Horrible Diaper Rash That Keeps Getting worse...PLEASE HELP

Updated on December 06, 2013
N.S. asks from Los Angeles, CA
22 answers

I need some serious advice here. For the past two days my 2 year old son has had the most horrible diaper rash. It started as redness on his genital area, and now he literally has blisters on his thighs. He screams for 30 minutes every time I change him, and putting Desitin cream on him his an absolute torture. When I put the cream on him, it seems to burn him so bad that he gags, and won't stop screaming. I am not sure where the diaper rash is coming from at the first place: we haven't changed his diaper brand, and change him often. I would greatly appreciate any advice that you might have.

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T.P.

answers from Indianapolis on

It's a yeast infection. My dd used to get them all the time. Use lotrimin and warm water to clean him. Don't give him a bath because it can make things worse. Let him go diaperless and if it doesn't improve in a couple of days take him to the dr.

5 moms found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from San Francisco on

I would take him to the doctor. It might not be diaper rash. Plenty of other types of rashes can show in that area. Hand, Foot and Mouth disease actually often shows up in the genital area and might not appear anywhere else. Since it keeps getting worse, I think you need to have him seen ASAP.

5 moms found this helpful

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Each time he goes put him in the shower and wash his hiney. He'll scream but it will wash the stuff away that is causing the rash.

Dab on Antacid liquid, like Mylanta or Maalox. This kills the stomach stuff that is in the feces and can ease the sting of the urine. Same idea as the baking soda mentioned before. We poured some in a small bowl and used cotton balls to dab the liquid onto their hiney skin. That way the bottle was still clean.

Washing it each time and then treating it with antacid should clear it up by morning.

These are things we did in my day care center. The water stings like crazy, it washes off the stuff that is burning him.

The ointment can actually be making it worse. It coats the stuff and keeps it on the surface of his skin. It can also be opposite of what he needs.

6 moms found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from Portland on

Take him to the doctor! It can either be bacterial or yeast or both. When my little one had a diaper rash like that the advice nurse told me to take him to the ER. The doc said it wasn't quite that urgent, but yours son's sounds worse than my guy.

They will probably give you a mix of Desitin, Monistat, and an antibiotic cream. No wipes, and only warm running water to wash it off with. Also baking soda baths will neutralize any acid going on.

Good luck, but this needs to be seen if its that bad just to be sure. I hope he feels better soon!

5 moms found this helpful

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

Try triple paste diaper cream. I swear by that! I have 2 kids with sensitive skin. Desitin and A&D would just make diaper rashes worse.
Until it clears up don't use wet wipes, just use a washcloth and warm water. I know it's messier and means more laundry but it's worth it. Those wet wipe makes a bad diaper rash worse. If it's a messier diaper, use the diaper to take off what you can without a lot of rubbing then rinse him off in the tub, at that age I would just stand them in there and use the shower head to rinse it off, helps if you have a handheld shower head.
Has he been on any medications lately or tried new foods? Those are very common triggers for diaper rashes.

5 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

N.,

You probably need to take him to the pediatrician and get some prescription ointment.

I would NOT put any more Desitin on his bumm...don't use diaper wipes, use a warm wash cloth with water only - wipes have alcohol in them that can exacerbate the problem.

He could have a food allergy. My son couldn't have apples - of any kind - no juice, etc. until he was 4 years old. His bottom would break out HORRIBLY - if he drank a fruit juice and it had apples in it? Oh MY WORD!!! torture for him...

My daughter got diaper rash that turned into a yeast infection. She had blisters on her bottom..it was horrible. I felt HORRIBLE...we used baking soda in her diaper and a prescription ointment. We also changed her juice intake from 1/2 to 3/4 diluted and took out acidic stuff....oranges, etc.

I'm sorry your little guy is going through this!! I feel your pain!!

4 moms found this helpful
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D.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Trip to doctor right away! Could be a yeast infection (treatable with lotrimin), or could be something else.

In the meantime, no more wipes or desitin. Use soft wash clothes dipped in warm water. And dap on an antacid as someone else suggested. Let him go diaperless as much as possible.

ETA: Good point someone else made about food. Did he try a new food in the last several days? Food allergies can show up as terrible diaper rash on the way out.

4 moms found this helpful
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J.W.

answers from Detroit on

I took my daughter to the doctor for a prescription cream when she had a bad rash. I would take him ASAP.

Also, give him a bath and let him air dry. But DO contact the doctor right away. Poor baby :(

4 moms found this helpful
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B.P.

answers from Cleveland on

I suggest a trip to the dr. It sounds more like a yeast iinfection gone wild

3 moms found this helpful
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O.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

Get him looked at ASAP!
Might be something else.
They can best help minimize his discomfort.

3 moms found this helpful
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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Talk to his pediatrician. He may have a secondary skin infection.

3 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

It may be , at this point, an infection-take him to the doctor-you may need a prescription-try cotton diapers

3 moms found this helpful

M.M.

answers from Chicago on

You've gotten good responses from everyone.. I just wanted to suggest something to help with changing him... Dermoplast.

You can buy it at CVS or Walgreens. It will help with his pain when you clean him, as I'm sure wipes and water hurt like heck.

My DD used to get these, and I would spray her with Dermoplast first to numb the area before I gently cleaned her. It will sting him a bit at very first (like bactine on a boo boo), but then it will numb the area. The hospital gave it to me after birth. It made diaper changes a lot less painful when DD was little.

2 moms found this helpful

E.J.

answers from Chicago on

Poor baby :-(
Call doctor ASAP!

Never use wipes! Get a bunch of cheap wash cloths and use those moisten with warm (not hot) water to clean the baby. Let him air dry for a few minutes. This is so much better for their skin and will prevent rashes.

Sometimes the ointment makes it worse.

By the time I had my 3rd and no longer had diaper rash issues because is the only way I would change her.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

It's turned into a yeast infection. Go to the grocery store and get a tube of cream you can get it over the counter. It will clear it up quickly.

2 moms found this helpful
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P.K.

answers from New York on

Get him to doctor now. Sounds like an infection has set in.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.T.

answers from Reno on

My son had exactly the same issue. It did not get better until we switched to cloth diapers. Turns out he had a reaction to some chemical in disposable diapers (so changing brands didn't help). It might be worth trying cloth at least until he heals up and see if that helps.

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C.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

As always, you should consult your pediatrician. But if you are looking for some suggestions I can share with you two things that have worked for me in the past with my kids. There is a great cream called Triple Paste (you can get it at Target)...it was created by NICU nurses as a diaper rash cream and it works wonders. Also, if you think there may be a component of a yeast infection involved in the rash (this is something that happened to my 2 sons) you can make a combination of hydrocortisone cream and Lotrimin cream and put it on and it should work great too. I just put the same amount of each of those creams on a plate or in a cup and mixed them together and then applied to the affected area. Good luck! I hope something helps!

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A.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I agree with other people who said yeast infection. Sometimes it also presents as thrush. A change in diet and sometimes an oral medication is needed. We had to throw away clothing to get rid of thrush during my nursing days.

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M.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

I would stick him in a cool bath with some baking soda in the water to help dry it out and then use "Boudreaux Butt Paste". This stuff is awesome and the only thing that worked on my kids diaper rash. Use a big glob of it and don't rub it in, just leave kinda thick. I always noticed my kids got rashes after having oranges, even the mandarin oranges affected them. So consider if he's had too many acidic foods.

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L.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

He may have a stomach problem that is causing this. When we had this problem we used Domeboro solution. It really helped. Plus we swear by Boudreauxs Butt Paste. It works great.

Good luck.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Doctor.

Sounds like a yeast infection, my son used to get them all the time, and it's OTC cream or spray, but as is sounds like the first time you've had this... Best to get medical eyes on.

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