Heat Rash (Ghamori) in Children — Causes, Prevention, Home Care and Sunscreen Guide

Dr. Sandip Gupta

With summer here, many children come to the clinic with ghamori (heat rash) and other summer skin problems. This video covers what ghamori is, how to prevent it, home care if it happens, sunscreen guidance, common skin-care mistakes, and five product categories the doctor recommends for summer. What ghamori is: Our skin has sweat glands that continuously produce sweat. If the pore where sweat exits gets blocked, sweat gets trapped inside, causing irritation, itching and pain — this is ghamori. It appears as small bumps that itch, burn and irritate, making children cranky and sometimes reducing their appetite. Why it happens: Rising environmental temperature, high humidity, lack of ventilation, prolonged direct sun exposure, tight clothing, and wrong creams or oils on the skin. Small children get it more because their sweat glands are immature and block more easily. Prevention: Control room temperature. Use a fan, AC or cooler as available; don't run a fan at maximum, start low and go up to speed 3–4. Air from the fan, AC or cooler should not fall directly on the child — a little distance is better. Keep AC temperature at 24–27°C. Ensure ventilation in the room. Clothing: dress children in 100% cotton, which lets air through and keeps them cooler. Avoid very tight clothing — keep it loose, shorts are fine — and avoid synthetic or thick fabric. Avoid the harsh sun. As far as possible keep the child indoors between 10 am and 4 pm. If you must go out, keep the child in shade and apply sunscreen. If going into direct sun, apply a good sunscreen 20–30 minutes before stepping out. Use a sunscreen made for children, SPF 30 or above, and do a patch check the first time to make sure it doesn't cause any problem. Children above 6 months can use sunscreen; for those under 6 months, use a baby cream instead and cover them well so direct sun doesn't fall on them, rather than sunscreen. Keep the child hydrated. Under 6 months, frequent breastfeeding meets the water requirement fully — no separate water needed. Above 6 months, give small amounts of water, coconut water, dal water or rice water. Check urine colour — it should be clear like water; dark yellow urine means the child needs more water and liquid food. Home care if ghamori appears: Apply a good aloe vera based baby lotion after bathing — aloe vera is soothing and reduces the burning, helping the rash settle faster. Bathe more often — a child under 1 year, bathe fully once and sponge the body a second time; an older child can be bathed with water twice. Water should be normal or lightly cool, never very cold. Cool cloth wiping — dip a cloth in lightly cool water and wipe the body to relieve trapped body heat. If there is a lot of itching, irritation or redness, consult your doctor and use a calamine-based moisturising lotion for quick relief. Common mistakes to avoid: Don't apply powder to treat ghamori — despite what advertisements suggest, powder blocks the sweat gland pores further and worsens it. Don't use regular soap — it is often too alkaline and damages children's skin. Use a children's bathing bar with a non-alkaline pH instead (a syndet bar). Don't let the child scratch — soothe irritation by gently stroking with a soft cotton cloth instead; scratching worsens ghamori and can cause infection. Keep the child's nails trimmed so they can't scratch themselves. Five product categories the doctor recommends in his clinic (used in his own practice): Sunscreen — SPF 30 for regular use, SPF 50 if going out in strong sun. Shampoo — used two to three times a week, on alternate days. Diaper rash cream — one containing a good amount of zinc oxide, which helps heal the rash. (A detailed diaper rash video is available separately.) Massage oil — coconut oil, applied before bathing. Face/body cream/lotion for daily skin care. Relevant for: parents whose child gets ghamori or heat rash in summer; parents asking what causes ghamori and how to prevent it; parents asking whether powder helps or worsens heat rash; parents choosing a summer skincare routine and bathing bar; parents asking about the right AC temperature and fan/cooler safety; parents asking when and how to apply sunscreen for babies and at what age it's safe; parents asking how to keep a child hydrated in summer; parents whose child scratches heat rash and risks infection; and parents looking for guidance on massage oil, shampoo and diaper rash cream in summer. Disclaimer: This video is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Product mentions reflect the doctor's own clinical preference and are not endorsements. Every child is different — please consult your pediatrician before using any lotion, cream or sunscreen on your baby, and if the rash is severe, spreading, infected, or does not improve with home care.