Newborn skin problems
Newborn babies are susceptible to many different
skin problems. These can range from mild, which
require no treatment, to more severe, which will
need medical treatment. The most common skin
problems in newborns are erythema toxicum
neonatorum (toxic erythema of the newborn),
miliaria and ammoniacal dermatitis (nappy rash).
Toxic erythema
Toxic erythema is a common and benign condition
that affects 50% of all newborns (Purvis, 2011). Most
cases of toxic erythema present in the first few days
of life as scattered red marks, often with wheals over
the whole of the body, although in other cases onset
can be as late as 2 weeks of age. These areas are
usually transient and resolve spontaneously.