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.
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.
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
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Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing is based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians that you find here. They write or review all health-related articles.
