What is causing my baby’s diaper rash ?

Diaper rash, even though a common problem can irritate your newborn. Sometimes it can be difficult to know the source of the problem especially if its related to food  or skin allergies.

When your baby has a diaper rash, you first have to look at the common causes of diaper rash such as baby wearing a wet or soiled diaper for a long time. Before your check for allergies, make sure you are doing the right thing. That is

• Always change your baby’s wet or soiled diapers as soon as possible.
• Apply  protective ointment or cream when changing diaper. Look for products with zinc oxide pr petroleum jelly
• Let your baby go without a diaper at home whenever possible. This helps expose his bottom to fresh air.

Look out for allergies and other factors that may leave your baby with diaper rash such as :

• Disagreeable diapers or wipes :  A certain brand of diapers or wipes can irritate the skin. Use a trial and error method and eliminate one  product at  a time.
• Harsh detergent : For those who use cloth diapers, the detergent used for washing the baby’s stuff could be the culprit. If this is the case, the child is likely to have a rashes elsewhere on the body as well.
• Hot temperature : Hot , humid weather or overdressing a child for weather can cause heat rash in the groin. However if hot weather is responsible, rash will show up at other places too.
• Unfriendly food :Your child may be sensitive or allergic to certain foods. In this case, your child will experience other symptoms aside diaper rash.

When to call your doctor

If your child has diaper rash, clean the place gently with soap and a soft cloth. Avoid patting the area dry . You should  however call the doctor  if the rash

• Persist for 3 days or gets worse.
• Is more red dotted than solid red . This indicates a possible yeast infection.
• Contains skin that is breaking down or not intact .
• Is accompanied by fever.