When it comes to babies and young children, I married an expert. My wife is a nurse and besides taking care of our three boys, she often cared for her ten brothers and sisters; she knows what she is talking about!
The causes of severe diaper rash vary. It may occur from bacteria; not changing the baby often enough; not keeping the area clean enough, and, incorrect diet. Also, if you use cloth diapers, it is possible that the diapers are not getting cleaned or are being cleaned with something that is an allergen to any particular child.
Severe diaper rash looks bright and deep red over the entire bottom area. It can also have the appearance of welts. You may notice white spots and that may signal something else.
Before determining treatment for diaper rash, it is important to make sure that it is indeed diaper rash. Often the baby may have developed a condition called “thrush” which also appears in the mouth and is a yeast infection and if determined to be that, needs a doctor’s treatment via prescription.
There are different ways to treat severe diaper rash. One is a cream such as Desitin. This is placed on the baby after diaper change for barrier protection. Another method is a bath with Aveeno. Aveeno is used as a bath and cleans and soothes. This treatment is also used for the treatment of chicken pox. Aveeno is a alkaline substance.
As we raised our children, my wife found the best way to treat a baby with severe diaper rash was with simple old corn starch. Corn starch is soothing; it is absorbent and protects well.
Once you have determined that your child has severe diaper rash, there are orderly steps you take to clear it up.
First, change the diaper as quickly as possible. Don’t let the child lay in a soiled diaper because not only does it aggravate the problem, but, they are in pain. When a baby or young child with severe diaper rash has urination or a bowel movement, it burns them.
Completely clean the area. The best thing to do is to sit the baby in a tub of lukewarm water and gently take off the soiling with water and soap such as Dial which is also anti-bacterial. Never use “wipes” or a rag because it is like using those tools to rub a burn to the child.
As an aside, one of the problems with using creams such as Desitin is that it is sticky and can be hard to completely remove.
With respect to diet, make sure that the baby is not getting too much acidity such as some fruits and juices such as apple, orange and pineapple.
How long should you give the diaper rash to clear up? If you are following all the above steps, then, the rash should begin to show dramatic improvement within two to three days, and, should pretty much be gone in a week
If the diaper rash does not go away within that time frame, it is not something you want to mess with; call a doctor.
Severe diaper rash is very annoying to a baby or toddler and they will cry. Severe diaper rash is a condition that needs to be treated and cured with as much patience and sense of urgency as possible.
