Nasty Nappy Rash

[nettlesoup]

My daughter (17 months) has had a nasty nappy rash now for a few months on and off. It all started when the teeth before her molars started coming in, and was going through a horrible bout of teething from them. The rash starts as little blisters, but then they burst to reveal small open sores. Nappy cream makes no difference to it at all. Whenever it looks like it's finally going away, it just comes back again. It was finally gone but then just came back again last week.

I went to the doctor about it today. She wasn't sure what it was but prescribed antibiotics, steroid creams and anti fungals anyway. I am not at all happy about giving my daughter these things, especially the anitbiotics. I'm going to try and get an apointment with a herbalist tomorrow for a second opinion, but can anyone give me any advice? Someone told me that bananas can cause bad nappy rash, and she eats half a banana most days. But I'm not sure that's the cause. I'm currently putting marigold cream on it to see if that helps.

[peainthepod]

DS had a very similar rash at about the same age and I'm fairly certain it was yeast. We fed him lots of plain yogurt sweetened with just a teeny tiny bit of honey (he wouldn't eat it unsweetened), and also put the same plain unsweetened yogurt directly on the rash. The yogurt soaks in and leaves little dry curds that are easily brushed off. Then we gave him a tepid bath (plain water, no soap) and let him go diaper-free for a few hours to dry it out.

The rash came back every time we let him sit in a wet diaper for even a few minutes too long, so I found it was really important to change him immediately after he pottied. And then we'd repeat the yogurt/bath/drying out cycle. Took us a couple of weeks but it hasn't come back. And now I make sure to give him yogurt (to eat) every single day.

[Amanda L]

It sounds like the really bad yeast diaper rash my stepson had. He was prescribed Nystatin for it, but it didn't really help. It ended up being the first sign that he had Type I diabetes and it didn't go away until his blood sugar levels were back under control.

Maybe someone who has experience with normal yeast rashes will chime in . . .

[shnitzel]

DD has yeast rashes fairly regularly which developed after one bad rash. I get yeast infectiond/thrush fairly easily which is what I think caused it. The yeast is usually spots and redness and the spots can spread even out of the diaper area to her thighs. Another indication is a rash in the folds and more on her vulva than near her tushy like other rashes. I buy over the counter antifungals like monistat but you can also get lotrimin which is for jock itch. totally not scientifically based but I preferred a cream that was made to go on a female privates. I wouldn't try the more natural cures on her which I have used effectively on myself because they all burn or sting. If it is fungal you should see major improvement over night.

[nettlesoup]

Oh, I wonder if it is fungal; it is mostly on her vulva and upper thighs. I decided to try the cream last night in case it is fungal, but I still have no intention of using antibiotics on her. Hopefully it'll look better this morning when she wakes up. Thanks for the help

[mummymoon]

Dear Nettle soup , I am new to this site and found your response whilst seraching for nappy rash. My 18 month toddler suffers alot from nappy rash too, and I am convinced it is related to his teething. I too have had nappy rash that has blistered and has made nappy changing very unpleasant for my little one. The best thing I have used is just Metanium nappy cream from Boots and by allowing him to just wander around with no nappy so that the air can get to it. It can take a couple of days to rectify but this has been the best solution I have found. Am keen to hear of other mums experiences with nappy rash and their remedies. All the best mummymoon :)

[mummymoon]

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[lactatinggirl]

Sounds exactly like the rash that my DD has been getting on and off for the last year. She actually has a scar in one spot where she keeps getting an open sore! No matter how much diaper free time we gave her, it wouldn't ever heal entirely. It's so awful. 

The doctor has had us put a special cream on it multiple times which helps, but then it comes right back. What has really helped is switching diaper rash creams. Grandma El's Diaper Rash Remedy is the kind we started using. You don't pile it on like traditional creams, just a thin layer. We use it whenever DD gets even a little bit red and it goes away quickly. 

[KJunebug]

Whenever one of my kids gets a bad rash I make a mixture in my palm of: triple antibiotic ointment, desitin, Mother Love thrush, and Nystatin.  My older girl has had some killer bad bacterial rashes.... and yes after the antibiotics, she got a yeasty rash (argh!!!).  If none of this works, I would suggest you think about those anti-biotics though, because it can turn into something very frightening, like a MRSA.  I don't blame you for trying everything else first...

[cristeen]

I recommend you try what you have - only by trial and error will you find what works for this particular rash.  We've been battling rash off and on for weeks now - with the open bleeding sores.  We have Nystatin and an antibiotic cream (like Neosporin), and a sealer cream from our ped.  And at this point we've achieved stasis.  By which I mean it's not getting worse but it's not getting better either.  We've switched to sposies, bought all new dipes (pockets instead of fitteds), have soaked him in the pool 3x/week per doctors orders, etc. Eventually we'll find the magic bullet, but in the meantime I'm still trying. 

[Courtney-Ostaff]

Sunshine is the best remedy.  It's got natural UV antibacterials, and antifungals.  I'm betting on a fungal infection.  Nappy-free is the way to go.  

[colsxjack]

You can try a bath with a bit of apple cider vinegar in it. That is supposed to help with yeast.

We also give DD a probiotic mixed in a bit of apple sauce and some honey (a prebiotic) to help balance out and build the good bacteria back into her gut.