Drooling is a common occurrence among babies and toddlers, especially when they are teething. The saliva flows out of the mouth and usually occur among babies and toddlers. Oftentimes, babies and toddlers may drool profusely all throughout the day. As a result, some children end up with drool rash due to the excessive saliva coming from the mouth.
Drool rash is an irritation of the skin characterized by redness, tiny bumps which usually occurs in the face. If saliva coming out of the mouth is in large amounts, the baby can develop drool rash in the neck as well as the chest area. Drooling can be due to the excess production of saliva in the mouth, difficulty in retaining saliva in the mouth and difficulty in swallowing the saliva.
Due to saliva that drools from the mouth, the skin is constantly moist and friction such as rubbing against a pillow and other toys which the baby puts in the mouth can cause irritation of the skin. Drool rash is not a serious problem, but only when the rash gets infected which becomes a condition called impetigo which is caused by staphylococcal bacteria. In such cases, a small yellow crust develops on the rash area and spreads to other areas of the skin. Oftentimes, the lesion can bleed. Remember that impetigo is a contagious condition and can be treated with prescribed antibiotic medications.
Treatment and home remedies of drool rash
Drool rash can be treated at home, unless if the rash developed an infection, the child might have impetigo.
- You have to keep the affected area clean by washing using warm water at least two times every day. After cleansing the area, pat the area dry and avoid rubbing with a cloth since it will cause irritation of the skin. It is recommended to use a soft clean cloth when cleaning the area.
- Apply witch hazel since it helps in relaxing the skin.
- Apply a prescribed hypoallergenic cream or ointment that contains lanolin over the affected skin of the baby. Cover the entire rash with the lotion and avoid getting it into the hands and mouth of the baby. The cream provides a wall or barrier between the skin and the drool.
- Apply aloe vera gel over the affected area since it helps promote healing and protects the rash from getting infected. Apply the gel at night when the baby is sleeping and avoid getting it inside the mouth of the baby.
- Coconut oil is also helpful with baby drool rash since it functions as a lubricant and acts as a barrier or wall between the skin and the drool. Coconut oil possesses antibacterial properties and helps prevents secondary infections from developing.
- Apply lanolin cream on the skin of the baby before sleeping since it helps protect the skin while he/she is sleeping. During the day, place an absorbent bib in order to protect the chest of the baby from the drool and change the bib regularly when it becomes soaked.