Baby Red Cheeks: What to Know

There are various different reasons that your baby’s cheeks are looking especially rosy, but there’s good news: baby red cheeks are easily treatable and usually no cause for concern. Red cheeks can happen on babies of any skin tone, but can be a little harder to detect on darker skin, so it’s important to look for other signs, too.

If your baby has red cheeks or chapped cheeks, here are some of the most likely causes.

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What does red cheeks on a baby mean?

Red cheeks are most commonly associated with a virus called Fifth Disease, or “slapped cheek” syndrome.

Some little ones will start showing other symptoms, too, like a low-grade fever, a runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

They may also get rashes on other parts of their body, especially their chest and neck, but it usually clears up on its own in a few days.

Fifth Disease is a pretty mild illness, especially in babies and children, but if your little peanut is having a particularly hard time, make sure they’re getting plenty of rest and enough fluids.

And if you’re still worried or something still doesn’t feel right, ask a pediatrician – you might be able to give them something for the discomfort they’ll be feeling.

What about baby chapped cheeks? That’s usually a sign that your baby’s been spending a little too much time in the cold air, especially if they’re prone to dry skin or eczema.

Conditions like eczema alone can cause your baby to get blotchy, scaly, or dry skin on occasion, so speak to your doc and take some time to find a treatment that works for them.

In rare instances, red cheeks could be a sign of a skin infection, especially if it’s only one cheek, or if it’s appeared after your baby’s suffered a cut or scratch.

If that’s the case, it might have to be a trip to the doctors. But don’t panic. Infections clear up fast when they’re treated quickly.

Do babies’ cheeks go red when teething?

Yep, your intuition is right, mama. If you think teething might be behind their ultra-pink cheek complexion, that’s more than likely the case.

It’s super common for babies to have a little cheek rash that comes and goes during those difficult teething weeks and months, but it shouldn’t be anything to worry about in the long run.

Teething rashes happen because your baby’s mouth is salivating constantly, causing a lot of drool to dry out on their cheeks.

You can usually tell that teething is the culprit because their red patches are around their mouths (and their chin, neck, and wherever else they’re drooling) and might smell a bit like food or milk.

Perhaps the most obvious signs are all the other pains your baby will be feeling – they’ll likely be more cranky, have more disturbed sleep, and be gnawing at their teething toys.

How can I treat my baby’s red cheeks?

Treatment depends on what's caused your little one to get so rosy-cheeked in the first place, but like many minor ails, it will likely get better with time.

If it’s Fifth Disease, it will clear up on its own, so usually, all you can do is wait it out until your baby is feeling a little brighter.

For skin conditions like eczema, it might be a bit trickier to solve fast.

Try and find out what might be causing any allergy responses, give them regular baths, use moisturizer, and try and keep them cool to help stave off those itchy rashes and dry patches.

As for teething, well, unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about that one.

But trust us, when that adorable toothy smile comes, it’ll make it all worthwhile.

And if you'd rather not leave the house but still want a doctor's opinion on baby's red cheeks, try a virtual pediatrician service, like Blueberry Pediatrics – our Peanut moms love it!