often do you bath your babies? I was conscious that'd I dry her skin out so I only bath after she poops (breastfed so not that often) or after swimming, so usually twice a week. The rest of the time I just wash her face and under her chin with plain water and wash her hands and bum. One of my friends said the key to a bedtime routine is a bath every night- but that seems like a lot for her skin??

fits

Only once a week here plus as necessary beany. Every night would be way too much. The babies are dying to go to bed by 6:30 here and dad isn't home much before that so squeezing a bath in would be too much.

Beanybabog

fits wrote: »

Only once a week here plus as necessary beany. Every night would be way too much. The babies are dying to go to bed by 6:30 here and dad isn't home much before that so squeezing a bath in would be too much.

Thanks! I was feeling like A bad parent ..... plus I didn't want to admit I just don't have the time either lol. I googled and came across a daily mail article (daily mail..., I know, I know) and the woman only bathed baby every week or two and the comments were horrendous!!

fits

Beanybabog wrote: »

Thanks! I was feeling like A bad parent ..... plus I didn't want to admit I just don't have the time either lol. I googled and came across a daily mail article (daily mail..., I know, I know) and the woman only bathed baby every week or two and the comments were horrendous!!

If ever you feel like a bad parent just look up what twin parents do lol!

Beanybabog

fits wrote: »

If ever you feel like a bad parent just look up what twin parents do lol!

lol you have an excuse!!

73trix

texas star wrote: »

Agree with tractorporn

Also agree here.

shesty

farmchoice wrote: »

i was joking.

I got that.
I was replying anyway :-)

shesty

Beanybabog wrote: »

How often do you bath your babies? I was conscious that'd I dry her skin out so I only bath after she poops (breastfed so not that often) or after swimming, so usually twice a week. The rest of the time I just wash her face and under her chin with plain water and wash her hands and bum. One of my friends said the key to a bedtime routine is a bath every night- but that seems like a lot for her skin??

Sorry Beanybabog, I find this a little funny....just thinking back to this time last year, my second child was just born and breastfed....up to about 20 weeks she pooped anything up to 7/8 times a day!!!!!!
Needless to say mine get baths every night!!To be honest the older one runs herself into a sweat everyday and the younger tends to be covered from head to toe in food by the end of the day to so a quick dip is needed.I don't know if a bath is key tbh,i think whatever routine the child gets used to works just fine.