How to Treat Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is one of the most common problems among young children. Prevention of diaper rash should be foremost on parents' minds. If this fails, learning how to accurately assess and treat diaper rash once it occurs is essential.

What is diaper rash, and why does it happen?

According to Kids Health, diaper rash is "a very common infection that can cause a baby's skin to become sore, red, scaly, and tender." Diaper rash is often found in infants and toddlers as a result of various factors, including but not limited to: excess of moisture/failure to change diapers regularly enough, something the child or breastfeeding mother has eaten that causes and irritation during stooling, ingredients in certain brands of disposable diapers, detergents used on some cloth diapers, or sitting in a soiled diaper for too long.

How can parents prevent diaper rash in infants and toddlers?

Prevention of diaper rash in infants and toddlers is much easier and effective than treating diaper rash once it has occurred. Parents should be sure to change wet and soiled diapers promptly. You wouldn't like to sit in a wet diaper just because it isn't leaking yet, and neither would your son or daughter. Change diapers regularly when wet, even if they aren't "full" by manufacturer standards.

In addition, monitor the foods that infants and toddlers eat. My daughters both adore blueberries, but they always cause them to have looser stool, and result in diaper rash. The same is true of corn, and sometimes tomatoes. Diaper rash can also indicate allergies, so parents should watch for stooling that causes diaper rash on a regular basis, and keep track of which foods are the culprits.

Another prevention method for diaper rash is to use an ointment such as Desitin when your child will be in a diaper for an extended period of time. Contrary to popular belief, ointments such as this do not serve to cure diaper rash. Rather, they are meant to keep wetness from reaching the bum and causing diaper rash.