Diaper Rash with Constant Pooping - Diet Related?

Hello E.,
My name is Valeie and I have three teenage boys. My oldest used to get the most awfull diaper rash, with blistering also. In the drug store ask the Pharmacist what is the best brand of fungal cream to buy, and also a big tube of Desitin.
Wash the affected area with just water, no soap.
Then put on the anti fugal cream on the affected area.
After the anti fungal applicaiton, apply a good thick coat of Desitin creme with zinc oxide over the whole bottom and front area to help keep a pee and poop proof barrier.
The rash starts getting better right away, and will relieve the pain. You also might want to use cloth diapers while the rash is really bad as disposable diapers quite often make the rash worse.
Here is a site to visit to explain exactly what it is and treatment options.
Take care,
V.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaper_rash

My daughter had the same issues, so I diluted juice to 25% Pear juice (other juices including apple caused a diaper rash and pasty poops) and the rest water. Raisins, apple, prune juices still cause icky diapers. I used monistat or lotramin to clear up the diaper rash. Worked within a couple of days! Hope this helps.

Hi E.. My twins had the same exact thing happen when I'd feed them any fruit or certain veggies (like zucchini). I could only give them like a tablespoon worth at a time. But they don't need more than that at a time anyway, at that age. It happened until they were potty trained. They are 2 1/2 now and I haven't seen it happen since they've used the potty. Unfortunatley, the doctor prescribed medication and treated them for yeast infection and staff infection--because the sores got so bad and were so consistent, like you said, a daily waxing and waning--but neither actually seemed to work. I knew that it was diet related, but I guess they don't make money off writing prescriptions for "watch what they eat". I feel bad that I gave them the unnecessary meds, but I didn't know what else to do at that point. I would try using vasoline to help protect the skin, baths, and giving the butt some good air time. Cut down on proportions of the fruits/veggies. I know you might feel guilty about not feeding him a "balanced diet" but what matters more to you? You can always supplement with some vitamins; they have liquid drops if you can get him to take them. Don't forget, it will go away--it will pass!!!

E.,

No one seems to know what Neutramigen is -- so I Googled it and it appears to be a type of formula for babies with colic or other tummy problems. Who has recommended you give this to him, your pediatrician? Have you seen a change in bowel movements in your baby since introducing this? Google Neutramigen and you'll read that some people think it thickens and can give food mixed with it a pasty aspect. So, it might be this formula that's causing him problems. You would only know if you took him off it exchanging for a different formula. At 11 months soon he'll be able to tolerate cows milk, normally, and for my son I mixed cows milk with Nestle liquid formula, since he didn't really like the taste (too sweet, I think).

To make him 'poop' less carrots, potatos, rice, bananas are good, and you can give this to him with other food items to harden his stool. On the other hand, having a hard stool is not really the goal, in fact it's not a problem to have a soft one, especially if you clean him regularly. But, there must be something in his diet that is acidic and causing the irritation to his skin. Could it be the Neutramigen?

As for cleaning and healing. First, don't use baby powder, it's very bad. Good to wash him off well with warm water. Pat him dry first then let him air dry a bit, if possible. Go to the pharmacy and ask for a red liquid drying solution (they'll know what it is) and a zinc oxcide based cream. Use a cotton ball to apply the red drying solution to his bottom, this will dry up the rash and skin cracks. Then, paste his bottom with the zinc oxcide cream, nice and thick. Do this for several days and at each change until his skin heals. Then, once he's better at every change continue to put the zinc oxcide cream on his bottom and wherever needed, perhaps no need to put it on so thickly, but do cover the skin so that when he does have a bowel movement it is not immediately exposed.

Maybe you'll need to work with your pediatrician on improving his diet, if you think think there is a problem with his bowel movements. But, it honestly doesn't sound like you're giving him any food item that is wrong, I only question the Neutramigen. In any case at a year you can introduce cows milk; even just plain yoghurt would be a good start. If you have the money, do give him vitamin enriched formula at least until age two. It's got much more iron in it than whole milk.

Good luck.

Hi E.,

IBS. Sounds like IBS and internal mycoplasma issues, possibly with other pathogens as well.

I have some interesting info for you:

My 3rd child was born with thrush (candida) in her mouth so bad she could not eat without crying. She also had the extreme red constant rash caused by the bowel movement that I would immediately clean off and air out her bum in the sun, do the ointment, just like you are doing, etc. It would get a little better (until the next poo). It was a constant battle. She also had a distended belly. All these symptoms bothered me, but the pedi blew them off.I guess they see it so much they call it normal now, or something, because I had already had two children and neither of them had these issues, especially not a big bloated belly.)
She was treated w /Nystatin, an anti fungal for her mouth, only until the rash in the mouth was clear. I could not get the pedi to aknowledge she also had the yeast internally or that her bum rash correlated to the fungal issue in her mouth. As she grew, I noted failure to babble like my other two, 2 months later than my other two to sit up ,roll over,or walk, didn't cruise furniture, didn't hold her bottle, etc.. which they also blew off. When she would get sick, she would stay sick for a long time, and ear infections were a constant issue for a while. When she was boostered at 5 months she got a cold the next day and that's when the ear infection(s) started . I look back now and I see she had toxic overload to the max.

Fast forward 6 years. She did end up having some verbal communication issues, a mild form of autism. This child still has bowel issues, (soft poo and diarrhea, cramping pain, etc)... and the red rashes come and go (rashes to a lesser degree) around her bum and vaginal area. She has IBS. We've always thought she didn't wipe good enough and got her baby wipes for the bathroom, but I was doing some online poking around on a childhood rash site and found a picture of a rash around a child's sex organs/bum that looked very similar to the rash she gets on and off.The inside area of the rash is clear and there is a red line around the outside of the rash, like an outline. It said it was caused by strep bacteria.

For years I have been convinced that she had internal candida and all these issues were from the candida source. Not being able to get meds from a doctor, I started herbal meds. Caprylic acid and garlic to name a few. More and more research has brought me to new insight. I found data to support that everything she has been going through is traceable to once source, cell wall deficient bacteria, or, mycoplasma. A tiny bacteria that can bud and striate (like fungus) That can be passed from mother to child , and is prevalent in society. It suppresses the immune system so much that viruses, fungi and co-bacteria thrive, hence, all the symptoms. They named it th1 disease. I have been dosing her with herbal SAMENTO which has helped some, (I noticed her voice less gruff and she pays more attention, less aggrivated outbursts) but I am off to the doctor's today to push for a QRIB-b test.
Here's a link. read it through, you'll note IBS is on there:
http://www.marshallprotocol.com/forum32/1263.html

http://www.samento.com.ec/sciencelib/4lyme/beyondantibiot...

http://www.springboard4health.com/notebook/health_lyme_di...

Lots of good advice has been given... but these things can be so tricky to pinpoint. I recommend that you really look at what you're feeding him in the way of fruits and veggies. Eliminate as much acid in his stools as possible by feeding items that are low in acids. I also recommend eliminating the powder... for years pediatricians have been saying powders are not good for babies for several reasons: as one person mentioned, they do have a sandpaper effect on the skin, but even more important, in my opinion, is that the powder can get into the nasal passages and cause allergies or other respiritory problems. My preferences for creams are the Boudroeaux's Butt Paste or plain vaseline.
I would definitely recommend that you don't use paper towels to wipe him off. I don't think there are any paper towels made that are soft enough for that job. We use Pampers baby wipes for sensitive skin, and those seem to work quite well. If you need something for a preliminary wipe before using the baby wipes, We've found some disposable wash cloths at the Dollar Tree store...(not sure where else you can find those) that are great for many uses and would work well as a wipe for the bottom too. They come in a pack of fifty but are large enough that you could possibly cut one in half and make them go even further. To give you an idea how good I think they are, we use them to wipe the kids' hands and faces after meals or snacks. Then I save all of them (usually four at our house), rinse them well, and use them to do the initial wipe off of the table to get the food that the kids have used for "artwork" and the big spills, before the final table cleaning. After doing that, I once again rinse the cloths well, and use them to wipe up spills from the floor. The cloths are sturdy enough that they hold up for all of that and rarely break through.

I think that is a bit much and the rash could be a food allergy. If you are giving him citrus fruit that may be it. I would give him only rice cereal for a few days and see if that helps. Try some hydrocortisone cream for the rash. He may also have a virus that just needs to run its course.It could be the formula also. Its a guessing game with babies and you just have to stsrt from scratch with food slowly adding things back in.

I agree about a possible food allergy, but his rash sounds like a yeast infection. My son's pediatrician told me to use a thin layer of Lotrimin AF, then Neosporin for the sores, and finally a THICK layer of Desitin original (like you would frost a cake). This is tried and true for us because my son gets a yeast infection after every round of vaccinations. Thank goodness he's 2 now and doesn't have the series at every appointment! Good luck with finding the allergy and soothing the rash!

My kids always poop more when they have more fruit or more juice than normal. They also were both prone to rashes with oranges- which they have outgrown. I don't know what Neutramigen is... but is it possible that it is stimulating his movements I think to firm him up, you'd have to do some of the BRAT diet they recommend for diarrhea: bananas, rice (or other grains, apples (or sauce), toast. Potatoes are also nutritious and starchy...

I would stop the baby powder. Although most people think it is softening to the skin, it is actually like sandpaper to a rash. The pooping is totally normal as humans we are designed to eliminate after we eat. So that is actually a good thing. I would stop the cream as well until I had the doctor take a look at him. There is a product that worked well for us - Dr. Boudreux's Butt Paste. It is in most mainstream stores now, so you can probably find it anywhere. But definitely stop the powder, and I would simply use baby wipes to clean him off as the soap could be irritating him as well.

Good luck.

Stop the baby powder, and use butt paste, 1/3 desitin, 1/3 A&D and 1/3 % hydrocortisone cream. Apply to a clean dry bottom after each diaper change and you should see an improvement. If he is drinking neutramigin because the pediatrician recomended it, I would be cautious about any milk products and speak to your child's pediatrician first. At 11 months he still may have a bad reaction to whole cow's milk.

you would have to go back to the basics and then start adding in one item at a time to find out what the allergy is unless you want to do the ELISA ACT test. It's an allergy test done with blood instead of pricking all over the body.

Sounds a lot like my son. He is almost 2 and has always had mushy poop. We eat a very healthy diet - lots of fruits and veggies. I've tried changing his diet in various ways but not much helps. Reducing his fiber helps a little bit. The one thing that is the most important thing for him is TRIPLE PASTE diaper cream. I use it every time I change him. It is much more expensive than the others and worth every penney. I don't leave the house without it. I also rinse out the whole box of diaper wipes so that they don't have so much alcohol on them and they don't sting his little bum. If he really has a bad rash, I just use Kleenex to wipe until the last couple of wipes (or wet paper towels) to finish up. Wipes really sting. Bananas, white potatoes, white rice, white bread and applesauce all help to firm up poop. (that's the BRAT diet). Also, be sure to stay away from foods high in acid. Foods that seemed to really trigger diaper rash in my son were strawberries and spaghetti sauce. Good luck!

Give him bananas! That will firm up the poop. You could also try adding some pureed persimmon to his rice cereal. Anything that generally constipates a baby will help firm up loose stool. My son has only ever had a couple rashes (and only when we can't get his regular diapers) and I use baking powder mixed with water on it (one tablespoon of each). I just mix it up and dab a little on with a cotton ball... dries it up right away. I also recommend getting Nature Babycare Diapers. They absorb more than any we've ever tried and they are totally natural (and they happen to be biodegradable). You can order them from Diapers.com. Good luck.

That is a lot to poop in one day, especially for an 11 month old. I would call his pediatrician. Also you are not supposed to use baby powder anymore, due to the factor that the babies inhale the fine powder and isn't good for their develping respitory system. Just and FYI. I would skip the powder and just put desitin or butt paste on it. Pooping so much is causing the issue. Also don't use soap, just use water. I have no idea what Neutramigen is, so if it is new or newer to his diet that could be it. Call the Dr. to be sure.

E.,

I am not familiar with Nutrimagin, but I think if you haven't changed anything sudden in his diet, it is probably a stomach bug. If the nutrimagin is new, then it could be that, but I would call the dr to be sure its not an illness. Also, boudreux butt paste is wonderful for diaper rash and it also has a pleasant scent unlike the others I have found. Good luck~

Molly

Could be a yeast infection. Try treating with Gentian violet. Just a caution, it will stain his butt and your fingers and anything you get it on purple. As it fades his butt will look bruised so warn anyone who changes his diaper. One treatment will work if it is a yeast infection. I used it on mine and my daughters and their sister-in-laws have used it on their babies. It works great. Mother of three and grandmother of 7. I bought it over the counter at Rite Aide last summer in Kerman.

J.

Hi. My daughter, now 2 yrs old, has always eaten high fiber foods and thus has some big pooping days. We use vaseline, it's amazing. Some people even use proactvely during every diaper change. She's never had it so badly that she blistered, so I can't help on that level. But do try the vaseline.

My little one is 10 1/2 months. He was diagnosed with yeast infection type diaper rash. This is when the rash has red bumps instead of bright red "areas". If yours is yeast type rash there are specific ointments that will clear it right up.

Our second child had this same problem and it was diet related. Almost all fruit seemed to give my son some degree of diarrhea. The REALLY bad diaper rash (open blisters that bled) was caused by citrus/acidic fruit and tomato. But many other fruit/veggies gave him milder diaper rash: peaches, plums, grapes, berries, bell peppers.

Is your son eating diced toddler fruit? If so, check to make sure that it doesn't have pineapple in it. I had given my son a diced fruit from a can (Dole or Del Monte) that looked like it was just peaches and pears. But is also had small pieces of pineapple in it. That was the first really bad diaper rash incident we had and it took me a little while to figure out it was caused by the pineapple in those fruit cups.

I would recommend you try backing off of all fruit except banana and applesauce. That, along with toast and rice cereal should stop the diarrhea and give his bottom time to heal. Then you can try reintroducing other fruit, one at a time, waiting at least a week until you add another new one. Also, don't introduce any juice. That will probably give him diarrhea as well.

For diaper rash ointment, our doctor recommended "Triple Paste". It is MUCH thicker than regular diaper ointment and it really helped the bad rash heal faster. I used to have to order it on-line (directly from the manufacturer), but in the last few years I have seen it available in some stores (like Target). Drugstore.com carries it now too: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=185276&amp...

P.S. Our son did outgrow this issue. He did have digestive issues (stomach aches and diarrhea) from many foods (not just fruit), but we were never sure if it was food allergies or just a digestive issue. (He also has several definite food allergies that cause skin and/or nasal symptoms.) The doctors were not much help. They basically said avoid the foods that cause the problem and try to keep his diet as varied and healthy as possible. But it is sometimes very hard to figure out which foods to avoid. So do be very cautious about introducing new foods slowly and one at a time. And feed him the new food every day for a week or two to be sure it's not a problem.

Good luck!
D.

I know most of your posts think it could be a food allergy. And it very well could be. So definately get that checked out. But when my daughter was the same age she started getting molars. It was horrible. We had the same kind of diaper rash and frequent bowel movements. I thought it was food at first but nothing in her diet had changed. Then I realized that she was teething. As soon as the teeth finally broke through everything went back to normal.

The only cream that works on my kids is the heavy duty desitin. But I don't recommend using it if he has blisters and sores on his bottom. Just let him go diaperless as much as you possibly can. Also to try to decrease the frequency of the poop try the BRAT diet. Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.

He may be sensitive to the soap you're using. Have you tried any other kinds? Also, there are some baby wipes with botanical ingredients at Whole Foods, perhaps that would be easier on your son than the paper towel/soap? Good luck. That must be painful for both of you.

For the rash, use Calmoseptine (http://www.calmoseptineointment.com/).

You can order it online or ask your pharmacy to order it. Our pediatrician recommended it when our daughter was suffering with the rota virus for 35 days. It is the best cream. It coats the area and helps it heal. We kept a tube around until she six years of for irritations.

Stephanie

Do you think it might be a reaction to the powder/cream?

sounds like it could be diet oriented but I'd call your Dr. to make sure. My kids had similar experiences with diaper rash and the one thing that really helped was giving them an Aveno bath. I also noticed that my kids are sensitive to fruit acid so I make sure to give them lots of dry snacks with the fruit. (I've also read they shouldn't have citrus before they're a year old.) Hope the Aveno bath works wonders as it did for me! It was our saving grace (I also tried a hair dryer on low cool to dry their buns a few times I was desperate).

Hi E.,
I'm so sorry for your little guy! Plain cornstarch works the best. Hands down! Right out of the nice yellow box already in your cupboard. :o) I bought a box for the changing area and kept a long handled spoon in it. Whenever my girls (or my niece, the rash queen!) had a sore bottom the starch would clear within a day.

Having said that, this may well be yeast as others have said, but please do not try to self-diagnos this. Have the Ped check him. He will prescribe a suitable cream that will clear it up quickly. Also, you mentioned trying to get him to poop less and/or with harder stool. My oldest daughter pooped after eating. Always. As a new born that was every 3 hours! So frequent pooping is not a problem, just your little man's norm. As for consistency, poop should be semi-solid and pasty. It is only yucky in diaper wearers. Once he's on the potty it will appear as one long, soft 'log'. That is how our Ped described it to our girls to help them know what healthy poop looked like. So don't try to harden it up. It's just right!
Good luck with the cornstarch. Really it was a miracle around here!

I had and still have the same problem! When my daughter was about 12 months old, she was pooping 3-4 times a day. My now 22 months old poops at least twice a day! Is your baby a good eater? If so, all that food has to go somewhere.

I try to give her bananas in the morning, anything that will slow down the process. Stay away from mangos, prunes, blueberries and rasberries, which all accelerate the process. I would stay away from baby powder. Use Desitin original, which has high zinc oxide content. Apply Desitin when your baby's bottom is bone dry. I also let my daughter run around the house without a diaper on the 10 minutes a day. They say air dry is the best for a rash.

Hope this helps.

the rash is most likely a yeast infection, both of boys had it...to get rid of it...apply a thin layer of clortimazol (in the athletes foot care isle at the store) and then coat with A&D...keep this up for a few days after the rash is gone. It likes to stay around undetected so make sure to use the creams after....

hi E.!
ideas for the rash....
1. try lotrimin and hydrocortison combo, with desitin on top for bad rash
2. a&d is good for every diaper change as preventative
3. no baby powder....talc coats the lungs, and the cornstarch kind will feed any yeast making the rash worse
4. baking soda bath
5. diaper free time!

good luck :)

I was told to just air dry and if you can get them in the sun even inside. I never use the wipes on my daughter because all the alcohol really bothers her so i soak the wipes in water before each use and drizzle water over her butt before the sink instead of rubbing. Air drying i hear is the best and has worked the best for me. I hope this helps...sounds like you are doing the right things.

Hi E.,
So sorry to hear about your poor little guy! Have you talked with your pediatrician's office about this yet? I'd take him in, and discuss switching formula with your doctor.
The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) and avoiding acidic fruits would help (avoid tomatoes, citrus, berries,etc.)
Some very nice, antifungal herbs to use in the bath would be lavender and calendula flowers. Make a strong tea and when it's cooled, add it to his bath, whenever you are washing off his bum. (Thought you might like that since you are using California Baby products).
Another great product to help with diaper rash is Miessence Baby Bottom Mist - it's a spray, so his skin won't be irritated like it could be when rubbing on a cream. It also contains antifungal and healing herbs such as calendula, which are safe for newborns. You can purchase it here:
http://aromatherapist.mionegroup.com/en/category/9
Miessence baby care is certified organic to food standards so there are no synthetic chemicals, dyes or other questionable ingredients. Hope that helps!
K.

My son was on Neutramigen and he had the same proble. Why is he on Neutramigen? My son was on it because he had acid reflux. His poor bottom was just like your sons. I felt horrible as I would change him. I took him off it and I gave him soy formula. I also applied cortazone(sp) to his bottom. Hope this helps. J.

I use flannel squares with water to wipe

What to eat ... BRAT
Banana
Rice
Apple saute
toast

Banana, rice, oatmeal. maybe take to doctor for RX Nystatin (sp?) our Pede also recommends using Monistat

i've read that diaper rash is actually a form of yeast, so perhaps your son has the Candida yeast; apparently something like 70-80% of the population has Candida. yeast can be a cause to many of the digestive problems that so many people suffer from, so perhaps that is the cause for the poo. you may want to consider a round of probiotics for him, which you can buy at Whole Foods or the Elephant Pharmacy. and i've read some great information about Candida on the website for health journal Wise Traditions.

the poo and diaper rash could also be separate things- when my son was teething his 1 year molars, he was pooping his pants 2-4 times a day, which is unusual, and it was not his normal poo.

and one more bit of info, have you heard of Elimination Communication? it when you take your child to the toilet to go to the bathroom rather than having them go in their diaper. your son could really benefit from this because then he wouldn't be getting the poo all over his bum. Baby Bjorn has little toilet inserts, you get a little stool to sit on yourself, and then sit there with him and read books or play with trains or what have you. you're already giving him diaperfree time, so you are on the right track to a Diaper Free Baby. if you research Diaper Free Baby and Elimination Communication online you can find tons of information.