What to do with diaper rash in a child at home

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Diaper rash is one of the most common skin diseases in newborns and infants. These injuries are not the result of infection and most often appear where the baby's skin is in contact with wet diapers, sliders, diapers for a long time, or is exposed to prolonged exposure to friction.

Causes of diaper rash in a child

The appearance of diaper rash always has its own reasons. There are at least 7 of them:

1. Violations in the care of the baby, which includes occasional washing and bathing, as well as untimely diaper change.
2. Overheating.
3. Use for washing baby clothes of powder and other products that contain a large amount of alkali. This also includes inaccuracies in rinsing children's clothing.
4. Injury to the baby's skin with stitches and rough tissues.
5. Improper use of underpads.
6. Irritation of the skin with feces and urine, which occurs either with poor care, or with diarrhea and other digestive problems.
7. An allergy in which the skin becomes inflamed.

Places of education

Diaper rash is diagnosed in the natural folds of the skin (axillary, cervical, inguinal, ear), as well as on the baby's buttocks, on the lower abdomen. Moreover, the first degree is considered the easiest. If the symptoms are left unattended, then the disease will develop further and can turn into cracks and even deep ulcers on the skin.

Determining diaper rash at the very beginning is not so difficult. This can be done not only by the pediatrician, but also by the parents.

Most often, the disease is diagnosed on the buttocks and in the perineal region. These are the areas that should be given the most attention when caring for a newborn and baby in the first year of life.

Classification

In the practice of pediatricians, as well as dermatologists, it is customary to distinguish several types of diaper rash.

1. Diaper dermatitis. It appears where the baby's skin comes into contact with wet diapers or diapers. Nowhere else is there a rash.
2. Allergic. In this case, diaper rash appears on the buttocks and around the anus. Such a reaction often occurs at the time of the start of complementary feeding with new foods and is a manifestation of food allergy.
3. Intertrigo. This is a disease in which skin folds are affected. The main reason is the accumulation of moisture here, as well as the constant contact of the skin in these folds.
4. Seborrheic eczema. In this case, parents can see a large red spot that is observed in the lower abdomen, groin, in the genital area. The spot has borders that are clearly visible. The skin in this area becomes rough, oily and swollen.
5. Candidamycosis. Here it is no longer possible without the addition of a fungal infection. And, again, red spots are among the symptoms.
6. Impetigo. Such pyoderma develops when an infection joins the diaper rash. In particular, it can be streptococcus or staphylococcus. The main symptoms are the formation of small pustules at first, which then dry out until crusts appear. Most often found on the buttocks.

How diaper rash manifests itself in children

Diaper rash in a child is not so difficult to identify. Moreover, the disease manifests itself with just one symptom - redness of the skin. There is no violation of its integrity, there are no cracks and other characteristic symptoms for diaper rash of the second (moderate) or third (severe) degree of severity.

Also, the baby does not feel any pain, he does not have itching, or burning. Therefore, his mood and behavior does not change in any way.

If diaper rash is noticed at an easy stage and the correct treatment is prescribed, there will be no risk of the disease turning into a more severe condition.

How to get rid of

Treatment of diaper rash in a child should begin with establishing the cause. To do this, you must definitely visit a pediatrician or dermatologist.

The basic rule is to wash the baby as often as possible. And to do this not only after the baby poops, but also pees. It is advisable to wash the skin not only with water, but use an infusion or decoction of herbs - chamomile, calendula, linden, string. If there are no herbs at hand, you can use potassium permanganate.

After washing, dry the skin thoroughly. Special attention is paid to creases.

During the treatment of diaper rash, it is better to leave the baby without a diaper, or to carry out long air baths. This leads to dry folds, which means weeping, which is the main cause of the disease, does not appear.

Pediatricians advise be sure to treat the reddened areas on the body of the newborn with ointments or creams.

It is better to refuse to use powder. In most cases, it quickly rolls into lumps, which can severely injure the baby's skin.

If, despite good care, the diaper rash does not disappear, then the child should be shown to the allergist. Most likely, skin rashes will be signs of allergies.

Summarize

1. Diaper rash may not always indicate skin diseases, sometimes it is also a symptom of allergies.
2. At the first signs of diaper rash, you must immediately start smearing with mayazi and creams. Don't wait for the redness to build up.
3. If you cannot cope with the disease for more than a week, and if you do not see any improvement, you need to see a doctor. Better to do it right away.