4 Simple Tips on How To Prevent Bungang Araw in Children

We mostly associate bungang araw or prickly heat rash with babies, but children can experience them, too, especially during summer. Here are some practical tips to prevent bungang araw.

Why Your Child Is Prone to Prickly Heat Rash

Before we proceed to the prevention of prickly heat, let’s first emphasize that bungang araw commonly happens in kids, especially in the Philippines. It’s generally harmless and often goes away in just a few days.

As a child, you must have dealt with prickly heat yourself, most probably during summer, when school’s out, and you can spend longer periods playing outdoors in the heat of the sun.

The reason why bungang araw commonly breaks out during hot weather is because of excessive sweating.

Sweating too much can block your child’s pores, which are essentially tiny sweat ducts.  When this happens, sweat can be trapped inside, causing itchy red rashes that look like small pimples to appear.

Prickly heat rash usually appears in areas exposed to too much heat, like the neck, shoulders, and chest. It can also appear on body parts that tend to “overheat,” such as the groin and armpits.

How To Prevent Bungang Araw in Children

If your child frequently experiences prickly heat rash, then you already know that the rashes don’t make them sick.

Bungang araw probably won’t stop them from playing outside, but they will surely complain of discomfort and itchiness.

To prevent prickly heat rash from developing, you can practice the following measures.

1. Encourage them to stay indoors

The first tip is to encourage kids to stay indoors, away from the scorching heat of the sun.

It may be a challenge to execute this step during summer vacation when children are eager to play outside, so the best you can do is adjust their time outdoors. For instance, instead of playing in the afternoon, have them play in the morning when it’s not yet too hot. Late in the afternoon is also a good option.

Another way around it is to suggest fun activities indoors. Examples include:

• Board games
• Baking
• Jigsaw puzzle
• Science experiments
• Reading books

Indoors, make sure that the room is well-ventilated. Adjust the fan speed or turn on the air-conditioner.

2. Choose their clothes carefully

When children go outside, we want to protect them from mosquito bites, cuts, and scrapes; that’s why we tend to “overdress” them with long-sleeve shirts. However, overdressing them with thick clothes or those made with fabrics that don’t allow the skin to breathe can also result in over sweating.

For this reason, make sure that your child’s clothes are soft, light, and preferably cotton. Furthermore, avoid tight-fitting clothes since they can irritate the skin.

3. Check their sleeping area

Does your child frequently experience prickly heat rash? If so, check their sleeping area. To prevent bungang araw, it will help if the place where they sleep is well-ventilated; you can turn on the AC or adjust the fan speed to circulate air better.

Additionally, check their mattress and blankets. Some foam retains body heat more than others, which can make them feel uncomfortably warm and sweaty. Also, remove thick blankets, especially when they’re not cold.

4. Inspect their skincare products

And finally, to prevent bungang araw, inspect your child’s skincare products, particularly their moisturizer.

Some oils and thick lotions or creams can clog pores and trap sweat. If you’re not sure about your child’s skincare routine, you can consult a doctor to avoid mistakes in choosing the products.

What To Do If Your Child Has Prickly Heat Rash

Bungang araw is usually not a cause of concern. You can treat it at home by keeping your child cool and avoiding sweating. Learn more about the home remedies for prickly heat rash here.

Learn more about Child Skincare here.