Tips on Preventing Diaper Rash

Diapering Basics and Tips for Preventing Diaper Rash

If you are a parent, you know how frustrating diaper rash can be. It can make you feel helpless to see your baby’s delicate, new skin inflamed, and your little one in discomfort. What can you do to avoid it? After all, that sweet, soft skin has to be exposed to dirty diapers, and that is not ideal. Fortunately, once you understand what causes diaper rash, you can find the right diaper rash treatment to help your little one, and even learn how to prevent diaper rash in the future.

What Is Diaper Rash?

Diaper rash is also known as diaper dermatitis, and it is a common form of skin irritation. It typically forms when the baby’s diaper area is in contact with urine or stool for a long time. There are different diaper rash types, but they generally cause red blotches on the skin, and severe diaper rash can cause a fever. It is nearly impossible to completely avoid diaper rashes, because there are a few different things that can them.

• Yeast rashes occur because the diaper environment is warm and wet, and yeast rashes can be persistent.
• Urine and stool contain enzymes and irritants that will cause a rash if the diaper area is not cleaned quickly and well.
• Some wipes, detergents, and disposable diapers may irritate a baby’s sensitive skin, resulting in a rash.
• New foods, antibiotics, and other changes in diet can cause a rash.

How To Prevent & Treat Diaper Rash

The good news is that most diaper rashes can be treated at home, with just a few simple solutions. A mild diaper rash will usually be gone within a few days, leaving your baby’s skin in its normal condition. Some of the steps in treating diaper rash are the same steps to prevent it, like changing the diaper as soon as it has been soiled. You can also treat and prevent diaper rash by applying diaper rash cream with zinc oxide or petroleum jelly, to protect the baby’s skin from moisture. Talk to your pediatrician about the best diaper rash cream for your baby, and look for one that is fragrance-free. Make sure the diaper your baby is wearing is not so tight that it cuts off air flow and causes chafing. In fact, while a baby is recovering from diaper rash, it may be a good idea to use a larger diaper until the area is clear.

6 Tips for Preventing Diaper Rash

These tips may not teach you how to get rid of a diaper rash in 24 hours, but they can help you shorten the duration of the rash and keep it from reoccurring.

1. Change diapers frequently, and immediately after soiling. Try to catch it right away when your baby soils the diaper, so that you can keep the skin from being exposed to moisture and enzymes. Even if your baby seems comfortable and content in a wet diaper, change it, so that you can prevent a diaper rash from occurring.
2. Let your baby’s skin air dry whenever you can. When you change diapers, give your baby’s skin time to dry before putting on another diaper. This prevents moisture from transferring and can help keep baby dry and rash-free.
3. Ditch the diaper. While it’s unrealistic to think you can keep your baby diaper-free all day, it helps to allow this for a few hours at a time. Putting your baby on some blankets or diapering cloths can reduce mess while your baby’s bottom takes the air. It may seem a strange idea, but it’s a time-tested technique for breaking the cycle of diaper rash.
4. Get the right fit. Diapers that are too loose can cause leaks, but diapers that are too tight can result in rashes. If the diapers seem snug, go up a size.
5. Choose irritant-free products. Detergents, baby wipes, and soaps with alcohol and heavy fragrances can irritate a baby’s skin and make already irritated areas worse. When diapering a newborn, try using a warm washcloth instead of wipes. Go back to this water and cloth solution if your baby seems prone to rashes.
6. Protect the sensitive skin. Protective ointment creates a barrier, preventing moisture from reaching the baby’s skin. Make sure the skin is dry before applying ointment, and you will find it works quickly to heal irritation and prevent future rashes.

When Should You Get Your Doctor Involved?

If, despite your best efforts, your baby’s diaper rash is not improving, contact your pediatrician. In some cases, as with yeast rashes, prescription medication may be needed to clear the rash. It is especially important to call your baby’s doctor if the rash is bleeding, itchy, or oozing, happens at the same time as a fever, or is causing pain during urination or bowel movements.

Brevard Health Alliance Can Help

If you are looking for a caring pediatrician near Brevard County, or you need any other type of health service in the area, Brevard Health Alliance, Inc. is here for you. Brevard County’s only Federally Qualified Health Center, BHA offers extensive health care services on a sliding-fee scale, so that we can treat residents regardless of their ability to pay. We’re committed to providing an extraordinary quality of care for our patients in order to improve the health status of Brevard County. Our focus is on continually improving the quality and efficiency of our care, and on ensuring that every patient we serve is heard, encouraged, and respected. As your family healthcare provider, we strive to provide not just acute care but also preventive care and healthcare-related education. Our board-certified physicians, advanced practice nurse practitioners, and physician assistants provide primary care that includes well-child checkups, well-woman care, and physicals, along with chronic disease management. In fact, since 2005 we’ve provided not only primary care services, but also behavioral health services, dental services, diagnostic services, resource management services, pharmacy services, women’s health care and obstetrics, Hepatitis C and HIV services, extended hours pediatric walk-in care, and specialty referrals. For more information, to find a location, or to make an appointment, contact us through our website.