$Unique_ID{PAR00055}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Diaper Rash}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Diaper Rash Reddened Rough scaly skin Red spots Ammonia odor diapers
petroleum jelly zinc oxide vitamin A & D ointment cod liver oil petrolatum
lanolin food drug allergy skin infection chicken pox measles}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Diaper Rash


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Reddened skin
     - Rough, scaly skin
     - Ammonia odor
     - Red, scaly spots

     HOME CARE
     - Keep the baby as dry as possible.  Change diapers often.
     - Do not use an airtight outer covering over diapers.
     - Try changing the products used to launder diapers.
     - For simple diaper rash:  Apply petroleum jelly, zinc oxide, vitamin A &
       D ointment, or an ointment combining zinc oxide, cod liver oil,
       petrolatum, and lanolin.
     - For ammonia rash:  Do not use an airtight outer covering over the
       diapers.  Wash the diaper area frequently with clear water.
     - For allergic rashes:  Stop giving the child any new foods or beverages
       started in the previous month.  Ask your doctor if you should
       discontinue a recently prescribed medication.
     - For a rash from an infection:  Wash the area with soap and water.
       Apply antibiotic ointment often.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - If the rash is spreading or severe, or worsens after two days of home
       treatment, see your doctor.
     - If the child has a fever, irritability, loss of appetite, or any other
       signs of illness, see your doctor.
     - Do not use more than one type of ointment at any one time (unless both
       were prescribed by your doctor).


     Diaper rashes are irritations of the skin in the diaper area.  Almost all
babies get diaper rash in one form or another.  Diaper rashes may be caused by
moisture, urine, or irritating chemicals in the diapers or by an allergic
reaction.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Rashes in the diaper area can usually be identified by their appearance,
their location, and other typical symptoms.
     Simple diaper rashes are red, slightly rough, and scaly.  The rash may
appear over the whole area touched by the diaper.  The skin may be irritated
by chemicals in products used to launder cloth diapers (detergent, bleach,
whitener, water softener, or soap).  Plastic or rubber pants worn over cloth
diapers sometimes affect the skin.  The skin may also react to chemicals used
in manufacturing disposable diapers or to the plastic outer layer on
disposable diapers.
     Ammonia rash is a form of diaper rash caused by the urine itself.  The
skin is burned by ammonia that is formed when urine is decomposed by bacteria
that are normally found on the skin.  Ammonia rash is worse after the child
has been asleep for long periods of time without a diaper change.  It is
identified by an ammonia smell that can be noticed when changing the diaper.
     Besides these basic diaper rashes, a variety of other rashes may appear
in the diaper area, including rashes caused by an allergy to a food or drug,
by a skin infection, or by contagious diseases (such as chicken pox and
measles).
     if your child develops a rash in the diaper area, look for the signs that
indicate these different types of rashes.  The appearance and location of the
rash, an ammonia odor, or a rash elsewhere on the body are all clues.  Have
you recently changed to a different kind of diaper or changed your way of
laundering cloth diapers?  Has the child recently been given a new food or
drug that could be causing an allergic reaction?  Noting these factors can
help you and your doctor find the cause of the rash.

HOME CARE

     Keep your baby as dry as possible, changing diapers frequently.
     For simple diaper rash, apply a protective ointment (petroleum jelly,
zinc oxide, vitamin A & D ointment, or an ointment combining zinc oxide, cod
liver oil, petrolatum, and lanolin).  Try changing your brand of soap or your
method of washing cloth diapers.
     If the rash seems to be caused by ammonia, avoid using an airtight outer
covering over the diapers.  Wash the diaper area frequently with clear water.
     If you think that the rash may be an allergic reaction, stop giving the
child any new foods or beverages started in the previous month.  If the rash
improves, reintroduce one of these items every week and watch for any change
in the condition.  This may help determine if a food or beverage is causing
the rash.  Ask your doctor if perhaps a recently prescribed medication might
be causing an allergic reaction.  However, do not discontinue use of any
medication without your doctor's permission.
     If your doctor has identified the rash as being caused by an infection or
contagious disease, frequently wash the area with soap and water and apply an
antibiotic ointment, such as bacitracin or neomycin.
     If the rash is spreading or severe, or if the child has a fever,
irritability, or loss of appetite, see your doctor.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  If the rash gets worse, even after only two days of home treatment, see
     your doctor.
  -  Do not use more than one type of ointment (such as an antibiotic and a
     fungicide) at any one time unless both were prescribed by your doctor.
  -  If your child has any other symptoms of illness, see your doctor.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     Your doctor may be able to identify the rash by its appearance or may
culture the rash to identify bacteria or fungi.  Changes in methods of
laundering diapers, diet, and medications being given to the child may be
suggested.  A medicated ointment may be prescribed.

RELATED TOPICS:  Chicken pox; Cradle cap; Eczema; Food allergies; Impetigo;
Measles; Rashes