My 2 year old started with a red area in the corner of his mouth. A couple days later, he had it on both sides. He does not seem to have any other symptoms, except that he is getting over a cold. Any ideas?
Cracking lips/skin sometimes indicates dehydration. Having a cold can be dehydrating. I would use some non-medicated lip balm and up his water intake for a few days. Good luck!
it could just be something as simple as he's sleeping with his mouth open because he's congested from the cold. i have bad allergies and get cracks in the corners of my mouth from my lips drying out over night. i use carmex to keep it my lips moist while they heal, but i'm not sure if that's safe for a 2yr old. i would call his doctor to find out a safe lip balm to try.
Does he lick his lips. This would happen to me when I was younger and with a cold. Keep him hydrated and keep some carmex or othe chopstick around.
Google "hand foot and mouth disease" and see if it looks similar. One of my grandsons had it a few years ago...and it started with the chapped corners of the mouth.
Vitamin B deficency-I got this all the time when I was younger. Try putting a small amount of Neosporin on it and rubbing it in well.
It sounds like cold sores; that's how mine start out.
Sounds like a saliva build up causing it to get raw. I would dry it with a tissue and put a bit of Blistex Medicated on it and ask him not to lick it cuz it's icky. I've always done that with my kids.
K. B
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Dehydration and he porbably also builds up a little spit there when he talks causing the lips to crack there. Keep chapsticks around for her to use throughout the day. We had to do this for my daughter from pretty young because she would always pick her lips. I suggest getting a chapstick that turns up and down not just up. At that age they love turning the stick but then it is ruined if turned too far. We use blistex smooth and shine(greyish silver with purple lettering)opens and closes like a lipstick tube would. It works really well w/o being too thick and goopy, it also is a mild scent and flavor. She hated medicated ones because of the smell and tingling feeling on her lips which burned a little when they were sore.
Vitamin deficiency. I am not sure what type though. C maybe?
Does he wash/wipe his mouth after he eats? Sometimes leaving food residues at the corners of mouth can increase irritation.
It may be a good idea to make sure his mouth is washed well and dried, and then apply something like a chapstick to keep the area moist.
Dehydration. Lots of water in any form you can get him to take it. 1/2 strength gatorade, popsicles, etc will help get him hydrated again. Also, try Burt's Bees lip balms. It helps with my 3 yo.
could be cold sores, or B vitamin deficincy, or just dry lips from having to breathe out of mouth with a cold. Try some moisturizer, whatever is the cause, that will feel good on it
