In infants, the secretion of sweat is more limited as immature. These glands depend on the nervous system. Until it has acquired full maturity, the eccrine glands function improperly. Less lubricated, the skin becomes dry, cracked more easily.
Baby Care must be different than those for adults. The report skin surface to weight ratio is three times higher in infants. The pH of a newborn baby to term and until two, week is almost neutral, whereas that of an adult is between 4.2 and 5.6 on or resistance to infections in infants less.
Melanin production (hormone sun protection) is slowed, so the children under one year have clear skin. They have no protection against the sun.
Exposure to the sun is strongly recommended before 6 months
Adult skin and baby | ||
|---|---|---|
Adult | Newborn | |
Body surface | 17000 cm ² | 2200 cm ² |
Weight | 70 kg | 3.4kg |
Report skin surface weight | 243 | 647 |
Hydrolipidic protective film | Yes | No |
Epidermis | Dense | Thin |
Dermis | Rich in elastic fibers | Poor in elastic fibers |
Sebaceous glands | Depending | At rest |
Sweat gland | Depending | Immature |
Beware of the Sun
- Before 1 year, avoid direct exposure to sunlight and sun during peak hours (between 12 and 16 hours)
- Use special baby products and high index from mineral sunscreen
- Beware of dehydration drink the baby regularly and spray with thermal water on his face.
- Adopt the reflex T-shirt and hat
- Repeat applications every 2 hours.
Some tips:
- Avoid alcoholic lotions
- Limit the application of skin care products to small areas
- Monitor the expiration date and the smell of baby care products
- Consider the weight / skin surface in the baby. For a given application area, the product concentration in the body is much greater than that of an adult.
- Attention to the abrasive effect of plasters! Prefer microporous
- Avoid products and increase unnecessary applications
- Tightly recap the bottle to minimize any microbial growth
The newborn does every day between 1 and three stool and urine over 20 times. To avoid the occurrence of infection and skin irritation, change the baby 6-8 times a day.
Bath
Keep the baby with one hand sour wedge his head and neck on the forearm, slowly immerse in the bath wash with your other hand.
The water is 37 ° C and room temperature at 20-22 ° C.
Bathe in the morning or the evening before bedtime when the child is hungry or sleepy. It limited to two or three minutes for newborns to prevent any risk of skin dryness.
If dry skin, pediatricians recommend giving a bath every other day.
Moisturize the face and body after bathing.
Hair
A daily shampoo leaves a clean scalp and reduces the appearance of cradle cap.
Apply shampoo, lather and rinse with a washcloth or sponge in proceeding from the forehead to the top of the skull.
There are special shampoo infants that do not leak and do not sting the eyes.
Eyes
Moisten each eye with a sterile saline. Clean the outer corner of the eye towards the nose, finishing with the tear duct.
The care of the umbilical cord
Her healing is done only 12 or 15 days. Until then, at each exchange, you should clean the area with sterile gauze soaked with alcohol at 60 ° C. Dry, subsequently apply the 2% aqueous eosin. Then protect with gauze held by a net cord or tape. The cord drying out and falling leaves a small wound that may ooze a few days. This slight discharge does not prevent the bath. If it persists regardless of a consultation is needed to eliminate any risk of infection.
- Never leave your child alone
- Until the child is very small, do not let go
- Place a rubber mat at the bottom of the tub
- Check the water temperature
- Close the valve fully: even a drop of hot water can burn the baby
- Do not bathe your child in a cold room
Diaper rash
Red patches more or less humid, often associated with painful local irritation clean and thoroughly dry the buttocks and the folds of the baby. Use cotton diapers. Allow the baby to the air as often as possible. Apply a barrier cream (no talc). See if the redness persists.
Heat rash
These are excess sweating. Bathe the baby more often absorb excess sweat with talcum powder.
White dots on the nose
These sebaceous glands temporarily dilated. Do not pierce them as it may cause scarring or infections.
Cradle cap
This is squama fat of the scalp. Simply massage the scalp with petroleum jelly or sweet almond oil and make the evening a mild shampoo in the morning to make them disappear.
Acne of newborn
From maternal hormonal secretions, these lesions heal spontaneously after the 4th month. Avoid applying cream.