Sunburn in a 2-month-old baby

Sunburn is an inflammatory injury caused by ultraviolet exposure. It can present with warm, tender skin and redness that may be less obvious on brown or black skin. Blistering or later peeling suggests a more substantial skin injury.

Young infants regulate temperature and fluids less effectively than older children. Heat exposure can therefore occur alongside the burn, so feeding, alertness, wet nappies and breathing matter as much as the skin's appearance.

Take the baby indoors or into deep shade, remove excess layers and cool the affected skin gently with a cool damp cloth. Do not use ice, very cold water, butter, oils or fragranced products. Leave blisters intact and offer the baby's usual breast or formula feeds.

Contact a healthcare professional promptly for individual advice because the baby is only 2 months old. Do not give pain medicine or apply a corticosteroid, numbing gel or other medicated cream unless a clinician confirms that it is appropriate for this baby.

Seek urgent care for blistering, extensive swelling, a fever, vomiting, poor feeding, fewer wet nappies, unusual sleepiness, marked irritability, rapid breathing, cool or mottled skin, or any concern that the baby is becoming less responsive. Call emergency services for difficulty breathing, collapse, a seizure or inability to wake the baby normally.

Describe when the exposure happened, how long the baby was outdoors, which areas were uncovered, feeding since then and the latest wet nappy. Ask how to cool and moisturise the skin safely, whether an examination is needed, and which future sun barriers suit a baby this young.