Help with a diaper rash that won't go away...

[earthmother]

My dd2 has had a diaper rash for over a month. We've taken her to the doctor and she said that it was a bacterial infection and gave us an antibiotic and a $240 bottle of cream. It kept flaring up over that time, ended up drying up completely and making her poor bottom flaky and now its back. It's has circular somewhat raised bumps to it but the doc insisted that it wasn't ringworm. I'm not convinced that the doc even knew what she was talking about. anyone experience anything like this?

thanks.

[Harriet Vane]

It might be a yeast infection. My dd suffered with one as a 1yo. You can try OTC micanazole in lieu of diaper cream.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I would guess that the antibiotic would make it worse as it would kill the GOOD bacteria also. I'd ask the doc for a prescription for nystatin. And then I would let her run around without a diaper (or just potty train).

[MamaT]

When my kids were babies, a pharmacist friend told us to put Desitin or A & D ointment on their bottom and then put a heavy coat of vaseline over it. It worked every time

[Quiver0f10]

Sounds like yeast especially after antibotics. Get nystatin cream and you can get baby probiotics.

[Mandamom]

It might be a yeast infection. My dd suffered with one as a 1yo. You can try OTC micanazole in lieu of diaper cream.

 

 

 

:iagree:

 

My 2 daughters got yeast infections from eating certain foods (peaches and strawberries) until they grew out of it.

 

We have gone through a lot of diaper yeast infections here and OTC yeast cream (actually I prefer the powder when the kids are in diapers) works wonders.

[Mom-ninja.]

Yeast. If nystatin doesn't work ( a lot of yeasts are now resistant to it) try the "purple stuff." It's gentian violet. You can get from a pharmacy but call and ask first. It stains everything purple, but it works to kill yeast.

[ThelmaLou]

I've had the same problem with ds #5, now 2 1/2 years old. The doctor finally prescribed us a steroid cream. I just put an ever-so-thin layer on the spot, and it starts improving almost by the next diaper change. We had tried Desitin, A&D, antifungals, diluted grapefruit seed extract, frequent bathing and diaper changes, you name it. He rarely gets any type of rash now (same round patches like you mentioned), but when he does, I skip all the ointments and go straight to a little dab of the steroid cream. It works wonders, and a tiny dab is all you need. Consider asking for some.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

I agree that it may be yeast. My kids had this all the time. My dr. had me buy Lotrimin (the antifungal foot cream) and use it 3x's/day. I agree with the pp that Gentian Violet will work if the creams don't.

 

If the antifungal creams get rid of the rash, which would confirm that the rash is fungal, I would consider putting her on acidophilus for the remainder of the summer, or at least until she's out of diapers. Acidophilus can prevent a reqrowth of the yeast. You can give her live-culture yogurt each day, or purchase a powdered acidophilus and put it in applesauce or water. Make sure the acidophilus you purchase is refrigerated at the store. The non-refrigerated types are not as effective.

 

FWIW- when I was in pediatric nursing, I saw tons of horrible rashes. When a baby's bottom was just too tender for regular cleaning, we would have a jar of mineral oil with cotton balls available for cleaning at each diaper change. The mineral oil would then protect the skin from the contents of the next diaper and allow the baby to heal more quickly.

 

HTH,

Leanna

[jplain]

Where is the rash? It it in the folds or on more exposed skin? Is it spreading up onto her outer labia and lower pelvis, or is it staying lower down?

 

What is in the cream you were given? I'm guessing it might already have an antifungal in it. But it wouldn't hurt to try another antifungal. If you don't have time to get nystatin from the doctor, you can try an over-the-counter antifungal (Lotrimin, etc.) first.

 

How old is she? (I can't tell if you've indicated that she's 2yo, or if she's your second daughter.) With a younger child who is being introduced to new foods either directly or through breastmilk, sometimes a nasty rash is a food reaction. My older daughter had a horrible diaper rash (peeling, blistering, scabbing) of 6 weeks duration that I was convinced was yeast. My ped looked at it and said it looked to her like a "garden variety food intolerance rash" that she should eventually outgrow. I did eliminate dairy for 2 weeks with no obvious change, but oddly enough when I reintroduced dairy the rash completely faded away over the next few days.

 

Good luck figuring it out!

[LaxMom]

I agree that it may be yeast. My kids had this all the time. My dr. had me buy Lotrimin (the antifungal foot cream) and use it 3x's/day. I agree with the pp that Gentian Violet will work if the creams don't.

 

 

 

Our pediatrician recommended Lotimin, too. And I've used gentian violet with good success for thrush and diaper yeast rash.

 

What I finally ended up using, which was great for all rashes, especially the yeast rashes the boys seemed prone to, was Miracle Salve Plus from Kerry's Herbals. I ended up making my own when I ran out, since I had all the ingredients here, but it was the most reliable thing I've found for keeping little bums happy. (And there are no petrochemicals or anything else I have concerns about)

[Quad Shot Academy]

If it is truly a circle, my guess would be nummular or discoid eczema. Here are some photos:

http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/nummular-dermatitis.html

My youngest has this type of eczema and it is very hard to treat. His skin would constantly look like the photos if it was not for Zyrtec and steroid cream.

[mohsmom23]

As the others stated, it sounds like it might be yeast. Our pediatrician recommended Lotramin. She said to put on the Lotramin then a layer of aquaphor, then a layer of Desitin (or other white diaper cream). It always worked great. The key though to keep it from coming back is to use the Lotramin for a couple days after the rash is gone to make sure there isn't any more yeast hanging around.

[E_Edgerton]

I agree that it sounds like a yeast issue...however, another OTC treatment that does wonders is Resinol. I would call your pharmacy ahead of time, it isn't carried everywhere...but it is amazing. It does stain things pink...but at this point you probably just want this to clear up.

[Sandy in Indy]

Butt Mudd...works wonders on rashes I couldn't get Rx meds to touch!

 

Mix equal parts of:

Lotrimin (generic will do)

Mylanta or Maalox

Desitin (regular not creamy)

 

Apply with a cotton ball at every change (or several times a day if not in diapers).

 

If your dd is still in diapers, don't use commercial wipes either. Use plain water and baby washclothes.

[earthmother]

Thanks for all the input. I was able to get her into a dermatologist that I respect and he said its excema and yeast. Hopefully the new cream will help.

[Misty]

It could be a yeast infection and that antibiotic would have only made it worse! You may want to go to a health food store and get some probiotics to help balance things out again.

[BikeBookBread]

No kidding...go to a store like Tractor Supply and get some Corona Cream (for horse hooves). My pediatrician at the Base in Almost Canada, ND said all of the pediatricians in town (a rural farming community) recommended this. It cured my daughter's fungal/yeast rash immediately when the Rx stuff wouldn't. I don't know that I'd recommend it for every day use, but she never had a bad rash again. We still have the tub (it's been 5 years since I bought it) because you use so little.

Edited June 24, 2009 by BikeBookBread
correction

[Ellie]

For my dd, diaper rash was indicative of a dairy allergy/intolerance. When we quit giving her milk, her rash cleared up.

 

In the meantime, you could let her go diaperless as much as possible, and at night, put *Crisco* on her poor bottom. That will just protect it from anything in her urine or b.m. that might be the problem.

[Tap]

Yeast rash usually appears as a little cluster of small dots that may or may not radiate out from a larger red patch. The patch usually has jagged edges.

 

If it is round, I would suspect discoid eczema. I would try one diaper change of putting a very thin layer of .5% hydrocortisone cream on the spots and see if it makes a difference. If it is this, it can respond really quick to the steroid cream.

 

 

It is possible to have both at the same time, so you may need to use both an anti fungal and the steroid cream.

 

Good luck! It is so hard to change a diaper when you know they are in such pain.

[coralloyd]

This stuff worked wonders on my kids rashes. http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=88470&catid=59974&aid=337953&aparam=vermont_s_original_bag_b&CAWELAID=61249812

It always took care of them in about a day. You can find it at Walmart it might be in the pet area.

[Impish]

I see that you've been to a dermatologist, and I hope that clears things up for you! Diva and Princess both would get horrible bleeding rashes whenever they teethed. With Diva, it turned out to be psoriasis. After many trips to the dermatologist, hundreds of dollars in Rx that didn't do squat, I pulled her off milk...and wham, it was gone! With Princess, I found a cream called Calmoseptine. Its used in the NICU. Wonderful, fantastic, incredible stuff. I ordered it through the pharmacy, its OTC. 2 applications, and the rash was gone!