Diaper rash just won't go away

[FlockOfSillies]

I'm calling the doc in the morning, but wanted a little feedback from y'all.

 

Princess Honey Baked is 10 mos. old, and for the last two weeks or so she's had mega-bad diaper rash. I do all the usual stuff to treat it, but once it seems like she's on the mend, it flares up again. AAAUUUGGHH. She's miserable.

 

I haven't made any significant changes to her diet. But she still gets these diarrhea-like bowel movements. Not all the time, but often enough to keep the rash going.

 

I read that changing diapers or diaper sizes might do the trick, so I'll try out some size 4's on her. She's been wearing pants more often since the weather changed. Could that be part of the problem?

 

Could it be a yeast infection? What am I missing?

[Ria]

I'd want to rule out yeast infection before I tried anything else. Poor baby!

 

Ria

[melissel]

Yep, that sounds like yeast, and most traditional diaper ointments and powders actually feed it. Definitely take her to the ped and have it looked at. Poor kid! I still thank my lucky stars we managed to avoid yeast issues--though, well, the recurrent mastitis was no fun, really :glare:

[Ellie]

When my dd was like that, it was the cow's milk she was drinking. We went through 1 or 2 rounds of something I got from the doctor, with no improvement at all.

 

If she's nursing, it could be the cow's milk *you* are drinking. BTDT, too.

[hsmamainva]

I agree with Ellie that it could be something you're eating, if you're nursing... or it could be something that she's sensitive to.

 

My youngest had a similar reaction at around the same age when we started her on Cheerios (made with oats) and she couldn't tolerate wheat in any form for years and years -- she's now 6 1/2 and she can only handle it in very tiny amounts.

 

But I would start with a visit to your family doctor / pediatrician first, to rule out a yeast infection.

 

Hope she feels better soon!! :grouphug:

[KayT]

DD had what sounds like the same thing and it was yeast. Make sure the doc rules that out. I helped her a lot to go nekked!

[Mandamom]

children had dietary yeast issues and it was related to what I ate. Later when they started eating more solids it was what they were eating. They have since grown out of most of it.

 

We've had yeast issues related to peaches, strawberries and corn among several in the list.

 

Since I've been dealing with yeast for years and the docs weren't much help, in my case. I got into the habit of keeping tinactin foot power which I used during changes and used a lot of naked time. I also bought a baby probiotics which I would mix in a bottle for those of my children who would take a bottle (one refused a bottle so I used a cup)

 

Then I started trying to figure out what it was that I was eating that was causing a problem. I started with just a food log (a piece of paper on the refrigerator) to see if I could see a correlations. For my 3rd child I was able to use this method to determine that he had problems with wheat and dairy from the age of 6 weeks which I had to eliminate for almost 9 months although those foods didn't lead to a yeast reaction in him.

 

It was a pain to do all of this but well worth it.

[Just Another Jen]

My youngest had that. It turned out to be the dairy and wheat we were both eating. We've since also eliminated corn, strawberries and other yeasty foods. We also went through a time where we gave each other thrush. I'd say go to the Dr and get some nistatin for yeast. If that doesn;t work start elimanting things until you see improvement. DS now 3- still gets bad rashes form sunscreen and bug spray so its hard to figure out sometimes!

[Harriet Vane]

It could definitely be a yeast infection. My dd experienced this problem when she was 1yo. Our dr advised us to try an anti-fungal cream such as micanozole. It cleared up in short order.

[Amy in NH]

My dd had similar diaper rash issues that were treated quite nicely with OTC yeast cream. I'd give Lotrimin a try and/or bring her to the ped.

[joannqn]

When my children get a diaper rash that just won't go away, I get out the lotrimen (I keep it on hand when I have babies in diapers). It almost always works.

 

I'm currently dealing with very painful diaper rashes on my youngest. Nothing is working on it. I'm prety sure it is being caused by apples and anything made with apples so I'm eliminating those to see if it goes away and then letting him have them again to see if I'm right. So, hopefully, one more rash is all he'll have.

[Just Another Jen]

My youngest gets a bad rash from apples too. It covers his whole back. But it only goes away with benadryl.

[FlockOfSillies]

Yeah, I went looking for the little tube of anti-yeast cream I thought I had, but no luck.

[FlockOfSillies]

I need to root around the bathroom a little more to see if I have any other anti-fungal creams lying around, other than the Monistat I just can't locate. Off to call the ped. Thanks!

[CookieMonster]

Yeah, I went looking for the little tube of anti-yeast cream

 

This is what I did, and it worked both times the diaper rash was like what you describe. Much cheaper and easier for me than going to the doc to get a prescription for a cream.

 

And I knew that if it didn't work, something else was up.

[Holly IN]

Sounds like yeast infection to me. The same thing happened to my oldest son. This was during the time I was working and had childcare for him. (prehomeschooling days). The babysitter used papertowels as baby wipes which casued a severe case of yeast infections. He gave us prescription strenth samples of yeast infection meds. It really worked like a charm. The dr told me I need to fire the babysitter. I did...:glare: then quit my job and stayed home.

 

:D

 

Holly

[joannqn]

I curious...how would paper towels cause a yeast infection?

[LG Gone Wild]

but it is about $200 a tube. Insurance does cover some of it. Whatever the doctor prescribes, be sure to put a thick layer of diaper cream OVER the medicine. Get the really sticky, thick stuff. Dr. could probably prescribe you some. I switched diaper wipes and use the super sensitive ones. You may just want to get a squirt bottle of water to wash off baby as well.

 

My little guys has scars on his bottom from persistent diaper rash so we have definitely BTDT.

[Marie in Oh]

had a rash like that starting at that age, and it was wheat. Her behind looked like it had been chemically burned. THe only thing that cleared it was Cortizone, and going off wheat.

[Spy Car]

I have no idea*...but I did want to salute the hive-mind. What a great resource it is to be able to draw on the collective wisdom of you ladies (and gentlemen).

 

Play on!

 

Bill

 

* actually I would have guessed "dairy" or other food allergy

[lighthouseacademy]

I have one who got persistent diaper rashes if I didn't get her changed fast enough after she was dirty. The fact that your little one has diarrhea often indicates a food allergy or teething. Sometimes teething can create diaper rash too, but I would be more inclined to guess an allergy. Mine had an issue with bananas. (actually all 3 did but one got diaper rash from it).

[Tap]

Yeast rash looks very specific. It has red raised area that is surrounded by red dots. Picture of baby boys rash is liked here:http://pediatrics.about.com/library/pictures/bl_yeast_diaper_rash.htm

 

If you don't have cream today start with this.

 

Give the baby a bath in water with baking soda added. I add a handful to the water. Let the baby soak in the water for 10 minutes or so, if they are willing :001_smile:. Once you bring the baby out, dry them with a towel, and then VERY carefully, dry their diaper area with a hair dryer set on medium. I always keep my hand between me and the baby so I know exactly how warm it is and the baby only gets deflected air, not direct air. If your dryer doesn't have a warm air setting, then use the cool air setting, never the hot. Dry the area thoroughly. Once they come out try to let them go without a diaper as long as you can. I used to lay a washable comforter on the floor and let them play on that. A cotton blanket, quilt, any thing that will absorb a little wetness and can be washed. Allowing the area to get air and be dry is very good for any diaper rash.

 

Once you do diaper them again, apply a liberal area of cream. Each time they wet or mess, wash them again in the bath or bathroom sink, dry with the hair dryer, and let them air dry for as long as you can. It makes a huge difference! If you just can't give them a bath at the moment, then use regular water and washcloths instead of wipes and rinse the area well. Pat dry as best you can before diapering again.

 

There is another rash that can flare very bad that is a eczema rash. It often has a round pattern or ring pattern that is made up of dots but the dots have a less distinct edge to them that the yeast rash. A yeast rash typically has dots more spread out than an eczema rash. The eczema rash is usually more in a tight area.

 

Here is a link with pictures but I will warn you that there are a few pictures here that are pretty bad rashes! Compare picture 2 and 3 to get a better idea of what I mean about the difference.

 

http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/Hardin/md/dermnet/diaperrash2.html

 

If the rash is an eczema rash, you may try a little hydrocortisone cream on it.

[apheartsong]

Our ped told us to use a baby powder that was talc, not corn starch. It was in a pink bottle. It worked great after I tried all the "magic" creams (even one from the compound pharmacy). I think it was called Caldesene, but not sure. We gave it to some people whose daughter had a terrible rash from traveling 10 hours at a time. They said it worked beautifully. They had also tried many other preparations.

 

Also try washing her bottom in the sink or tub instead of using wipes. The wipes really hurt diaper rash. Lansinoh makes wipes now that have Lanolin in them that were really good for my last newborn (wasn't available before then).

 

Poor baby. Hope it resolves soon.

Allison

[apheartsong]

Make sure you get the talc, not corn starch. The corn starch feeds yeast and can also cause an allergic reaction.

[Saille]

Lotrimin worked the few times my kids had yeast. I bought the regular, not the extra strength. Something is different about the formula, but I can't think what off the top of my head. They're miserable rashes, though. Be sure to post an update!

[gardening momma]

Here's a link to another diaper rash discussion. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54318

 

My dd had bad rashes for her first 9 months. I found that baby wipes caused a lot of the problems, but it was also dampness in general. The problem with the wipes was that you wipe, maybe apply ointment/powder/etc and then put on diaper. Didn't give the hiney time to dry. I bought lots of cheap, soft washcloths, and at each diaper change, I used one damp washcloth to clean and one dry washcloth to blot dry. A paper towel should do the same thing effectively, as long as a dry one is used to blot dry. I don't see how that would cause a yeast infection, as a previous poster mentioned. Dampness might lead to it, but not from the paper towels themselves.

 

The baby wipe issue was such a big deal for her that I made labels on my computer that I printed out. They had a picture of a crying baby and the words, "Don't use wipes on me. They give me a terrible rash!" I would keep these in dd's diaper bag and when I left her in the church nursery I'd put one on her shirt (chest area) and another on the diaper she was wearing. If someone did use wipes, I'd know by her next diaper change because she'd break out quickly.

[turnin' 360s]

I used extra-virgin coconut oil on my babies for minor rashes. It is a natural anti-fungal antidote. But for the major ones like this I used prescription strength from the ped.

[herbalgirl]

It definitely sounds like yeast to me, BUT-do you use disposables? Sometimes babies can react to the chemicals in them, or just in certain brands. It may take some shopping around and experimentation to figure it out.

 

I would bring her to the doc first, to rule out yeast. Don't use any wipes, just paper towels wetted or wet rags with plain water. Maybe try cloth diapering, if you want. I eventually had to do that with my 2nd son. He'd getting bleeding and oozing rashes that just wouldn't clear up, but as soon as I switched to cloth, he was fine.

 

I hope your little one feels a lot better soon!

[Mandamom]

It definitely sounds like yeast to me, BUT-do you use disposables? Sometimes babies can react to the chemicals in them, or just in certain brands. It may take some shopping around and experimentaton to figure it out. >>>>

 

 

I forgot about that. In our case I had used Luvs disposable for my 2 daughters and started using them with ds now 2 and around 6 months he developed a rash that wouldn't go away. Iot finally occurred to me to try a new diaper and we went to Huggies and that rash went away. Ds has been the most sensitive to more different foods so I guess it isn't too surprising that he was sensitive to the diapers, too.

[Sandy in Indy]

You need Butt Mudd! Mix equal parts of Maalox (or Mylanta), Desitin (regular) and Lotrimin (generic works well). Apply with a cotton ball at every diaper change. Also, get rid of wipes! Use baby washcloths and water instead.

 

DS had a rash that RX stuff wouldn't touch. Butt Mudd made a difference immediately!

[LadyAberlin]

Calendula oil cleared up my ds' diaper rashes quickly.

[Sherri in MI]

nt

[SonshineLearner]

Natural Aloe Vera, every diaper change, and if that doesn't work after two days......yeast? OTC yeast med for ....yeast infections :-( And, if she's old enough, try something like strawberry kefir and no extra sugars....(even juice...)

 

Carrie:-)

[PameliaSue]

You need Butt Mudd! Mix equal parts of Maalox (or Mylanta), Desitin (regular) and Lotrimin (generic works well). Apply with a cotton ball at every diaper change. Also, get rid of wipes! Use baby washcloths and water instead.

 

DS had a rash that RX stuff wouldn't touch. Butt Mudd made a difference immediately!

 

This thread is so timely for me. I was literally getting on the board to post and flockofsillies beat me to it. My ds has had loose BM for going on 3 weeks now and his poor bottom is just getting raw. I have tried Desitin, Cortisone, left over Nystatin from a previous yeast diaper rash and NOTHING is helping. He is having 3-5 BM's a day and I just can't get him relief. I figure his BM must be acidic to be causing this much skin irritation. I am going to go out right now and get what I need to whip this stuff up.

 

Now I just need to figure out what is causing the frequent, loose stool. *sigh*

 

We have been blessed with stomachs of steel so if he has some sort of sensitivity that will be a whole new adventure for this family. I think I am going to start with wheat and milk products. I have already started him on probiotics.

[battlemaiden]

My dd suffered from Diaper Rash for a year before I realized she was allergic to a particular brand of diaper. Actually all diapers made her rash a little, but as soon as she was potty trained and able to "air dry" a little it went away.

 

The diaper brand was Luvs, but other cheaper brands had the same effect.

 

Just my experience. It doesn't address your liquidy stool issue. I'm sorry for your little princess.

 

Jo

[FlockOfSillies]

Called the ped. yesterday. Told the nurse I thought it was a yeast infection. Could I use what I had on hand? (I had a couple of prescription creams from previous skin problems.) Nurse called back and said I could use the Nystatin.

 

Twenty-four hours later, and the main redness has gone away. There are still blistered areas, but we're on the mend here. Tap, tap, tap -- thanks for the link to the photos. I bookmarked the main page for future reference. (Human body study will be so much more fun this year, LOL.) The blisters on #4 looked the most familiar, only without the purple skin. PHB's are in a nice linear pattern down each side of her crotch. :001_rolleyes:

 

Oh, and just to clarify a couple of things I left out of my original post... formula baby, using the same old Pampers size 3's as always, and I use Huggies Natural Care unscented wipes. I let her bum air dry before closing her up. And Balmex is the bomb! I don't use powder, for the most part.

 

I'll be moving her up to size 4 diapers for sure, especially since she had the Mother of All Poopy Diapers this morning (but no diarrhea :hurray:).

 

The problem is, I don't know what the grandmas feed her. Grampa Blue Can lets her have a nip of Pepsi sometimes -- don't faint, ladies. It's a hill upon which I refuse to die, especially since this is the same man who put it in a bottle for me when I was PHB's age, LOL.

 

Thanks to everyone who responded for your advice. I appreciate it.

[lynn]

Called the ped. yesterday. Told the nurse I thought it was a yeast infection. Could I use what I had on hand? (I had a couple of prescription creams from previous skin problems.) Nurse called back and said I could use the Nystatin.

 

Twenty-four hours later, and the main redness has gone away. There are still blistered areas, but we're on the mend here. Tap, tap, tap -- thanks for the link to the photos. I bookmarked the main page for future reference. (Human body study will be so much more fun this year, LOL.) The blisters on #4 looked the most familiar, only without the purple skin. PHB's are in a nice linear pattern down each side of her crotch. :001_rolleyes:

 

Oh, and just to clarify a couple of things I left out of my original post... formula baby, using the same old Pampers size 3's as always, and I use Huggies Natural Care unscented wipes. I let her bum air dry before closing her up. And Balmex is the bomb! I don't use powder, for the most part.

 

I'll be moving her up to size 4 diapers for sure, especially since she had the Mother of All Poopy Diapers this morning (but no diarrhea :hurray:).

 

The problem is, I don't know what the grandmas feed her. Grampa Blue Can lets her have a nip of Pepsi sometimes -- don't faint, ladies. It's a hill upon which I refuse to die, especially since this is the same man who put it in a bottle for me when I was PHB's age, LOL.

 

Thanks to everyone who responded for your advice. I appreciate it.

 

I am sorry I missed this yesterday. My doctor ordered some balmax/colestid when my dd went through a virus that caused a very bad daiper rash. I know this is late but next time you go through this maybe ask your doctor if they could call some in. It worked amazing well.

[SheilaZ]

My third son used to get terrible yeast rashes. UGH! We always used Nystatin to treat it.

And all the boys were very sensitve to tomato products and would get raw bleeding rashes withini minutes..

For that, we used Flanders and it clears it up in 24 hours...maximum.

Flanders is also good for heat rash and contact abrasions. (Shim pads, football pads.) So even though the baby is long out of diapers, we keep a tupe on hand for emergencies.