5 Month Old Has a Sunburn!

Updated on April 14, 2006
K. asks from Denver, CO
10 answers

I put sunscreen on my 5 month old and he still got a sunburn! He also has a cold and it hurts him for me to wipe his nose.. Any suggestions?

2 moms found this helpful

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S.

answers from Denver on

Onestepahead.com has clothing that is SPF 50. With the right clothing and the sunscreen and keeping the baby in the shade you should be good to go.

Get Puffs plus, use vaseline after every nose wipe. Before you know it, he'll be feeling better. A little tylenol also goes a long way.

Good luck.

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P.M.

answers from Boston on

Yikes, that poor baby!

I guess this serves as a good reminder to the rest of us to re-apply sunscreen often. My son has his daddy's skin and will probably never experience a sunburn. My daughter has been cursed with my skin and I will have to take extra precautions w/ her. I'm sure sunscreen just won't be enough w/ her. Thanks for the reminder. If you haven't found good releif for him yet, use a skin lotion/cream/gel that has aloe. I have found that to be wonderfully soothing for sun burns.

As for the cold, apply vaseline to his nose often (around the nostrils and the area between the lip & nose). This helps protect the area from the constant moisture that can cause chafing. It also provides a bit of a lubricant for those times when you must wipe his nose. I had never heard of this but then tried it the last time I had a cold. It looks a bit goofy, but it works!

Good luck to you & your little man,
P.

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K.H.

answers from Denver on

I think a cool bath not cold, to cool the burn and a like coating of aloe should help the burn. for the nose put a light coating of vaseline every time you clear his nose. They also have lotion or vaseline puffs or kleenex

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J.

answers from Denver on

I am a pediatric nurse practitioner. THe best way to avoid sunburn is to avoid the sun between 10-4pm, dress your child in loose cotton clothing to cover arms, legs, full brim hat and sunglasses to avoid eye and face burns as well. You can apply lanolin around his nose to help sooth and protect the skin. This doesn't burn when applying and will help heal. Hope this helps. J.

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M.

answers from Denver on

Hi K.! I bet you got plenty of responses, but, as a grandmother and wife of a retired doctor, I just have to put in my two cents. As for treatment of your baby, just keep him/her cool. Clothing may hurt his skin until he heals in a couple of days. A very light lotion that you normally use will help to sooth. Babies skin is so sensitive and new. It is recommended that you don't expose babies under 6 months to sun at all. After that keep them out of the sun still - using clothing, hats, canopies, play in the shade. When they start runninig around, if in the sun, apply sunscreen liberally and often and year 'round! Have your child get used to a brimmed hat at soon as you can and have putting on sunscreen a ritual. Stay out of the sun during midday as much as possible. Actually all this applies to you, too. Skin cancer is a very real danger, not a hyped up media fad.
As for your little one;s cold, use some lotion on the tissue and wipe softly. If they are too congested, consider a suction bulb to relieve his drips. Good luck!

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K.C.

answers from Denver on

Hi! You should ask your pediatrician about the sunburn. About the wiping nose issue, when my kids have that problem, I dab a bit of Aquafor or vaseline around the nostrils. That way, when you wipe, it doesn't make the skin raw. I find it also stops the mucus from reacting with the skin and creating that little red rash around the nose. I just keep the nostril area moistened with Aquafor and my kids feel alot better. Good luck!

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C.

answers from Denver on

I don't know what to tell you about the sunburn except that stinks, but I do have some advice about the sore nose. Apply a light coat of vaseline to his nose area a few times a day (without blocking the nasal passage). A hot shower and Vaporizer are also great ways to clear him up.

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L.

answers from Denver on

K.,

A baby's skin is very sensitive and I was told that even with sunscreen you should only take them out for short periods of time until they are a year, as they have higher risk of sunburn. Also, make sure that you keep them in the shade or have a sun hat on them at all times.

With that said, I would recommend using either an aloe vera treatment that is especially for sunburns or you try Aquaphor, as it takes some the burn out. I would also call your pediatrician and see if might be okay to give him a bit of infant ibuprofen or Tylenol to help with the pain.

L.

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R.

answers from Denver on

Noxema, plain old fashioned original Noxema. Apply liberally and as often as possible. The "cooling" agents in Noxema will take away the heat from the skin and reduce the redness.

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M.E.

answers from Denver on

Oh poor thing!!!! I have seen this before and have also endured it. The best thing to do is put aloe vera on the kid. Don't use the stuff in the bottle or anything packages because the ingredients that heal the skin need to be live. If you can, go to a grocery store and buy a little aloe plant. Take a tid bit of one of the leaf's and cut it open. You will not need a whole leaf because a little goes a long way. You can place that piece on his nose or peel the ingredients out and place it on his nose. It will cool his skin as well as heal it. I hope this works for you. Sunburns can be very painfull.

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