Most babies will, at some point in time, experience a case of diaper rash. A diaper rash causes a lot of pain and irritation for children. Parents feel helpless as they watch their little ones suffer. Here are some parenting tips for babies that should help parents to help their kids.
Common Causes of Diaper Rash?
Diaper rash is common in babies with sensitive skin. From the time they are born, even the slightest soiled diaper will cause the skin to chafe.
Surprisingly, food allergy is a common reason for diaper rash. If the baby eats and then eliminates a food that he is allergic too, his/her skin will tend to break out.
The most common cause of diaper rash is is infrequent diaper changes. And, oddly enough, teething can result in diaper rash as well. Perhaps the increase in saliva results in looser stools.
Another possibility is a sensitivity to the brand of diaper or baby wipe.
No matter what the reason, the first step is to call the pediatrician. It is possible that the doctor will want to examine the child - most likely in cases where the rash is severe.
How To Treat the Symptoms of Diaper Rash
Assuming that the rash is "normal", according to the pediatrician - the first line of defense is to change the baby's diaper often to keep the affected area dry. Make a change at regular intervals and at the slightest possibility of a soiled or wet diaper. It may feel wasteful or unneccessary if using disposables but the skin will heal quicker and there will be less discomfort to the child.
Airtime is also important. Leave the baby bare bottomed for as long as you can. This is a bit of a danger zone, since babies have not yet gone through the potty training process, but it is effective.
At each diaper change, liberally apply a diaper rash creme that can be found "over the counter" to make a barrier layer between the diaper and the skin. When the baby wets the fresh diaper this creme will act to protect the skin for a short time until a change is made.
The goal is to keep the baby's skin as dry as possible to heal the skin. After all happy babies make happy mommies!