New Crawler with Rug Burns

Updated on July 26, 2008
A.F. asks from Scottsburg, IN
30 answers

My 9 month old just started crawling this month. Since it is warm out we have been putting him into shorts. The trouble is his legs are getting rug burn and are really red from his knees to his toes. He sometimes favors one leg because the other hurts. I have been applying Baby Aveeno and Aquaphor. Is there anything else I can do or do we just wait until his legs "toughen" up?

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J.B.

answers from Johnson City on

I have 3 children 5, 3, and 6 months. I used to buy knee guards for crawling babies. They are kind of like knee pads for volleyball, bud for babies. I believe I got them from "one step ahead". I believe they have a web site to. I also put baby gold bond on their knees to help the healing process. I hope it works out for you!!

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K.C.

answers from Charlotte on

Just put long, light-weight pants on him. No need to waste money on "baby legs." Plus, little boys do not look cute in "girly-looking" leg warmer-type things!

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C.U.

answers from Chattanooga on

Try BabyLegs. They are kind of like leg warmers for babies. They are open at the top and bottom and come in TONS of really cute patterns and colors. You can get them online at the BabyLegs site (http://www.babylegs.net/) or online at Target (http://www.target.com/gp/search/601-###-###-####-###-###-.... These will save his little knees and your heart!

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L.L.

answers from Memphis on

I have a 8 month old who is having the same problem with rug burns. I recently found a product called babylegs. They look like leg warmers for babys and they do help protect their little legs when they are on the floor. I found them on ebay but also saw them at target. Hope that helps.

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W.L.

answers from Greensboro on

I just got a new magazine yesterday called One Step Ahead, their web address is onestepahead.com. They have some knee pads for babies in there that look like they would work pretty good, I don't know from experience but it's worth a try. The item number on them is 12826 if you wanna look it up. If you do decide to try them let me know how they work as I remember this happening with my first son and now I am expecting my second in 3 weeks.

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L.P.

answers from Louisville on

Long socks worn as knee pads, or put him in pants. This happened to my daughters too. You can buy knee covers at Babies R Us, too, I think. They're like stretchy soccer wrist guards. Or try some of those. Eventually his knees will toughen up, poor thing. I remember being upset too. With my youngest, we had a couple of pairs of stained pants that we let her wear a lot, she liked to crawl in the grass and that way she was protected and she didn't ruin any of her better clothes.

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N.G.

answers from Fayetteville on

A.,
Did he have this problem before you put him in shorts? How does he do on surfaces other than carpet? It sounds like he just needs some lightweight pants to protect his delicate baby skin. Or, can it be he has an allergy to a cleaner or freshener you use on the carpet? Good luck to you.

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E.H.

answers from Greensboro on

there are these amazing knee guards at Babies R Us; you can also find some on the website OneStepAhead.com. They are relatively inexpensive and work wonders.

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K.M.

answers from Knoxville on

You can put him in the tightfitting pants used for pjs. Not the kind with feet, though because he will need the traction.

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K.W.

answers from Charlotte on

You need to keep him in pants until he starts to walk. The aveno is good for healing it, but if he is constantly crawling then they wont heal. I know its hot out, but you can find light weight pants that are thin enough to keep him cool and protect his little legs at the same time.

If your child is in daycare, your child care provider should have talked this over with you.

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S.B.

answers from Charlotte on

Put him in light pants..something like the pj pants the kids wear these days.Yes its hot out but I bet he would be happier if his legs were covered..
S. B

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T.S.

answers from Lexington on

The knee pads the other mom posted about are definitely at www.onestepahead.com I have seen them there. You could however save the money and buy a few light weight pants and just let him wear them until he is more used to being on his knees. I know it is warmer, so you may just need to put him in a onsie and the pants, but they could really help. That is what I did with my daughter and it really helped.
good luck
T.

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M.T.

answers from Nashville on

Yep just wait it out. I have one like that also. When he has enough he will tell you that he wants you to pick him up and take care of him. I would let him be the judge of how far he wants to go with it hurting. Just rub lotion on at night after his bath. He will get tough or decide to get up and walk faster.

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R.H.

answers from Fayetteville on

Put pants on him. He will not die of heat. I even went out and got extra pairs for my sun when he was crawling. I would have suggested kneepads from babies ‘r’ us, but you said the bottom of his leg gets it not just the knee. I also only let him crawl while we were inside so that he would be cool with the AC. But everyone wears jeans in the summer time and you can reinforce his regular pant knee.

Good luck and God bless,
P.S. I do not think anyone ever toughens up to rug burns.

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P.G.

answers from Raleigh on

I've used something called "baby legs". They look like leg warmers. They are totally cute and have cute colors and patterns to choose from. I think you can get them online and maybe even Babies R Us or other children's clothing stores. They are great because he can still wear shorts. It may be a little warmer but you'll probably have the AC on before he gets too warm. They are 100% cotton and I think maybe even organic. You can even leave them on while you change his diaper. The baby legs are great in the summer and winter and especially when he's outside because they protect his legs from the harmful sun rays. Good luck!

Paula

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A.H.

answers from Greensboro on

It sounds like you're doing all the right things to care for his legs. I was concerned too when my daughter started crawling in the summer time - especially on the concrete around a pool. As I worried over what to do, my daughter started to fix the problem herself by picking up her knees when she crawled (so she crawled around with her butt high in the air on her feet and her hands). She got really fast! So I would just use long pants as long as it's comfortable (or on days when you know he's going to be outside and want to be crawling a lot) and then just trust that they'll stop doing something that hurts them. Now that he's finding that crawling isn't all that fun for his body it might just encourage him into being the earliest walker on the block!

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S.S.

answers from Lexington on

you could just try a pair of tall socks. the socks that are labeled triple cuff, unroll to make a very tall sock. they go almost to my sons knee.

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R.B.

answers from Clarksville on

When my youngest was at that stage my husband actually cut the cuffs off of our older daughter's SOFT toddler socks and put them over the knees......for us it did the job and was a cheap solution!

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V.K.

answers from Nashville on

A.,
This may sound a bit over protective but... I did see this website the other day for knee pads. They are really kinda cute:) I think they were called siliskin and the website is www.silikids.com Good luck - V.

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R.J.

answers from Raleigh on

Go to a sports supply store and buy adult wrist bands (like for tennis). Put those on his knees, and you should be good to go. If that doesn't work, just keep him in pants. I'm sure he'd rather be a little hot than rug burned.

Good luck.

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S.W.

answers from Raleigh on

Babylegs are adorable and totally functional too. Here is a site from which you can order them with free shipping...http://www.mom4life.com/catalog.php?item=174

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R.S.

answers from Charlotte on

Take a pair of adult sized socks, cut of the foot part and put on his legs as protection...if he will not take them off!!

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A.C.

answers from Lexington on

Alana, I have a 8 month old with the same issue. I looked into the knee pads, but most of the reviews I've seen are pretty negative. I think the baby legs are the way to go. I'm going to try a pair because they are supposed to be good for sizes newborn up to 4 years. (I've got a friend who uses hers with her 2yr old during to winter to cover his legs when being carried. You know how pants tend to ride up their little legs?) Any way, just wanted you to know that the babylegs were good for things other than just the crawling.

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C.B.

answers from Louisville on

I put mine in lightweight pants until they could walk. It just broke my heart to see their little legs skinned up just from trying to get around. I bought the knee pads from Babies R Us but never opened them. It was just easier to do the pants thing. I wouldn't do the "toughen up" thing, he's just too little and that baby skin is really fragile. Besides, with pants on, that's one less thing you have to slather in sunscreen!:)

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A.R.

answers from Chattanooga on

Keeping him in pants, as most have said, is what I would suggest as well. I would like to add that my nine month old has just begun crawling as well and when we go outside he can crawl around on the concrete and not scuff up his legs, so I think that maybe your little one is still scooting a bit on all fours, especially by you saying the whole bottoms of his legs. and trying to learn how to crawl. I don't think his legs will ever "toughen up" to rug burn, per say, but I do think he will learn to pick up his knees a little more rather than dragging them. You can encourage him on that as well as by holding his hands and let ting him practice walking. Until then, light pants. I hope this helped some. Good luck!

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T.C.

answers from Charlotte on

Hi A.. I've heard that they make knee pads for new crawlers. Maybe Target or Walmart? If not there then Babies R Us for sure! Good Luck!
T.

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G.S.

answers from Charlotte on

My 6 month old started crawling a couple of weeks ago so we bought the knee pads from babiesrus (in the safety section). They kind of roll up on her legs a little bit, so I have found that an old pair of pants works better. All of her clothes are getting filthy now so I try to put her in only one or two specific outfits when we are at home. Also, I was using vaseline or lotion on her knees and then putting the pads on to help lock in the moisture (Kind of like when you put socks on your feet after you put lotion on to lock in the moisture).

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