I've noticed my wife frequently communicating with her maternity ward peers. One day, she mentioned, with a tone of concern, that half of the babies in their group had developed what's called '태열' in Korean. Although I had heard the term '태열' occasionally, I wasn't sure what it meant and how to address it. So, I decided to do some research.
Heat Rash
From what I found, '태열', often referred to as heat rash, is technically not a medical term. It has casually spread in everyday conversations and is used to describe various skin conditions that appear in newborns. Parents are familiar with the term, so even pediatricians use it. However, in reality, it can relate to several conditions like neonatal acne or miliaria, among others.
Commonly known manifestations of '태열' include miliaria, neonatal acne, seborrheic dermatitis, erythema toxicum, and atopic dermatitis. These conditions are also commonly referred to as '영아습진' or infantile rash.
During diagnosis, it's essential to note that for newborns under 100 days, it's impossible to specify if it's atopic dermatitis. This period marks the time when immune cells are highly active. Therefore, distinguishing between general skin conditions and potential chronic atopic dermatitis becomes challenging. Typically, general dermatitis improves gradually after 100 days and continues to heal up to a year. However, atopic dermatitis tends to worsen over time. So, even if a newborn exhibits signs of infantile rash, it might not necessarily be atopic dermatitis. Proper management according to the symptoms should suffice.
👉 Seborrheic Dermatitis (Part of a paper from the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine)
Clinically, it's challenging to distinguish between atopic and seborrheic dermatitis. Shortly after birth, if an infant displays redness and scaling on the face, it's usually seborrheic dermatitis. While atopic lesions feel rough and dry, seborrheic dermatitis feels oily, especially around the nose, eyebrows, and forehead. Seborrheic dermatitis usually disappears as the baby reaches 5-6 months. If it doesn't, applying a mild steroid once a day is recommended. The debate on whether these are entirely different conditions or variations of the same spectrum continues.
Managing Heat Rash
For typical infantile rashes, ensuring adequate moisturization, controlling humidity, and managing the environment can lead to recovery. To prevent babies from scratching their skin, nails should be trimmed, and mittens can be helpful. Reducing skin irritation is crucial, so dressing the baby in slightly large, soft cotton clothing is recommended. Instead of bathing in the usual 40°C, it's better to use lukewarm water around 25°C, minimizing skin irritation and wrapping up within 10 minutes.
If the rash becomes severe despite these measures, visiting a pediatrician is advised. Depending on the type and condition of the dermatitis, management might require steroids or antihistamine ointments to reduce inflammation.
👉 Antihistamines (Pharmacology Encyclopedia)
Antihistamines suppress the effects of histamine, which is involved in allergic reactions like hives, redness, and itching. Apart from allergic conditions, they also help alleviate symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, insomnia, dizziness, vomiting, and motion sickness. Depending on the drug type, potential side effects can be drowsiness and sedative effects on the central nervous system.
Study Date of April 28, 2023