When to see your doctor about your baby’s rash

Hi, I’m Dr. Natalya Fox, a dermatology doctor here to give you top tips on common skin conditions for you and your children.

It can be really worrying when your little one is unwell and particularly children and babies are really susceptible to getting rashes when they’re unwell with anything.

Whether it’s too thick, a cough, a viral illness, babies, and children tend to get a rash. The key thing is trying to work out when to worry and when to be reassured.

So it’s normal for young children to get a viral related rash, which is usually transient and only lasts for around one to two days.

The key thing is always try to think is my baby behaving normally, like eating, drinking, playing. That’s usually very reassuring.

A few tips of when to worry and when to see your doctor are first of all, if the rash is persisting for more than around two days or getting worse. Secondly, if the rash is painful. Thirdly, if the rash is leaving bruise like marks on the skin.

And finally, if your child is limp, not behaving  normally, not eating and drinking and not responding to you normally. That would be also a case of when to seek urgent medical review.

In general, the most important thing is to follow your gut instinct as a parent. And if you feel worried in any way or uncertain about why your baby might have a rash, definitely seek your GP or out of hours urgent medical care.