My 6yr old has a rash on the back of both of his hands. I believe that it is caused by him wiping his nose while he is playing outside when it is cold. I am having him wash his hands often and am trying to get him to take tissues outside. Does anyone have any ideas or experience with this?
And please, no perverse answers, please remember this is my little 6yr old boy we are talking about. - Thanks
2007-02-08 12:39:49 · 6 answers · asked by The cat did it. 6 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ First Aid
Actually, having his wash his hands often is not helping the rash/dryness at all. I'm a germ-freak and believe in probably more-than-average number of washing your hands per day but especially in cold, dry weather, try not to overdo it.
Apply a healing and moisture sealing ointment (such as a triple antiobiotic ointment - you can get name brand or generic, they work equally as well, in the bandaid isle) on the backs of his hands before he goes to sleep at night. If he fights this, wait until he has fallen asleep and then apply the ointment. Regardless of whether he is awake or asleep, if you can put a pair of socks over his hands (or very soft, woven cotton gloves) once you have applied the ointment, it will help aid in the healing process and retain much more moisture. After a night or two, you should notice a huge improvement.
There is also a great ointment out called "Aquaphor", it is an over-the-counter medication but tends to be considerably more expensive than a triple antiobiotic ointment. A lot of dermatologists recommend this ointment but it is incredibly thick so use it sparingly.
I also got each of my little ones their own little bottle of moisture-rich lotions (unscented are the best for sensitive skin as it sounds like your sons skin may be). They like the idea of having their own and are much more apt to use it. You can get great, perfect-for-kids-sized bottles in the travel section at any large discount store (walmart, target, etc . . . ) and even a lot of grocery stores will have an isle with travel-sized toiletries. Best of all, most of the bottles that size are $1.00 or less!
Finally, if your home has a built-in humidifier that will help all around (they are relatively inexpensive and easily installed to pre-existing a/c, furnace systems. If you don't have a built-in humidifier, even a room humidifier (same as you would use when a younger child/baby has a cold, upper respiratory infection) will help.
Best of luck to both of you, I can totally relate!
2007-02-08 12:59:52 · answer #1 · answered by Baby xinh 9x 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Are you positive that this is where the rash is coming from?
A couple of alternates would be possibly chapped skin from the cold and in climate weather this time of year. If this is the case, try some medicated moisturizer lotion. Apply these too his hands at least 4 times daily (especially right when he gets back in from playing outside). Making him wash his hands TOO much may be causing some irritation as well. Try having him wash his hands, and then apply the lotion.
Seeing that the rash is on his hands, that is most likely what it was caused from. If it spreads to his skin (arm, leg, stomach, etc.) this could most likely be a Generalized rash which is caused by viruses from another child that has a cough, or cold that he has contact with. Most rashes caused by viruses are not serious and usually disappear over a few days to a week. Home treatment is often all that is needed to treat these rashes. Once a child has had a rash caused by a virus, his or her body usually builds an immunity to that particular virus. This immunity protects the child from getting that specific viral illness and rash again.
2007-02-09 14:11:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes cold makes the back of my hands turn red too.
Make sure he puts on lotion when he washes his hands: Another potential cause of the red skin is that the soap is drying his hands out.
2007-02-08 20:54:52 · answer #3 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you think it's from wiping his nose, you need to be putting lotion on his hands as it sounds to me like they are getting chapped. Make sure you have him put on lotion every time he washes his hands too. One thing my mom did when our hands would get really dry. Was to coat our hands in vaseline and have us sleep with socks over our hands. It worked really well. Hope that helps.
2007-02-08 20:46:42 · answer #4 · answered by dakirk123 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Aquaphor may be a good solution. I like it better than vaseline and may also serve as a preventative from him rubbing his nose as it is kind of nasty to a child.
2007-02-08 22:01:50 · answer #5 · answered by Ron I 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
your saying its not a rash, but frost bite? then treat it as frost bite.
2007-02-08 20:47:42 · answer #6 · answered by graphix 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋