How to Determine the Cause of Diaper Rash and It's Treatment

Diaper rash is troubling for any parent. We hate to see our children suffer. And in the case of diaper rash it is often needlessly. Diaper rash can have a few different causes. It is important to first determine what is causing the rash before proceeding with treatment. And with any health issue, if it appears to be severe, please contact your physician.

Most diaper rashes are caused by prolonged wetness. The pH of the skin is increased by contact with either urine or feces and the contacted skin becomes irritated. If this is the case, it is most often notable because the surface of the skin is affected but not the creases of skin.

Diet can also affect a baby's skin. This most often occurs when the baby's diet changes through progressive steps like changing from formula to milk or from milk to solids. Some children can have an allergic reaction to foods ingested. A mild allergic reaction might only appear as diaper rash. If you question this possibility it is easy enough to test by removing the product from your child's menu. Keep in mind it might take a few days for the questionable food product to fully be eliminated from your child's system.

My daughter always got a diaper rash while teething. This has little to do with a chemical change in the body as some would think but more so to do with the fact that she was producing and ingesting more saliva which then was eliminated. In this instance, the pH of her skin was being affected by the additional saliva.

Diaper rash can also be accompanied by a secondary infection caused by bacteria of fungus. While on vacationing in Florida, my daughter contacted an extreme diaper rash that didn't seem to be treatable by the normal avenues. One visit to the doctor told us she was having secondary issues, which were often seen in moist climates.

The best treatment for diaper rash is not always the practical one to pursue. Allow the child to go diaperless and let the skin air out. Rubbing the affected area with a towel after bath time can cause more pain and irritation. The use of baby wipes doesn't dry the skin and leave it damp. I have heard of many mothers actually using a blow dryer set on cool air to completely dry the affected area before allowing the child to roam naked. Should you need to keep your child diapered, consider changing their diaper more frequently.

There are many good topical creams on the market. Some mother's swear by one while others prefer another. No matter which is chosen, it is basically creating a barrier between the skin and the urine or feces. These topical ointments do not treat the skin but rather protect it from further irritation. In the case of a secondary infection, you can add to the topical application an anti-fungal cream in a low concentration. With my daughter's case, we mixed the diaper rash cream and the hydrocortisone together. Now, any time she appears to be getting a diaper rash, we use this mixture to combat the problem and it works well to be aggressive with treatment early on rather than trying to fix an inflamed skin irritation.

At one point or another in your child's life, you will be faced with some form of diaper rash. It has been proven that the use of cloth versus disposable diapers has little affect or cause of the problem. One caveat would be if your child could have a reaction to the detergent being used to clean a cloth diaper. In this case, consider a double rinse cycle and use only a necessary amount of detergent which is typically far less than what is instructed on the packaging of the detergent. Be prepared, speak to your doctor and ask what they recommend as a diaper rash cream. Keep some at the babies changing table as well as your diaper bag. And if you question the possibility of the cause or it appears to be more severe, do contact your physician for treatment.