Red bumps on a baby’s face and legs – what can it be?

This baby gets bumps that turn into sores, and the mom and doctor have different opinions on what the bumps may actually be. We look at a few possibilities to check further.

bumps on baby's face and legsPin

Mom’s Question:

My 11-month-old has red bumps on her face and legs. After a couple of days, they turn into sores. I took her to the doctor, he thinks they’re mosquito bites, but I think different, help?

Renee


Red Bumps On Baby, But Not Mosquito Bites…

Babies can get rashes and red bumps for various reasons; food reactions, viruses, detergents… Is your baby otherwise healthy? No fever? Do the bumps seem to annoy your baby?

Here are some possible reasons to investigate further.

Chickenpox

Funny, when my oldest son was 1.5 years old, he got red bumps, and we went to the doctor – who said it was mosquito bites. We knew it wasn’t!

It turned out to be chickenpox. Chickenpox usually starts around the neck and then spreads toward the feet and hands. Some children even get them in their palms and under their feet. They often itch a lot. The younger the child, the less severe is usually the illness. Some babies only get a few blisters, and that’s it.

Have a look at the picture below. It shows a typical chickenpox blister. It is kind of white in the middle and red around. Then it itches and dries up. Maybe it is not at all relevant for your baby, but your description somewhat matched the symptoms of chickenpox, so I wanted to show you one.

chickenpox blisterPin

Hand, foot, and mouth disease

Hand, foot, and mouth disease usually causes blisters on the hands and feet and ulcers in the mouth, but not blisters in the face. But you could check your baby’s mouth for ulcers. They are often painful, so your baby could also be reluctant to eat.

Hives – an allergic reaction

Hives will give raised, itchy spots. The hives rash can be an allergic reaction to something your baby is eating or some detergent. Have you started to introduce some new foods?

Such spots shouldn’t turn into sores unless your baby is scratching them.

Impetigo

Another possibility is impetigo. In this case, the sores get bigger, so your baby’s doctor would most likely not have suggested mosquito bites. The sores/blisters tend to burst and leave crusty, golden-brown patches in this case, which can be itchy or painful.

Scabies

Scabies is also very itchy. They show up as raised spots caused by tiny mites burrowing into the skin. However, the fact that your baby has bumps on the face and legs speaks against scabies.

Other Reasons, Such As Eczema, Prickly heat Or Baby Acne

Eczema, prickly heat, or baby acne could be possibilities too, but prickly heat should only appear in a hot climate, and baby acne appears in younger babies.

Unless the bumps disappear, never to come back, I think you should take your daughter to another pediatrician for a second opinion. The rash could be a dry rash, allergy, eczema, food intolerance, or something else. Someone has to see it and listen to you. If you know, the bumps are not mosquito bites; they’re not!

Sorry for not being able to be more specific, but it isn’t possible to know what these bumps might be without seeing them.

I hope this helps,

Paula

More On Baby Rashes

Find comments below.

Comments for “Red Bumps On Baby’s Face And Legs”

Aug 07, 2021 little red bumps on toddler

by: summer


My 2year old has little red bumps on her arms and legs too. This has been going on for at least 2 months. I’ve tried everything like Benadryl and Neosporin, but nothing seems to work; it’s getting worse; please HELP MY BABY!


Aug 23, 2021 Tiny bumps on 6 months old baby’s face and both thighs

by: Maddy


Hi

It’s been 3 days, and my baby has so many tiny bumps on his face; some of them have gone a little bigger and pink. He has also developed the same on both thighs without fever, itchiness, or pain. He otherwise seems ok. Any help


Aug 23, 2021 Rashes of many kinds…
by: Paula (Baby Help Line)
Hi,
I totally understand your frustration, but diagnosing rashes online without even a picture isn’t possible. During the hot season and especially during frequent pool baths, dry rashes are common and can be hard to eliminate without cortisone cream. But that should not be used without showing the rashes to a health nurse or doctor. Other options are some allergic reactions to detergents or newly introduced foods. Prickly heat is also possible.For newborn babies, baby acne is common.

I am really sorry for not being able to help you more, but this is one thing that can’t be solved online.

Warm wishes,

Paula


Nov 15, 2021 8-month-old with the same rash as Renee’s baby
by: Rebekah
The description of Renee’s baby is similar to mine. I have an 8-month-old girl. She was warm to the touch on Monday night (I didn’t take her temp since she wasn’t overly warm). Tuesday, she woke up with bumps on her cheeks, then over the next 3 days, she had little bumps over her legs and arms and less on her upper back and chest. There were about 5-8 bigger bumps with white-ish heads on them. Now, a week later, the smaller rash bumps are almost gone, and the bigger bumps have decreased and scabbed a little.
She seemed irritable these days but has no more fever. I thought it might have been a food sensitivity to the new foods: apricots and oatmeal with cinnamon. Any thoughts?

Dec 08, 2021 Chicken Pox?
by: Paula (Easy Baby Life)
Hi Rebekah,
Apricots, oatmeal, and cinnamon are not typical foods that generate skin reactions. Since your baby was warm, I would rather bet on some kind of virus or chickenpox. A reaction to a new detergent or soap would also be possible (but in that case, her temperature is unrelated).Best, Paula

Jul 19, 2022 bumps
by: baby mama
My 8-month-old had little red spots on his leg. He was around a young boy yesterday who I kept telling him not to touch the baby. I’m scared

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