My 3 month old son is red (more like dark pink) in the creases of his neck. It's also wet looking, which I thought was sweat, but when I was nursing him I took a better look and it appears that it's not sweat, but a little weepy. It will get a little crusty or gooey in the creases too... just a little.I've been making sure to keep his neck clean and dry it good and while I nurse him I'll dry or clean it. Also behind his ear gets the same way too, except it's drier looking than his neck. There is no rash accompanied with this. Have any of you moms seen this before? I noticed it, maybe 2 weeks ago, but I'm not sure. Only today I really noticed that it wasn't sweat on his neck.
I ended up taking my son to the Dr. when not only his neck, but other areas became red... turns out to be eczema. I've been using hydrocortizone cream on it, along with Aquaphore and cornstarch. He's looking much better now... and as greasy as the Aquaphore is, his skin is baby soft.
I get dry patches behind my ears and sometimes where my forehead meets my hairline. I have sebborheic dermatitis so maybe that's what he has. I would take him to the pediatrician and have it looked at.
T.,
yes, my son is 4 months old and he has the same thing. that's exactly what it is... it's from nursing / drooling, sweat, etc. my doctor said to just keep it clean and dry. i also put lotion on it so it doesn't stay "dry and crust". i used a baby lotion behind his ears (or an aveeno lotion).
according to my doctor, as my (your) baby gets bigger and has more control of his head and neck muscles, that redness will go away.
nikki
My youngest is 11 months old and had the same thing. My older two kids had it too. Most likely it is just irritation from the folds of his neck rubbing together. It really helped all three of my kids if I put corn starch on it, depending on where you stand on the baby powder issue. I asked thpediatrician about it several times and he told me that it is very common. It is just a build up of your baby's oils. there is really no way to cure it. One thing that the doctor told me to do and it helped was to wash their neck with a warm soapy cloth several times a day. I did it with every diaper change and it went away.
Just be sure to keep your eye on it. I run a daycare out of my home and one of the little ones that I take care of had the same thing, but her parents refused too try the powder and only wiped her neck with a wipe a few times a day. After several weeks of the redness it got worse to the point that it actually had a slight odor. they took her to the doctor and she actually had a yeast infection on her neck.
The best thing you can do for your baby is keep his neck as dry and clean as you can especially in the heat. If you are nervous about using powder at night, try just using it during the day, especially if you are spending time outside or in the heat. Good Luck
I saw the same thing in my baby when she was about your son's age. After you clean and dry his neck thoroughly, put on some Aquaphor in the creases with a Q-tip. Make sure to keep it really clean so it doesn't get worse. As for the ear, I do remember some dryness behind the ears but didn't do anything about it. I wouldn't worry about the ears.
try corn starch. I helps keep these areas dry. If it seems
worse please let your Doctor take a look at it.
My daughter had this....she is much older now, but I remember her going through it. Our doctor said it was "yeast" a fungal infection that can grow in a dark moist place. Our daughter used to drool and sweat alot and because she was a chunky baby the drool and sweat would settle in the creases of the neck. We were instructed to keep it as clean and dry as possible, but we did end up needing an anti fungal cream to rid of it. www.livegreeneasy.com
I guess it has a funny odor also. When babies eat they drip. Make sure to wipe under his neck creases and behind his ears with a wipe after eating and everytime you change him. Use diaper cream to sooth it now if it is irritated.
E.
