Itchy Diaper Rash

It could be she is allergic to her diaper. My husband when he was a baby was very allergic to disposable diapers and had impetigo. His mom switched him over to cloth and the rash went away. You might want to look into cloth diapers.

Also put a little bit of apple cider vinegar in her bath. This is really great at helping to get rid of the yeast. I get yeast infections occasionally and I externally rinse with the apple cider vinegar and the yeast goes away.

Hi C.-

Have you tried sprinkling a powdered probiotic directly on the rash? I also use a paste made w/ bag balm and bifidus (a probiotic). I slather this on and the rash is usually much better in about 2 days. Don't forget to add a baby/toddler frindly probiotic to her daily diet, as well. We ude 1/2 tsp of Ultra-Bifidus a day. I just mix it in my daughter's milk or juice. My son started the Bifidus at 2 weeks old and he is 9 months now and also taking .5 tsp.

I searched the web for remedies and found a site that showed pics. of various diaper rashes and what type of rash it was. This was helpful in knowing it was a yeast rash or not. I find that even with non-yeast rashes, that the Bag Balm works better than the diaper creams to clear it up.

Good luck and hope she is rash-free soon.
D.

Does anyone in the family have asthma or excima? If so this could be excima. I got gold bond baby powder for my kids. It cleared up almost any rash.

Once you get the rash under control...look into elimination communication/ infant potty training. It may help you eliminate future infections.

i'm sure this recent heat wave hasn't helped either, my grandaughter also suffered very badly. came down to she was allergic to disposable diapers. had to use only cloth type. more work but less suffering.

I used Bag Balm on all of my babies rashes. It's an ointment the same consistancy of Vaseline, but it has medicine in it. It comes in a green, square can. I always had a can of it for thier little rears.
Also, what kind of soap are you using for her? Try using Aveeno for babies. It's in the baby aisle. I used liquids for my babies, bar soaps (no matter what they are or what they are made of) are always drying. Also, a friend of mine, her little girl got rashes or itchy in her private area. She used a feminine cleaning wash (Summers Eve has one) it's an almost clear liquid. Her daughter couldn't tolerate soaps in her private area, including her bottom.

My daughter had a yeast rash that got quite itchy and uncomfortable. I started really pushing probiotic, even though the doctor said it would have no effect on an external yeast infection. We also were told to you Lotrimin AF. And it did take a while to start working, in fact it seemed to get worse before it got better. We were religious about slathering it on her (boy did we go through a lot of those little tubes) and changed her diaper more frequently and after about 2 weeks it was gone. It did start coming back once, but since we knew what it was this time we nipped it in the bud. I know how hard it is when your little one hurts, but it sounds like it just needs more time.

I have used Aveeno diaper rash cream since my daughter was born and now use it with my son. I have been so happy with it. As soon as I see a rash starting, I apply cream and it's gone within a few diaper changes later. I am amazed at this stuff. It works for us, maybe it would work for you. It has oatmeal in it which is suppose to calm and heal.

Hi,
I am a soon-to-be Grandma with some advice.
My youngest brother had a similar problem as a baby, and he was sensitive to high acid juices and foods. When they were eliminated, the rash went away.
Also, yeast infections in adults is the same as in babies. When my daughter was an infant, she had a yeast infection and she recovered quickly when I fed her yogurt.
There are special gloves that you can put on your baby to keep her from scratching.
Then, you can leave the diaper off and air out her bottom.
Hope that this information is helpful!
T.
Alaska

Another consideration is the diaper itself. I use cloth diapers because of all the harsh chemicals in disposables. I have friends whose doctors actually diagnosed their babies rashes as chemical burn from every day diapers. (yikes!) My kids were sensitive. The polymers that absorb the liquid in the diapers were also in some breast pads I used at one time, and I broke out in a terrible itchy rash that was super irritating. I remember thinking "I can't believe I'm putting this next to by babies skin!" Have you switched brands of diapers in the last month? Or, if you do use cloth, have you switched detergents? A good brand of disposables that use less or not chemicals, and are not bleached are Seventh Generation. They work good too.

It could also be a food intolerance. My kids have all suffered diaper rashes from a variety of fruits usually - but it could be anything. Think about if you have introduced anything new in the last month.... Juices and apples are especially potent for my little ones.

If it is yeast, usually internal treatment works better than external. There is a childrens acidophilus powder you can ad to milk (works great for adults too).

NEOSPORIN!!!! In addition to being an antibiotic, it's also contains a topical anesthetic so it acts as a painkiller. It'll help with the itchiness - so if she's not as itchy she'll be less likely to scratch and you'll be able to let her air out a bit.

With my son's terrible diaper rash, I'd use Neosporin and would then absolutely SLATHER the Desitin over his bottom each time I put a fresh diaper on him. (I also moved up to a larger-sized diaper so his little bottom wasn't as constricted.)

All of my kids (4) have had issues with yeast. I found that the Equate Miconozole cream works well. It is just the Wal-Mart generic for Monistat. Get the 7 day and it comes with a big tube of cream that is much cheaper than the name brands (just throw away the applicators and slather the cream each time you change her.) Change often, feed her yogurt. Maybe let her run free thru the house while she airs out so she won't scratch herself. If that doesn't work, make sure she is completely dry before putting on her diapers. I saw that someone mentioned switching diapers- I would suggest that too. Also, don't give her bubblebaths or use any lotions on her bottom. FYI- when she gets older and can swallow pills, have her take the AZO brand of yeast pills daily. That saves my 9 year old who has cronic yeast problems. Good luck!

Dear C., One of our baby daughters had that problem and it turned out she was allergic to some new food she was introduced to. We used to put her naked on the floor in front of a fan to dry up the rash. Also coated her little bums liberally with zinc oxide before the diaper.
I used cloth diapers. There is some concern lately about the new disposable diapers, also with anything plastic, like plastic baby bottles....not good. Good luck, it won't last. M. S

I feel sorry for you poor little girl. I actually have had to deal with this as an adult. I have found that diaper creams and neosporins are the worst at spreading the yeast around because it lives in warm dark moist areas, adn the purpose of these creams is to create that enviornment. The best thing to do is always pat her dry and if she will let you, use the blow dryer or fan on her bottom so that all the yeast will be killed from the heat (like I said, if she will let you and it doesn't hurt her) and then powder her with cornstarch. Make sure to get all the nooks and crannys. The talc in baby powder seems to make it worse for some reason, but corn starch stops the buring and the itching. Also, if you want to let her run around to air it out, which is great! maybe put socks on her hands as a game. I would use the monistat type creams also. I can tell you that I have fought this for years and since I started using the corn starch everynight I have only had one skin yeast infection in several years. If I quit though, then another one will flair up in a few days. I hope this helps from someone who knows what your poor baby is feeling and can tell you about it.

Hi C.!
I DO feel your pain, and having been a very busy mommy, with a ton of diapered people in my house, the best thing I could add to all of the other great advice is a BLOW DRIER..YES, I said BLOW DRIER. After you change and "cream" her, you obviously don't have the time to air dry, which is what so many different types of rashes need. SO, what we did, was after the change was done, we kept the blow drier on COOL (some have a button to press so the heat isn't on), and the babies LOVE the cool air blowing on their little bums, and it helps the rash dry out in a much faster rate, and with a busy schedule for the parents, this is a great solution, so long as anyone who is changing her diaper uses the blow drier each time.
Good luck to you--and I'm hoping that the rash goes away SOON!!
p.s. exzema is a definite possibility is the yeast efforts don't work.

Hi C.,

my son (3) had a yeast infection once and the cream that was prescribed to me and worked very well (although very expensive, 50$ copay) was Oxistat, 1% (prescription medicine). The trick with yeast is that sometimes although the infection has cleared because the "butt" is still so irritated you're not sure it has, so here is what truly worked for us: put olive oil (few drops) on the irritated area every day after bath, and in the morning you can put a little mixture of aquafor/hydrocortisone. Also, very important dry her "butt" very well before putting creams and diapers (I used a hair dryer on cold setting). I promise this will relieve her itching and soothe her skin very fast. This advice was given to me from my pediatrician who received the advice from other moms who all said it worked. Good luck!

use the coolest setting on your blow dryer and dry her bum that way a little.

C.,

You and Frances seem to have similar problems right now. I'll tell you what I told her. Try Desitin Creamy. Both my kids would get these horrible red, open sores on their butts sometimes. The Creamy doesn't have the odor of the regular Desitin, and is easier to apply. I'd have to apply it over the sores thickly because the stuff wouldn't cover the sores if I just tried rubbing (VERY gently) the stuff on. A few days of this at every change, thicker at night, and they would be on the mend.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

My daughter's skin would break out with a "yeast" infection everytime she got a fever, which was a lot when she was teething that first year.

I found Boudreaux's Butt Paste. You can get it at Target or walmart...it awesome, it helps soothe the skin as well as clear up the irritations.
http://www.buttpaste.com/BLButtPaste.php

J.

Just as some other the ladies suggested, I have used Monistat on my daughter when she had this type of rash. Works great.

My son had a horrible yeast infection. My brain isn't working right now to remember the name of the cream we used... but it was the same cream for vaginal yeast infections. I think it was Monistat-7. We used it 3 times a day for about a week before there looked like there was any improvement. I think we actually used it for about 10 days before it was over. My mom, who is a NICU nurse, told me to use it until the rash was completely gone, not just for the prescribed amount of time, as some yeast infections are extremely aggressive.

Also, in between the yeast cream, it is very helpful to use a barrier cream so that urine and poop do not irritate the skin it any further. The one that has worked everytime for us is Boudreaux's Butt Paste. But, again, my mom, says that the best stuff they use on babies in the hospital is straight Vaseline. (or you can by the baby stuff too.)

Basically, though... some yeast infections are extremely irritative and just need time.

A very good thing to try is pushing yogurt, as much as you can. They also have acidophilus tablets that you can buy. This is the bacteria that is in yogurt that forces over-production of yeast out of your body. My son had a yeast infection several months ago (not the diaper episode). The medication was $85 a bottle and we had bad insurance at the time. The doc told us that yogurt actually works better than any medicine out there, if your kid likes it. Our son thinks yogurt is the best thing in the world, so it wasn't a problem. Anyway - it only took about 2 or 3 days and he was better.

Hope this helps... those infections are so painful.

Hello C.,
I swear by Aquaphor. It's made by Eucerin and is more often found in the women's hand cream/lotion aisle than in the baby aisle. It's wonderful and gentle. Every time we've used it, we notice a huge improvement in one diaper changing. You could try it.
Hope you find something to soothe your little one!
Good luck!

When my daughter had a rash, we used Nystatin. We found that in order for it to work well, we had to give her a bath every day and use soap on her bum. Then we had to keep her hands away from it while we dried her off and aired it out for a few minutes. Nystatin and A & D Ointment w/ Zinc along with the baths and airing out have worked for us. We use the Nystatin twice a day and slather the A & D w/ zinc on top of it all over the bum.

Hi C. - been there and done that. Try chlotrimazole - it is like lotrimin but way better. My daughter had this same type of issue off and on the entire time she was in diapers and chlotrimazole was the only thing that worked. Good luck!

I used women's yeast infection med on my son. Worked great. If it's not widespread, you could even try using Lanolin, pure. Works great for everything from diaper rash, burns, to keeping cheeks and lips from drying out and cracking in the winter. :D

My friend had the same problem with their daughter, they used the Safeway brand of diaper rash cream and it actually worked! It is like tar, and is not the best for everyday use due to the amount of chemicals in it but for times like this it is fine. Good luck I hope you have a safeway in your town.

C., you poor things! I don't know if it will help but my business has a baby line that I live for with my son! Not only did it clear a rash from antibiotics up with only 2 applications, but it also keeps his eczema at bay. I would be happy to send you a sample and see if it works! Just send me your address and I'll get it out to you. Best of luck!

I understand exactly what you are going through. My 2-year old was just recently going through the same thing: bloody rash, screaming and kicking with the diaper change. Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial stuff that the pediatrition didn't work (and I tried those for a month straight). I finally realized that he was reacting to the diapers and some of the toxins in the disposable diapers. I just barely switched to cloth a few days ago and his bottom is starting to look better. It is a big switch and I was scared of it but there are so many options out there for cloth that it is no longer what you typically think of with the pins and all. My husband can even do these ones. Let me know if you need help. Good luck.

D.
____@____.com

My son suffered with diaper rash a lot before I decided to try showering him when he needed to be changed. He reacted to the diaper wipes. Then I found Melagel (antibacterial, antifungicidal, soothing, and penetrating)and I put this on him if any rash starts and he heals up more wuickly than anything. The active ingredients in yogurt would be good for your daughter too. Hope this helps. She may even be allergic to the diapers and there are natural diapers you can find out there. Give me a call to hear where to get Melalgel. It's amazing stuff. ###-###-####

my daughter had something similar at that age and it turned out to be excema. Talk to your dr.

My kids had gone thru this same thing, and you know what knocked it right out? Monistat. Go buy some monistat three or any miconazole for yeast infections that has the tube of cream, not the ovules, and just use it externally once or twice a day. I usually will put a generous layer on it, then apply Desitin over it to protect it. Its really messy but your baby will thank you!

Hi C.,
I have to wonderfull grown children that have thier own children now, your delema with the rash brought back alot of memories for me. My children also have very sensitive skin and rashes like you described were an issue for me. My kids spent alot of time at home diaperless--until i took them to a dermatologist. They have food alergies, it can and does come out in a form of rash and it can look like raw hamburger after a long period of time. The dermatologist gave me peace of mind that it was not something i was doing wrong but an alergic reaction, so I followed up with an alergenist. My son was alergic to 13 out of 15 food groups that he was tested for, although that was when he was older. The rash period after a salve that the dermatologist perscribed cleared up almost immediatly. Good luck to you and I hope that this helps you in some manner.
L. Rose

Try feeding her yogurt everyday that will help. It seems like I heard a woman once say that she actually rubs yogurt down there also. Maybe to dry her out you could get her some cotton panties that would probably allow for a lot more air and be more comfortable than a diaper.

We had a similar issue. Powdered probiotics worked wonders for us. They are found in the refridgerated section of the supplment aisle at New Seasons or Whole Foods. I kept the container in my fridge and just grabbed it on my way to a diaper change. I would sprinkle it on the affected area. It doesn't sting at all. You can also add it to her food. In my experience the rash would clear up in a day or two.

Good luck!

oh sweet little girl! My daughter had a terrible yeast rash for a year. We tried everything natural and nothing worked. Finally the Nystatin worked. You could try Gentian Violet which is the purple dye stuff. Be careful as it stains everything. You can get it at Wal MArt and it is also used with thrush. It sometimes works quite well for kids. My daughter didn't scratch but the yeast ate her skin so bad that she was bleeding. Oh how well I remember that awful time, I just wanted to cry. Hope you find something soon.
J.

I have noticed that a lot say to use a woman's yeast infection treatment like monistat. I warn you I received the same advice and it made my daughter writhe in the worst pain I have ever seen her in. It has acid in it and if her rash is raw it will burn like fire. It made her lybia swell huge and she had big welts where the cream was. Just a warning, the stuff isn't gentle.

Is it from an allergy? If my daughter gets a rash, it absolutely will not go away unless she goes diaper-less for a while. We even use cloth diapers but she has sensitive skin and yeast issues.

It may be the diaper itself that is contributing to the rash. I've used disposable diapers that helped cause diaper rash. Try changing brands. We had a lot of luck with Pampers, but other brands were awful in this regard.

There is no diaper rash oitment like Desitin. It was the only one that worked for us.

Hi there, My daughter (19 months now) had a crazy rash that wouldn't go away too. I was scared to try Lotrimen because it said that it was for jock itch and it didn't seem right to put on a baby. We did eucerin lotion which helped (putting on often) and a "no talc" baby powder on top. it also may be something in your daughter's diet ie. anything citrus, tomatoes, or an allergy of some kind. I would lay off all juices (if you're giving) as a test. we eventually ended up going to a dermatalogist after 6 months of trying different things and got a perscription with cortisone that got rid of it for good. Good luck to you!

I have heard that some babies are allergic to disposable diapers. Do you use disposable? Maybe try to change to cloth and see if that improves...or try another kind of disposable...like Seventh Generation. Also, I use a hair dryer on my baby's bottom to dry her out, everytime we change her.

My daughter suffered from terrible diaper rashes for the first three months of her life - I can't recall more than a few days here and there that she was rash-free. It would go through stages from basic diaper rash to yeast, to bacterial, back to yeast, etc. Lots of yeast. I also had very little benefit from Nystatin and Lotrimin. Another prescription cream we used was Mupirocin 2% (for bacterial causes) and that actually works well since often you will have a combo of yeast and bacteria at work! However, all those aside, I tried almost every available diaper cream and FINALLY found a fabulous diaper cream. It made a huge difference for us: TRIPLE PASTE. You can get it at Walgreens (although a bit pricey) and I have seen it at Target before, but I am not sure if they still carry it. IT IS GREAT because it has a very high % of zinc oxide and it coats and soothes very well. Sticky and thick, the way you need it. I would put on the Nystatin (or Lotrimin) mixed with a bit of Mupirocin first and then slather on the Triple Paste. I would do this after every diaper change. The cream is only half the solution. You need to wash her bottom with luke warm water mixed with baking soda. I had a bowl by the laundry sink that I would fill up with warm water and throw in 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda, mix it up and then use this to wash her diaper area. The baking soda can also go in her bath. It is cheaper and as effective as those Aveno Oatmeal Bath products. The baking soda neutralizes PH and helps to terminate yeast activity as a result.

And like another mom said - we used the HAIRDRYER to dry her off before putting the cream/diaper back on!

Hope this helps you as much as it helped us! Once she heals up, you need to keep putting on the Triple Paste cream (not the others) every single diaper changing.

Good Luck!

My son had this when he was a baby. I used Caldesine powder. It's a medicated powder, you can find it at Rite Aid or you can ask your pharmisist to order it for you. It cleared it right up along with meds from the doctor. The powder keeps the area dry, it wont heal unless it's dry. I was told to let my baby go without a diaper...........uh, I don't think so. LOL. I never stopped using the powder, it works so great at keep the skin dry and protected. I used it with all three of my babies and NEVER had a diaper rash again with any of them.
D.

Hi C.,
I have no idea what starts or stops diaper rash but you may want to try corn starch, the one you cook with, to help with keeping her bottom dry in her diaper. It's a home remedy my mom hooked me on to when my daughter was suffering from diaper rash when she was a baby. I haven't experienced diaper rash this time around with my 8 month old son and I believe it's because I use a nature-based cream called "Special Attention" cream. I own a self-care & wellness company that has partnered with a nature-based product line that offers therapeutic-grade essential oils in 90% of their products. If you've ever been around massage therapists or homeopathic doctors, they swear their proffessions to it! Anyway, since using it consistently, I find that I don't need to apply it to him everyday and i also use it on dry patches. You can learn more by going to: http://www.warmspirit.org/truewellnessbydesign or calling me directly at (888)425-3037. I'm positive you'll get great results with products made from the earth that will not only soothe the itching but heal the rash.
-S.
www.truewellnessbydesign.com

I've heard lavender oil can be soothing for diaper rash. Find it in the health-food section or natural food stores. God luck!

Hello,

My youngest had a horrible persistant rash that the prescription creams from the Dr.'s office just would not help. Through a friend I found a product called jential (SP?) violet. That when applied to the rash cleared it up within about a week maybe 10 days, but I started to see results right away and I think the reason it did not clear up sooner was because I was not the only one changing my son and others would not use it. My friend had also used it to clear up thrush. The Dr. had also told me my son had a yeast infection. I do have one warning. It is PURPLE! It will dye the carpet or the furniture if you spill it so if you decide to use it make sure you put something down before hand. It will dye your daughter but after you are done using it a bath will cause it to fade and go away fairly quickly. It is an herbal remedy and could probably be found in that section of, I believe, my friend got it at Fred Meyer. It was gifted to me so I cannot say for sure. I hope this helps and blessings on you and your little one.
Vida

I can relate. My little girl just had a similar rash. We used Nystatin on hers also, but the biggest help was airing out her bottom area. Until I started doing that every day, it was not going away. Maybe you could play with her favorite toy while you air out her bottom to distract her from scratching.

With my oldest daughter we discovered she was allergic to a brand of diapers that we tried. We never used them again and she cleared right up when we switched. Have you tried switching brands of diapers? another possibility might be switching to cloth for a bit to help clear it up (or switch to disposables if you're using cloth.) Just a possibility I'm throwing out there since we went through that with our daughter and it turned out to be a skin reaction to something in the diapers. Good luck and hope your daughter gets better soon.

C., We went through this also. Alot of good advice from others here. To help the diaper rash medicine(desitine or butt paste) from rinsing away in the diaper each time my daughter urinated I would put vaseline over the cream medicine. It made a temporary waterproof barrier so the urine wouldn't rinse away the medicine. It was the only thing that worked and she had a horrible rash too. Don't use baby wipes they hurt sensitive rashed skin. I would rinse her at the sink or tub and gently dry her bottom. Good luck.

Try coconut oil. I know it sounds strange but it worked for us and my friends. Coconut oil has many healing properties and is safe. You can even eat it. (many foods are cooked in it and we never know) Keep doing everything you are doing but put on the oil. It's really soothing. Have you tried a spitz bath with baking soda to help level out the ph balance in the skin? This might help also. Sorry you are going through this. Are you using over the counter wipes? If so, try just using a warm wash cloth to clean her. The wipes might be contributing to the problem.

My daughter had really bad peeling diaper rashes. Nothing we tried worked, even what the doctor gave us. Then I found out about Tea Tree oil. I started out mixing it with Bag Balm (It's great because it has skin healing properties in it),then switched to a cheap shortening (you know, the store brand of Crisco). The shortening was more cost effective($2 or $3 for a big container). My book said to mix 10 drops of oil in 1/4 cup of stuff. I would just put some balm/ shortening in a small bowl, and start with a few drops (5-10) and see if I could smell the oil. If your not sure if it's enough then try it for a few days. If it works, great. If it doesn't, maybe you need more oil in it. I remember being scared the first time I tried this, but now it's the only thing I will use. It's cheaper and there are no unwanted ingredients in it. I kept it in a small Tupperware container or an used up bag balm container.

Another thing to think about are your wipes. When my daughter had really bad rashes I stopped using wipes and stated using thick paper towels and water. I would wet a few at a time to have ready for a day or two and kept them in a wipe box.

A few other things are 2-4oz of cranberry juice to help her ph balance even out(not to much or it will make it worse). I have also heard that you should put plain yogurt that contains live cultures in it on a yeast rash(I've never tried it though). It's also good for her to eat yogurt with live cultures in it.

I also would recommend to stay away from baby wipes. The alcohol in them would just irritate and sting your baby's bottom. I use a wet wash cloth for diaper changes.

Have you changed the brand of diapers you are using? Sometimes babies have a reaction to the chemicals in disposable diapers. Maybe, if you have been using a different brand, the diaper rash is a result of the new diapers.

I hope you find something that works for your babe!

C., so sorry about your baby's rash. Ouch.
Can you get her into a bath to sooth her skin?

Hi C.,

poor thing. Always dry the area really good. Use the low setting on your hairdryer, or wave your hands. We use Weleda diaper rash cream and it is great. My friend loves Angel Baby. But remember to dry well first, apply the yeast cream and then the Weleda.

Alex

Poor baby! Lots of differing advice out there. I suppose I'll add my 2 cents to give you even more to consider.

My son is 17 months and has sensitive skin including diaper area and it has been a battle although it's getting better. We did battle staph as well because one of his open "sores" (from scratching) got infected. Once the staph went away though, we are still battling the sensitive skin issues. He can get really red on his bum and even on his boy parts, which causes him to scream in pain and itch like mad. I use calendula cream during flare ups. It seems to bring INSTANT relief as soon as we apply it. I'm not sure if the brand of calendula matters as long as the ingredients are natural. We use California Baby Calendula Cream. I also cover his mattress with towels (tucked in) for bedtime and put him in a cloth diaper with no cover (used a snappi to keep it on). The cloth allows that area to breath. I let him "recover" in cloth all day but am sure to change him very often. It is work, but it always clears up within a matter of hours. I never use wipes or chemicals when changing him either. I use a mixture of lavender essential oil and jojoba oil with water in a spray bottle and wipe him with cloth wipes (smells good and has healing properties).

Oatmeal baths help with itching also. Aveeno has a great oatmeal bath--the ingredient is 100% oatmeal. You can make your own too by putting oatmeal in a food processor and adding one cup to her bath water. We don't use soap--his skin is just too sensitive, but I did find a wonderful all natural product from Kettle Care called Sensitive Body Wash. We have to stay away from Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

One last thing (sorry so long!)--those mittens to keep her from scratching won't stay on. I use socks on my son. I keep them on with athletic tape, but I make sure to only put the tape on the sock around his wrist, and not too tight, but tight enough he can't get them off when he pulls on them with his teeth. If the tape even barely touches his skin, he breaks out.

It is work to treat and prevent skin irritations, and I have done just about everything! A lot of trial and error until finding a "system" that works. Best of luck to you!

I'm an adoring wife to a wonderful man and a SAHM to a handsome 17 mo. old lil' fella.

Hi C.,
I used a herb that works like a miracle. You have to add it to her bath. It is an old fashion way to treat yeast infections. I got no idea why something so common and effective is not popular here. It is widely use in Eastern Europe. It is very effective for gums infections too, so I guess it is OK to swallow some, but not recommended. I used it for my son and I gave it to some of my friends and they were really impressed by its effect. If you want to try it, please, contact me. I will be happy to send you a pack, so you can see if it will work for you too.

My daughter had a rash that we thought was yeast, but the yeast treatments didn't work. I ended up using the blow drier on a cool setting at each change and Lanolin with Desitin over the top. The Lanolin heals and the Desitin keeps the Lanolin on! It worked very quickly! I just used the stuff I had left over from nursing. It really is amazing stuff!

Just a side thought. If you don't want to use wash cloths when she is messy, you can make your own wipes that will be much gentler. Just cut a roll of paper towels in half and put them in an air tight container along with a solution of water and sensitive skin baby wash. This way you have all the convenience of a ready to use disposable wipe, but one without all the chemicals.

Have you tried switching diaper brands? And clean the tub very well with bleach? She could be reinfecting herself if it is yeast.

Hi C.,

My daughter had a similar problem. What we did was put desitin over the top of the yeast cream so it would stay on & not come off if she urinated or if the diaper rubbed a little. Before using the desitin (or similar product) we couldn't control the yeast infections. Hope this helps!

S.

try WELEDA diaper cream. it is a wonderful brand. any time my daughter had a rash, it worked like magic. i have also put it on heat rashes or little scrapes, and it works as well. it's all natural ingredient, the big one being calendula, with soothes. try it. i swear it works! they sell it at market of choice and probably most health care stores. good luck~ s

Two things come to mind--first, can you find some "little girl undies" that would loosely fit her? She'll be able to get more air on her bum and it might diminish the affects of scratching at it. Yes, they'll get wet and pooed in, but it's worth a shot.

Second suggestion: visit a naturopath. My friends and I have had great results because the ND's are so darn thorough. (Great at discovering the causes of mystery rashes, etc. and helping families figure out a plan, be it using a cream, omitting certain foods, etc.) Not that your doc isn't thorough, but the approach is very holistic and often identifies causes that doctors don't ordinarily look for. Consider it as getting a second opinion. If you live in an area that has a school of natural medicine,you may be able to get an appt at a lower price.

The hairdryer idea is a tried and true method, too. Great no matter what kind of rash baby has.

Hope your daughter feels better soon.

C.,
You have gotten most of the advice i used... What worked for us was disposable diapers... Cloth kept them too wet, even for 15 minutes.... the disposable wicked away some of the irritants.
We used Lamisil... an anti-fungal. It was prescribed to me for one of my children when we lived in Portland and it worked wonders within a day or two. My Dr. here in Kennewick wasn't sold on using it for this purpose because it wasn't recommended for this in particular, but he had never seen such a raw bottom as my youngest son had and was willing to try anything to help. :) It worked! and has for all of my kids. I slathered desitin on in between using the Lamisil once in the morning and once in the evening. The violet dye was way too much of a mess to be worth it to me.
Have you changed her diet recently? Yeast is of course provoked by sugars in the system. We had to use a corn-syrup based formula (sugar) as my children did not have the enzymes to break down the proteins in all the milk and soy based formulas. So it was a constant battle w/all of five of them. If I was consistent w/ the Lamisil and Desitin things were fine.
If your child ever gets thrush there is a suspension that will numb the throat so your child can swallow and eat or drink something that the doctor can prescribe along with the other meds.
Feel free to email me with any other questions... I will be praying for your little one's speedy recovery. Blessings,

Hi dear,

Your poor little girl! That sounds awful. I glanced at some of the advice (not all, though) and it sounds like good stuff to try. I would also try getting her on some baby probiotics (like Baby JarroDophilus) that you can find in the refrigerated supplement section of a health food store. I got mine at New Seasons. If it really is yeast, you should take a look at what your daughter is eating. If she eats a lot of sweet things such as bananas (and other fruits) and juice you should eliminate or limit those things for a while because they will aggravate the yeast rash. Best of luck. It's so hard to see little ones suffer :(

I don't know if all medical facilities offer this, but Kaiser does. When my daughter would get bad diaper rashes from taking antibiotics her peds doc would prescribe diaper cream. I don't know what was in it, it was just called special diaper cream. It was amazing, within a few hours she was feeling better and the rash was staring to clear. I would recommend you to asj for a prescription if you haven't already.