Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, MD, FAAP

Dear Dr. Gwenn,

My son is 6 weeks old and has rashes on his cheeks and chin. I am wondering if he is allergic to baby powder or what is the cause. I took him to the doctor (he is not a pediatrician) and he prescribed Hydrocortisone med to put on his face. Is this okay?

Signed,
Connie

Dear Connie:

6 week old infants often have a variety of newborn rashes. Some have eczema and others infantile acne. Both of these due respond to topical hydrocortisone and are thought to be hormonally driven. He is too young to consider true allergies but the baby powder would not be the culprit.

Your pediatrician would not have prescribed anything unsafe for your child so go ahead and give the hydrocortisone a try. In the future, if you have questions about a medication's safety, talk to your pediatrician - I'm sure that person wants you to feel comfortable with the advice given and won't know you are nervous if you don't say anything.

Best,
Dr. Gwenn

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About the Author
Pediatrician, Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Gwenn is an experienced columnist, educator, and practicing pediatrician. Dr. Gwenn strives to write as if she were talking to a parent. As a parent herself, she knows how important it is to obtain information but also understand how precious little time parents have to find that information on the internet. Pediatrics Now was developed to fill that gap and provide a bridge between the parenting and pediatrics worlds.

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