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Original poster

Spotty baby, 3 wks old - is it just a newborn thing?

16 replies

sushistar · 21/12/2007 23:37

DS1 is 3 weeks on Sunday. He's had a bit of eczema on his torso, arms and legs - GP gave s cream and it's clearing up, although I'm thinking we'll have to apply it all over him every day indefinatly. Now he's got spots - like little whiteheads teenagers get - accross his forhead and around eyes, and a few on cheeks. They're a bit red and sore looking, but he doesn't seem to be in any distress. Going to the GP is a right nightmare because we're going away for xmas so it would be the emergency on call guys, and I always feel like they think I'm overreacting... He's feeding/peeing/pooping/sleeping as usual.
Is this:
a) start of eczema on face?
b) just a newborn skin thing?
c) some horrible dangerous disease?
Don't know what to do!

OP posts:

Twinklemegan · 21/12/2007 23:40

It sounds like a milk rash to me, or something similar. It's caused by all the hormones that are still swimming around in his little body. He is like a mini teenager. It's likely to last for a few weeks and then start to go. My beautiful DS turned into a spotty teenager at a similar sort of age. Don't worry, his skin will soon be baby smooth again.

I'd take him back to the doctor, or see your health visitor, if you think it might be getting infected, but otherwise chill.

Chuffinnora · 21/12/2007 23:44

Can't give you a definitive answer but DD had a face full of whitehead spots at 6 weeks. Health Visitor said it was normal and to leave it alone (some theory about her tiny newborn pores being exposed to the nasty air for the first time causing a reaction But it passed in a week and never reoccurred. She is now 6and has the beautiful skin that all 6 yrs old girls have.

bluedomino · 21/12/2007 23:45

My DD had a spotty rash on torso, Mwives & HV told me it was heat rash. It gradually got worse, as did DD, crying/screaming and constipated. She was diagnosed a allergic to milk & soya at 6 weeks, despite being BFed. Keep an eye on it. Good luck.

LittleSleighBellasRinging · 21/12/2007 23:46

Agree wiht the others, it's probably nothing to worry about, but if you are worried, just mention it to your HV next time you go to the clinic. Be careful with the eczema cream as well, if it's steroid cream (as opposed to that stuff which is like very soft vaseline and I can't remember what it's called), the effects of using it long term are very nasty - use it as sparingly as you can get away with.

Congratulations on your new baby!

NorthernLurkerwithastarontop · 21/12/2007 23:49

B was the spottiest baby I had ever seen - from 3 weeks through to about 6 - perfectly normal though

Congratulations by the way

BingCrosby · 21/12/2007 23:53

DD had this from birth. Was told repeatedly until she was 8 weeks old that they were "milk spots" and it was my hormones affecting her.

Turns out it was eczma. If it is the case - it's no big deal. Just dont use aqueous cream - it has been found to make some eczma worse (although HCPs still recommend it first). Diprobase was good for our Dd, and a thin smear of hydrocortisone cream cleared it up within a week. As long as we keep her skin moisturised she's generally okay.

LittleSleighBellasRinging · 21/12/2007 23:56

Oh acqueous cream that was it. Does it really make eczema worse? I'm not surprised by that tbh, it was never much cop with DS.

Twinklemegan · 21/12/2007 23:57

Aqueous cream was pretty useless for DS's eczema. What worked for us was E45, plus a very low dose steroid cream when it became infected.

LittleSleighBellasRinging · 21/12/2007 23:58

I was always worried about using the steroid cream though, because of the long term effects. Had to every now and then though, otherwise the eczema just became too bad.

BingCrosby · 21/12/2007 23:59

According to one of the GP's i saw once when DD's eczma and asthma escalated. (Which it does, from time to time).

Twinklemegan · 22/12/2007 00:00

We got a very very low dose one -0.25% I think it was, the lowest you can get - and only used it if the eczema became red and inflamed. Otherwise the E45 did very well.

ADDICTEDtosayingHAAAAAAAPYxmas · 22/12/2007 00:54

it's a new born thing.

Original poster

sushistar · 22/12/2007 12:26

Thanks for the responses. It's a LOT worse today - I might take him to the NHS walkin centre, overanxious 1st timer that I am! For his eczema, we're using hydromol which is that soft vaseline stuff you mean LSBella? It works a treat as long as we apply it religiously. The eczema cleared up and I missed a day and the rash came back!
Re his face rash, I think it might be something different, although now it's on his neck too - Could it be baby acne? I've seen that mentioned on a few websites.

OP posts:

LittleSleighBellasRinging · 22/12/2007 19:21

No I think I was talking about acqueous cream which is apparantly now acknowledged to be crap. Hydromol doesn't ring a bell, maybe it's something newish (my youngest is 5). It does sound like it could be baby acne.

needmorecoffee · 22/12/2007 19:32

one of mine had baby acne from about 2 weeks to 6 weeks. Had to put a bag over his head.

Mellieandmin · 22/12/2007 19:36

DD had so many white spots from 3 weeks I felt I had to start conversations with 'its not catching you know;....

She does now have eczema but I am told by 2 years old I should be able to stop the creams. As long as the cream goes on she does not seem to worry about it so no worries from me.

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