Diaper Rashes — Causes, Symptoms, Treatments and Remedies

Is a diaper rash a sign of neglectful care?

No, not at all! Parents often blame themselves for being careless in care taking of their babies. However, there is one thing that parents need to understand and that is, it is still debatable whether neglectful parenting is a cause for diaper rashes.

It also does not depend solely on the type of diaper you use. Cases of diaper rash have been found in both disposable diapers as well as one size cloth diapers. Although, according to a survey one size fits all cloth diapers have minimal cases of rashes compared to disposables.

Diaper Rash is the most common dermatological problem amongst infants and toddlers. According to recent studies in the United States, more than 50% of the infants ranging from 3 months to 18 months of age develop a diaper rash at least one time every two months. Another statistics that can help parents to stop blaming themselves for diaper rashes is that more than 80% of kids develop rashes dues to diapers at least once before they go for potty-training. It is not your fault!

Causes of Diaper Rashes

• Prolonged exposure to urine or poop while wearing the diaper
• Irritants present in urine and poop
• Change in the pH level of skin
• Eating new foods may result in an increase in the frequency of stools, thus developing diaper rashes
• If mother of a breast-feeding infant eats some foods which does not suit the child, potentially can cause a diaper rash
• Disposable wipes can cause allergy and thus result in diaper rash
• New brands of disposable diapers
• Fragrances, detergents and softeners used to wash cloth diapers can cause allergic reactions and cause diaper rash
• Certain baby products such as lotions, powder and oils can cause allergic reactions and result in diaper rashes
• Continually wet skin
• Friction caused by rubbing diaper to the skin
• An ill-fitting diaper that rubs against the skin
• Baby has diarrhea
• Baby is on certain types of antibiotics
• Baby’s bum is extremely susceptible because it is warm and moist, which makes it a perfect breeding environment for bacteria and yeast. Consequently rashes can occur
• Hot water immersion while bathe
• Extreme cases of negligence in baby-care

In addition to the above stated dermatologist approved common causes of diaper rashes, there are a few uncommon causes such as infections, certain nutritional deficiencies and malignancies.

In the next parts of the blog we shall discuss about the symptoms, treatments and home-care remedies to cure diaper rashes. However, if you want an immediate solution for reducing the chances of your baby developing diaper rashes, shift immediately to one size cloth diapers. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL DIAPER RASHES SHOULD BE CHECKED BY YOUR CHILD’s DOCTOR. PLEASE DO NOT RELY ON THE ADVICE OF ANYONE OTHER THAN YOUR PEDIATRICIAN.