Horrible, Terrible, Very Bad DIAPER RASH!

[lexbeach]

I need some help!

This is the first non-yeast (we had thrush for six months) rash I've been faced with and it is awful. My 14-month-old ds can hardly walk he's in so much pain. He shakes and trembles and screams when I touch his bum at all.

It all started yesterday afternoon. He pooped really frequently all day yesterday, not loose, but just really frequent really small poops. So I kept not noticing that he'd gone until he'd probably been sitting in it for a little while at least (I usually change my boys every two hours unless my nose tells me to do it sooner). He was looking a little red, and then he fell asleep, and must have pooped during his nap. When he woke up, he had the horrible rash. He was just screaming and wouldn't move his legs apart. . .

I think it may have been influenced by him eating an orange wedge in the morning. The acid must have burned him.

So, at this point we've been doing calendula all day and no change. He's still pooping really frequently (it is diarrhea now), so letting him go naked doesn't really work. We've been changing him every hour at least, but it's not made a difference at all.

The rash is very red, flat, and has a couple of shiny, oozy spots.

I've never seen my baby in this much pain. It's tearing me apart.

What can I do????!!!

Thanks!

Lex

ETA: We use cloth diapers, nothing different going on with the wash routine.

[allformyboys]

Sounds like a teething rash, the only thing that helps even a little bit with us (and we get it EVERY tooth) is a barrier cream, we use zinc based cream (but protect your diapers, use CPF's or cheap fleece liners).

I also give as much nakie time as I dare (with all those poo's) and baths frequently, aveeno oatmeal baths help a bit too. Poor baby could he be getting his 1 year molars? that was the worst rash we had yet, it even bled. And I changed as soon as he poo'd but it didn't seem to matter, as soon as it touched it was burning.

[MiaPia]

We had a rash exactly like that when DS had a nasty virus last month. Believe it or not our pediatrician recommended we put Mylanta on it! Yes, the same Mylanta you take for heart burn! I used cotton balls to pat it on the rash, let it dry for a couple minutes, then coated with vaseline. It REALLY worked wonders! It did sting initially on contact, but after a few seconds you could easily see the relief in DS's eyes.

I hope your poor baby is feeling better soon and you get the rash under control.

[2much2luv]

Wow, Mylanta...I'm logging that one away.

Sorry about your dear babe's rash. That is just so hard on baby and mama. No advice but I hope it gets better soon.

[Ackray]

OUCH! Could it have been something that he ate?

We had a super rash here a bit ago... I put a fake fleece liner (just a scrap that I cut) in the dipe so it wouldn't get ruined and I lube Jackie up with triple paste. This usually clears up Jackie's terrible rashes from citrus fruits (which we try to never give her) in less than 24 hours.

[kimberlylibby]

My daughter gets that from Dairy. She gets true chemical burns complete with blisters if she gets even a drop of dairy in any form, including dairy IN things, like waffles....

It is SUCH a nightmare.

I usually end up letting her lay naked on a prefold while I stroke her arms and her belly and hold her while she cries..... she almost always gets her initial reaction in the middle of the night, so we end up sobbing together at 2 a.m.

NOTHING has helped for us for making it feel better.... (edited)

Anyway, Huge hugs of sympathy. Oh, one more thing, when she's naked, if I open her legs so it is all exposed to air, sometimes gently blowing on her genital area gives her some relief..... maybe by cooling it? I always feel a little odd blowing on her vaginal area, but it makes her feel better... so you know.....

Kimberly

[pageta]

Ben has very sensitive skin, and MIL told me yesterday than when BIL was little, she'd put him in a bath with epson salts and it would draw the rash right out of him, cleared it up every time. It's worth a try. Poor thing! Also, you might consider going coverless so you can see when he's wet. Ben sometimes will wet ever 15 to 30 minutes, so that's how often I end up changing him. His rash is completely gone, though, since we've been going coverless. We tried fleece, and it worked somewhat. Ben just has extremely sensitive skin.

[kimberlylibby]

Oh one more thing!

I agree on coverless.... during the day for the few days after a breakout, I always let her run around in fitteds (this is why we switched from AIO's to fitteds!!) with no cover....

And I rarely go longer than 45 minutes to 1 hour during the day between changes during that time....

Hang in there mama.... I know the pain.... especially when they pee or poo and just freak out from the pain It just breaks a mama's heart!

[hnybee]

hang in there! I agree with the coverless and fleece inserts. it really does help!

[lori810]

I am so sorry! Just wanted to sympathize. Ava has had a very bad diaper rash for months although hers doesn't appear to cause pain that I can tell (we think it's yeast). Anyway, back to your little one, everyone has great suggestions. I also did the mylanta thing, It is supposed to neutralize acid so that might help. You can mix it with vaseline and some zinc oxide to make a paste.
Good luck!!
Lori

[MiaPia]

Originally posted by kimberlylibby

Anyway, Huge hugs of sympathy. Oh, one more thing, when she's naked, if I open her legs so it is all exposed to air, sometimes gently blowing on her genital area gives her some relief..... maybe by cooling it? .....

I do the same thing for my son when he gets one of his rashes. I feel odd too, but hey - you do what you have too! I also use the hairdryer on him - mine has a cool setting that is just air. After baths especially we'll use it to make sure there's no dampness to make it even worse.

[mommasuz]

I agree with Marnie, sounds like a teething rash. My DS gets it with every tooth, but especially bad with molars. It's just awful, he cries hurt every time I change him and won't sit in the bath because it hurts so bad. I just use warm water when I wipe him and use a thick barrier cream but nothing really works and luckily it hasn't lasted more than one or two days. I change him whenever he's wet or dirty, and if I can get him to sit still for a while while we read books or watch a video I'll let him go naked sitting on a prefold. I've even shut us in the bathroom with toys to give him naked time in a floor that he could poop on. Hang in there, it shouldn't last long!

[lexbeach]

Thank you all so much!

I think it IS a teething rash! Don't know why I hadn't thought of that. Ds is definitely teething, he's had his fist in his mouth for a couple of days now. The rash is a lot better today, although still pretty bad. I've been putting the Burt's Bees Diaper Cream on today since the Calendula didn't seem to help yesterday. And I've got him in a kissaluvs coverless, so I can definitely tell when he's peed (I'm amazed it doesn't run right through to the floor!). He is walking fine and only complains when I change him. I think he is on the mend.

I will try the mylanta if the progress stalls or if the rash gets worse again.

Thanks!

Lex

[allformyboys]

I hope it clears up quickly, Joe has a bit of one right now too (getting the bottom molar now at 18 months) I am on baby #4, I know my rashes by now

[ajsgirl]

Lex,

So sorry to hear about the rash! That's really terrible. But I sure am glad he's doing better. Arjun's strenuously pooping in my lap as I type. I guess that would be "pak", right?

Looking forward to next Sat!

Elizabeth

[thundersweet]

That Burts Bee's is good stuff. My dd very rarely got rashes in cloth but the few times she did they were bad. The Burts Bee's was the only thing that helped. I could also see if she was starting to get red I would put some on at bedtime and voila! In the morning no signs of a full blown rash.

For this next baby I have a tube of the Burts Bee's and I bought some Rash Be Gone, Lavender Diaper Salve, Skin Soother, and Simply Shea Butter from www.mamasfavorites.com I bought all sample sizes to see which I prefer. The shea butter I really got to try on my dd's red flaky cheeks.

Good luck and I hope you find something that works!!

[mothergooseofthree]

I have tried the Mylanta, Gaviscon, whatever antacid you have around. It works on those acidic rashes like teething or food related.......definitely give it a try.

[Oceanone]

Great advice above. Just a big

[Melaniee]

The miracle cure for diaper rash around here is Triple Paste.

[tabitha]

my first thought was teething. the only rashes ds has ever had in his life were teething rashes. only one really bad one like that- so bad we let him go diaperless all day (and *all night*) and just cleaned up after him and tried to catch pees and poos. we also used liquid lanolin as a natural barrier.

i hope it passes soon! i feel for your babe !

tabitha