YOUR BABY'S SKIN RASHES

Many Babies Are Born With Rashes. Your baby may have one, too. Newborns rarely have the beautiful skin that every mother expects. Most babies have some skin problem. There's usually no reason for concern. Most go away on their own, without treatment. Wash your baby gently, and it's likely he will have baby-fine skin very soon. If it continues, you might wish to discuss it with your health care professional.

Why Baby Has Rashes.
A newborn's skin may just be reacting to something in his mother's system or his new home. While most newborns' rashes are not serious, a rash may be a clue that your baby is sick. Some are uncomfortable and painful. A rash may be a sign of a virus. It may indicate a skin infection, or an allergic reaction to something the baby has been fed or touched. Infant Acne Disappears By Itself. A newborn may show skin problems that look like pimples. He may have tiny whiteheads or red blotches across his face like insect bites. Don't squeeze, scrub or apply lotions to the affected skin. Just wash it with water two or three times a day. Your baby's skin will clear up in a few months with no lasting effects. Rashes In Baby's Mouth. Little white bumps on the gum are common in newborns. Some babies may have yellowish white spots on the roof of their mouths. These will soon disappear without treatment. Sometimes a newborn has white patches in his mouth that took like cottage cheese, but don't rub off, like milk does. This could be a fungus called thrush. It hurts, and can keep your baby from eating well. If you see this, call your health care professional.

RECOGNIZING BABY'S BIRTHMARKS
Common marks and treatment. s Birthmarks sometimesfade away. Birthmarks come in different sizes, shapes, colors and textures. Your doctor will want to watch to see how they change. - Strawberry mark (hemangioma, pronounced he-man -je-o-ma). One out of ten babies will have a strawberry hemangioma-a soft, raised, red mark. It should usually be left untreated. It may get bigger for the first several months, but it often completely disappears between ages 5 and 10 years. - Stork bites, or angel kisses. These pinkish patches are often seen at the neck and can appear around the forehead, eyelids, nose and mouth. Nearly all of these fade completely on their own. 9 Portwine stains. These purple or red birthmarks may appear anywhere on the body. Though they sometimes change color slightly, they don't fade.

- Cafj au lait spots. These common, permanent spots range from tan to light brown, and can appear anywhere on the body. - Mongolian spots. These blue to gray spots look like bruises. They appear on the back, buttocks, legs and shoulders of most black, Asian or Indian babies. They are common in Mediterranean babies as well. Most fade in the first year. - Congenital pigmented nevi (moles). Small moles are very common. They vary from light brown to black, and may be hairy.