Tips for healing a consistently spreading yeast rash?

[P.J.]

DS has had a yeast rash for the last 9 days or so. We went to the doctor 8 days ago and was diagnosed with yeast. She gave us some homeopathy and I've been putting some antifungal cream on 3x/day since then. The rash started on his penis and scrotum, just  a couple tiny areas. I put the cream all over his diaper area, but it still spread....now it's down the inside of his thighs a bit (just an inch or so) and around the front of his diaper area. It went away on his penis but then last night I noticed a few new dots of it there again. Ugh! If it's not much better by Monday we'll go back to the doc.

I have been letting him have lots of pants-free time around the house, at least an hour a day a few times. He gets a bath most days, and I have been washing all laundry in boiling water. Also washing all our hands a little more often than usual. I tried a blow dryer at dipe changes but it freaked him out.

I know I could give him yogurt but he hasn't been wanting any! I have probiotic caps, and you're supposed to sprinkle it on their food, but he eats very inconsistently and mostly just snacks, kwim? Those caps are super expensive and I really don't want to waste them, which I am sure would happen. Do they make liquid probiotics for babies??

Sooooo, anyone BTDT? What finally healed your baby's yeast infection/rash? Any tips I haven't come across? Also once it clears how to prevent it coming back? I know loads of people have a neverending cycle of yeast infections, and we don't want that.

TIA!

[Mom2M]

There are liquid probiotics for babies http://www.amazon.com/Udos-Choice-Infants-Probiotic-2-64-Ounces/dp/B0010EG6QC/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1
We have this issue occasionally with DD and do the same thing that you are doing. We use the Lotrimin cream about 4-5 times a day and keep it dry as often as possible. I actually don't give her a bath that often during it, I use a little bit of Burt's bees baby oil with a drop or 2 of lavender essential oil in it. It seems to feel good for her and I think it helps clear it up faster. I do pay extra attention to washing her diapers because I noticed that she gets the yeast infection after she first gets a diaper rash. I think having an irritation of her skin allows the yeast infection to start.
It seems to correlate with the times that the diapers are not getting all the detergent residue out. I guess they're fine most of the time but then a build up of detergent can happen and she gets irritated skin.
I use fuzzi bunz until I make sure the prefolds are stripped because I think the fleece rinses completely clean easier than the prefolds so it doesn't irritate it.
Good luck, I know it can look really awful!

[P.J.]

(not letting me write under the quote I'm responding to)

Huh that's interesting ~he did have a wee diaper rash right before this, although the diaper rash was on his bum and this is more in front. I wonder if it's related?

Originally Posted by Mom2M  I noticed that she gets the yeast infection after she first gets a diaper rash. I think having an irritation of her skin allows the yeast infection to start.

[sunwise]

Hi there - we have recently been through this with my son - the yeast also caused a weird reaction in his system and caused a fungal rash on his face! The poor guy didn't act bothered by it, but he didn't look too good for a while! Anyway, for us it really took probably about a month of consistently using lotrimin 2-3 times each day, and we eventually got it under control and it went away. (There were a few times when it appeared to rebound slightly, but we just kept at it.) Our ped also told us to keep applying the cream for several days after the rash appears to be gone.

We also had him eating yogurt (or Culturelle mixed into food). Another thing we did with the rash on his face was to use some hydrocortisone cream (with the lotrimin) twice a day for 3-4 days right when we first started treating it. It definitely helped us get it under control, and then we stopped the hydrocortisone and did just lotrimin. You could do that on the diaper area as well.

The main thing I would say is that it can take some time to get it under control, so don't be discouraged if that happens. Good luck!

[HappyHappyMommy]

Originally Posted by P.J. 
I have been washing all laundry in boiling water.

Have you tried adding vinegar to the wash? I had a recurring yeast infections on my breasts and it turned out the yeast was living on bras and clothes (even through hot water washes). Adding white vinegar to the trick in terms of stopping the reinfection! (I also had to take medication to treat the infection that was there, but I'm not sure what the protocol on that would be for an infant.)

Wishing you and your son the best. I'll be thinking of you.

[elmh23]

Try sprinkling the priobiotics directly on the rash and then covering with a breathable diaper (cloth with a cotton or wool cover works best.)

Also, Monistat is awesome.  My second was prone to yeast infections and we used a lot of Monistat cause it was the only that really worked 100%.

[ShanaV]

We had yeast for weeks! We used clotrimazole + hydrocortisone and that got it about 75% improved. Then (wish I bad found this sooner--) CJ's Butter Plus (meant for yeast) fully cleared it. So I highly recommend CJ's butter "plus"!

[ShanaV]

Also, I use baby probiotics (Jarrow's). It's a powder in a little tub. I mix 1/2 tsp with a bit of expressed breastmilk and then use a dropper to feed it to the baby. (if I let him drink it, half would get spilled or spit out, y'know). No messing around opening capsules. Plus it's sweet, so they LOVE it. I found these at whole foods (or your local health food store) in the refrigerated vitamin section. (not on the shelf with all the other vitamins)

[P.J.]

Thanks for all the replies.

Well, it seems this rash had to get worse before it got better.

We were using a Nystatin cream, which was keeping it in check but did not cure it (after 2 weeks). We then switched to a clotrimazole cream (like Lotrimin only under another name in this area) and that seems to be doing the trick. At this rate I am hoping it will be all gone in about a week. But yeah, it says on the package insert to keep using it for four weeks (!!) even if the rash seems to have gone away completely.

I also added vinegar to our wash and actually temporarily stopped using our reusable wipes as I feared the yeast was still living on them ~and we use disposable dipes anyway. In addition I have been giving DS as much dipe-free time as possible, which really helps because it dries out. He was pantsless almost all day yesterday.

I had no idea how virulent and stubborn yeast rashes can be, and how long they can take to clear up! Sheesh!