What To Do If My Baby Is Scratching Himself?
One of the most common questions in the pediatrician’s office has to do with scratches, especially on the face. Questions like ‘What to do if my baby is scratching himself?’ are done every day. In this article, we’ll show you how you can go about it.
My baby is scratching himself: is this normal?
Don’t worry, this behavior isn’t bad or serious. A baby’s nails – especially a newborn – are very thin and sharp, so it ‘s normal for them to end up scratching their own face while they’re sleeping or when making a move.
If we add to this the fact that the skin of little ones is very sensitive and delicate, it is understandable that this leaves deeper marks than one would expect in a simple ‘accident’.
One of the many concerns of mothers of babies a few weeks old has to do with the sequelae or consequences of such scratches. More precisely, they want to know if the scratches can leave scars.
Although they look big and take time to heal, make sure these marks are superficial and that once they’ve healed, they won’t be visible anymore.
What to do if my baby is scratching himself?
While it’s not a cause for concern or anything like that, you certainly want to keep your baby from scratching his or her face in her sleep. Some parents choose to wear wool or cotton gloves. Another option is to buy clothes that already include an extension on the sleeves.
However, the downside of these alternatives is that they are primarily uncomfortable for the child. Second, they are only for winter. If it’s hot, in addition to bothering the baby, it can cause sweating and even ringworm due to the lack of air circulation on the skin of the hands.
On the other hand, another resource for children under two months of age would be to wrap them in a thin blanket while they sleep, as if they were giving a ‘self-hug’. However, this is also not very comfortable and can even be dangerous for your health.
Think about this: you wouldn’t want to be ‘tied up’ or gloves put on when you really want to move freely. So don’t do the same for your baby, at least at certain times when your hands are vital, for example, while your baby is in contact with your chest while breastfeeding.
There are also mothers who cut their babies’ nails so they don’t scratch themselves. If you do this, it is very important to have the supervision of a specialist – such as a pediatrician, for example. Remember that an incorrect cut can make your nails even sharper and thus cause an infection or even a wound.
In stores, you can find special scissors to cut baby’s nails. They have what is called a blunt tip – no tip – but still require some handling technique to avoid problems. If you don’t have the courage to do this, you can always apply a soft sandpaper over the baby’s nails, thus avoiding the sharp edges, which are responsible for the scratches.
Scratch Injuries: How to Care for Injuries?
First, if your baby scratches often enough, no matter how much you cut or file your nails, you’ll have to wash his hands and face very well with warm water and mild soap – no perfume.
This way, we prevent the cuts from becoming infected due to some microorganism lodged in the nails. In addition, this way we also moisturize the skin so that scratches are not so severe and heal faster.
However, as much as we are careful and protect our children, they can always get hurt and scratched. If, for any reason, the wound becomes infected, we must act as soon as possible. Here are some tips for these cases:
1. Wash with water and mild soap
Newborn babies are very delicate. Any perfume or fragrance is harmful to your health. To wash and disinfect a wound, it is best to always use mild soaps and warm water.
2. Reduce bleeding
Sometimes the scratches are so deep that they cause bleeds. Don’t be nervous or worry. Clean the area and apply gauze to stop the bleeding. Keep in mind that there are some areas of the face that are more prone to bleeding, but that’s not serious anyway.
As long as the pediatrician deems it necessary and if the scratch was ‘considerable’ then you can put on a small dressing. Materials must be hypoallergenic and should not be left on the skin for too many hours. The wound had better ‘breathe’ and heal itself. Finally, it is not necessary to apply any ointment or anything like that.
