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Children's Health Newborns and Toddlers

Dealing With Diaper Rash

With proper care, many diaper rashes can be prevented. Here are some ways to help reduce the risk of diaper rashes:

• Change your baby's diaper frequently.
• Use plain water with a soft cloth to gently clean your baby's bottom.
• Avoid wipes with chemicals, perfumes or alcohol.
• Apply petroleum jelly or a barrier ointment containing zinc oxide, such as Desitin or A & D, on freshly cleaned skin.
• Do not use talc powder. If your baby breathes it in, it can irritate the lungs and may cause pneumonia.
• Do not use cornstarch, because it may increase the growth of yeast.
• Expose your baby's bottom to air whenever possible.

Avoid tight-fitting disposable diapers or plastic pants over cloth diapers. Avoid unnecessary antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics may lead not only to more diaper rashes, but to other complications, such as diarrhea. Antibiotics are only effective on bacterial, and the body can build up a resistance to a prescription if it is introduced when it is not needed.

Treatment of Diaper Rash
Most mild diaper rashes can be managed at home. But don't wait: damaged skin is more likely to become infected with bacteria and yeast than healthy skin. Here are some important pointers:

• Have your baby go diaperless when possible.
• Rinse the skin with warm running water.
• Adding some baking soda to the cleansing water may help: one-half teaspoon of baking soda per cup of warm water. This is especially helpful with a yeast diaper rash.
• For flat red rashes or rashes with red spots on the surrounding margins (probable yeast), you may try treating the skin with an anti-yeast cream like Clotrimazole and Nystatin.

Some pediatricians may also recommend using one percent hydrocortisone cream. If the rash is due to yeast, however, some doctors feel that hydrocortisone may make the problem worse. It's important to discuss this with your doctor to see what he or she recommends. And never use a cream that's stronger than one percent without consulting your doctor.

• Antibiotics should never be used for diaper rash without a doctor's prescription.

• If you see pus-filled pimples.
• If there are any open or weeping blisters or sores.
• If your baby has a fever or is acting very sick.
• If there are any raw, bleeding areas.
• If you think your baby is in pain and it's interfering with sleep.
• If there is swelling on the tip of his penis.
• If the rash is flaming red and looks like a burn.
• If your baby's rash is not improving after two days of home therapy.
• If you have any other questions.

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