Most parents know it: the tender baby bottom is red and sore, diapering hurts the little darling and you hardly dare to clean the bottom. Fortunately, the situation can be quickly improved with the right care. Baby’s bottom is almost always in a diaper – which is not always dry. The warm moist “chamber” softens the skin and makes it vulnerable to external influences. Urine and stool further irritate the delicate skin.
Causes of diaper dermatitis
If the stool then changes as well – for example, due to feeding a new complementary food (especially citrus fruits), an infection, diarrhea or medication – this can lead to redness and inflammation. The attacked skin has only a limited protective function – an easy game for fungi and bacteria. Sometimes the child also reacts sensitively to the diaper materials.
Symptoms of diaper dermatitis
In simple soreness, the skin in the diaper area is red – the rash spreads from the anus toward the perineum and genitals/lower abdomen. If it heals poorly in the warm, moist diaper environment, open, weeping patches may develop. If fungi settle on them (diaper thrush), pustules, nodules and scales also form – the affected region itches intensely, can swell and extend beyond the diaper area. The boundaries to the healthy area are clearly visible, in contrast to a simple sore bottom. If bacteria settle, the pimples become larger and may secrete pus, which is deposited as yellowish crusts. In the case of a severe infection, the general condition may even be impaired and the temperature may be elevated.
Prevention and treatment of diaper dermatitis.
The most important measure is to counteract the warm and humid climate in the diaper. To this popflege – with which they can also avoid that your darling gets a sore bottom in the first place – a few tips:
- Change diapers frequently: With bowel movements immediately, otherwise at least after each meal.
- Wrap rather loosely – so some air gets into the wet chamber
- Let air get to baby’s bottom as often as possible (let him kick naked – in a warm room on a blanket or under a heat lamp)
- If your baby has a sore bottom more often, switch to a different brand of diapers – some children are sensitive to certain substances, but not to other brands.
- For cleaning, take a soft washcloth soaked only in water or even calendula oil or whey. But: oil care wipes are not tolerated by some children and are more likely to be avoided in case of fungal infection.
- After cleaning, dry the skin (including the skin folds!) Well: either gently dab or with a hair dryer on low heat (40 to 50 centimeters away, hold sideways and cover the penis with a dry cloth for small boys).
- Then smear a skin-protecting soft zinc paste or baby ointment with calendula oil. For weeping rashes can instead apply a cream paste of almond oil, zinc oxide and fat cream or chamomile, cod liver oil, sulfur, lanolin and zinc oxide (to be mixed in the pharmacy) or a ready liver trans ointment (for example, Mirfulan).
In addition, there are some medicinal plants that work against inflammation. So you can bathe baby’s bottom after cleaning in warm chamomile or yarrow tea, particularly proven also thyme tea. Oak bark (from the pharmacy) and blueberry juice (from the health food store) have an astringent effect and thus accelerate healing. Two effective home remedies are breast milk dabbed on sore spots and black tea (steep for half an hour) used to dab weeping spots. If your child suffers from recurring diaper sores, many therapists recommend a change in diet: avoid “unhealthy” carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour, fruit juices, and instead eat whole foods with plenty of sour milk products, sauerkraut and nuts. The important thing here is conscious, slow food intake with thorough chewing. Homeopathic constitutional therapy can also help strengthen the child’s defenses.
When to see a doctor?
Most of the time, parents get the situation under control themselves with simple measures. However, a visit to the doctor is advised if the skin condition does not improve within three to four days, if the skin bleeds profusely or shows other signs of a fungal infection, or if your child seems to be impaired overall.Infections with fungi and bacteria must be treated with special drugs – mostly creams, in severe cases also tablets.
