Persistant Diaper Rash

Updated on April 08, 2009
C.H. asks from Trenton, NJ
7 answers

Okay moms, I am hoping someone out there can help my daughter out. She is almost 22 months old and for the last 6 weeks we have been battling the worst cast of diaper rash I have ever seen. It started with a little bit or redness and bumpy like normal diaper rash. I tried just about everything over the counter I could find. After about 2 weeks it turned into little cluster rashes tha actually looked like ringworm. At that point I went to the pediatrician. He told me it was yeast and gave Nystatin cream. After a week of using that there was not change. I went back to the ped and they then gave me Oxistat cream. I sued that for a week and a half, but there was still no change. I spoke to the doc last week and they now gave my Altabax cream to use, but low and behold, there is not change. I am taking her back to the ped tomorrow to have it cultured. She is home with me, so it is not like she could have picked anything up at daycare. since the rash stared she has been changed every 2 hours (with the exception of overnight). Nothing else has changed. I even called my GYN to see what he suggested and he said try to keep it as clean as possible and use corn starch, I sis that and no change. The poor baby is so uncomfortable. She is constantly scratching at herself. Luckily she hs a diaper and onsie on, so she can't get to it. she looks like Michael Jackson walking around and grabbing herself.
I have thought of trying the Chlorine free diapers, but I am not sure if that will help. We have been using Pampers Baby Dry since she was born, so I don't think it is the diapers. I have even checked the package and the Pampers website to see if the diapers are "New & Improved" but there were no changes there either. I am open to just about anything. Please let me know if anyone has been through a similar thing. thanks for your help!!!!

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So What Happened?

Thank you everyone for your help. I took her to the pediatrician and she tole me that it is actually healing, but because the infection was so intense it is going to take a while for the new skin to heal. The doc was not able to culture it, because it is in the healing phase and the rash is dry now. It looks like it was yeast, but the doc just said it was a really bad case. I now have to alternate the Altabax (to clear up any infection) with a cortizone cream to assist the healing and then a top layer of triple paste. I just hope it works!!!! Thanks again for all your help! the baking soda bath helped too!

More Answers

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D.

answers from New York on

One of the things that works great for my kids is to give them a bath. Sometimes the ammonia against the skin works against anything you use. So get some baby aveeno, the one with the pink top. Then run a bath and pour some in. Also add baking soda to the water. It makes the water very basic and helps neutralize the acids on the skin. Also, try triple paste. It's a bit expensive but worth it. If that doesn't work try bag balm. It's a vaseline type sauve and the only thing that really works on my daugher.

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V.S.

answers from Syracuse on

I don't know if this will help or not but my son (a little over 2 years old) has similar problems with diaper rash and come to find out he had "jock itch". First they had me put Lotramin which worked at first but then it came back so they gave me a steroid. I can't remember the name - I have to get back to you, the name of it is at the house. Good luck!! The doc said that my son's problem takes over a month to heal!!

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A.H.

answers from New York on

Try cleaning with a wipe and a little vaseline.. try letting her go to the bathroom on the big potty.. if she goes.. let her go diaper free for about 1 hour or so.. then put her on again.. it will heal better if the diaper if left off.. good luck.. and maybe she'll even become trained too. hope she feels much better soon...

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D.S.

answers from New York on

Hey C.,

It sounds like it is yeast and maybe just needs something stronger to get rid of it. I am not sure but maybe there is something she can take orally to get rid of it as well if the yeast is in her system. I know eating yogurt can help for yeast infections. Prior to the rash was she on antibiotics? I would go back to the doc maybe she needs the medicine for a little longer. In the meantime get cloth training underwear and have her wear them as much as you can during the day. Wearing diapers right now is only going to make it worse. Keeping it clean and dry is your best bet. Yeast grows in warm, wet areas so I think you need to keep her diaper off as much as possible. Who knows going diaper free may be an opportunity to start potty training. Good luck!!

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D.R.

answers from New York on

ok, i have battled this many times. i actually found that the nystatin made it worse, and vusion didnt do a thing. it definitely sounds like yeast, and yeast needs specific treatment. i always had the best luck with lotrimin AF. its over the counter. i have also found that overall, less is more. here is what i do, and it works for me. bathe her in plain water with a handful (more if its a full tub) of baking soda in the water. let her sit a while. no soap or shampoo of any kind, and dont rinse. if you can manage to rinse her hair without rinsing her butt, thats fine, but dont worry about it if you cant get her hair, it makes no difference to leave the baking soda in her hair. then let her dry very very very well. put on the lotrimin. if you can pat on triple paste over it, thats fine, but i really prefer to put on the lotrimin alone because i feel like the paste rubs it off. let her have the lotrimin alone for an hour or 3, then load on triple paste. use the lotrimin twice daily, otherwise triple paste. and NO WIPES of any kind. ever. get soft paper towels, bounty makes really soft ones, they are in a pink package. plain water. if you need something extra for the messy diapers, use some vaseline or mineral oil, or you can use california baby calming diaper area spray, its expensive but you only use a touch and it smells great and is all natural oils. use sparingly, any oil/petrol based products will keep her wet, which you dont want (i know some people said to use vaseline, which is fine for every day, i like using it myself, i feel like there are less chemicals and perfumes in it, but not for yeast. the moisture is not your friend when it's yeast). you want to wipe it off well but not irritate her. by the way, i have found something i like better than triple paste, its called pinxave, very hard to find (i found it online). it works awesome on any kind of irritation (not yeast), works overnight, it is a real barrier and not oil based. it is very drying though, so not good on dry skin. not in place of the lotrimin, but maybe in place of the triple paste if you dont like triple paste for some reason.
diet-wise, try to increase her yogurt but decrease her sugar. yeast thrives in wet and in sugar. most yogurt has a lot of sugar, read the labels. you are better off with plain if you can get away with it, if not, maybe put in a little something else, real fruit, or at least cut the fruity yogurt with half plain. best of luck to you.

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A.D.

answers from New York on

ask your doctor tomorrow about Vusion. It helped my boys.

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K.E.

answers from Buffalo on

Allergies, I would have the Doctor chaeck her for allergies. My son is allergic to eggs, and it first showed up as a funky diaper rash I tossed tot he side as teething rash it was round circles raised and yellowish with red dots on it. weird. we did all that you are describing until we found the allergy and removed the egg from his environment and diet and low and behold no more rash.

I hope you get to the bottom of the mystery. Good luck.

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