Bad Diaper Rash While Taking Antibiotics !!

Updated on March 10, 2009
S.M. asks from Leesburg, VA
30 answers

where to begin..we have all been sick since 2 month of and on and my 13 month old got a double ear infection with double pink eye and is taking antibiotics for it.On top of that he came down with the flu 3 days later !not to mention the rest of the family...., well he had diarreah the first 5 days and started a bad diaper rash with little bumps all over, I use diaper cream and powder(to keep the moisture away), it does get better rather fast, but then he poops all the time and it gets worse again. He woke up every 2 hours last night crying and was better after I changed his diaper, which seems to be very painful and he cries even before I open the diaper !Does anyone have good advise or a wonder for me ?thanks

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So What Happened?

THANK YOU SO MUCH LADIES !! After reading the responses, I immediately called the doc for an appointment and you were all right, it is a yeast infection !!Unfortunately the antibiotics (omnicef) did not clear up the ear infection/pink eye at all !!!! He was injectetd with an antibiotic for 3 days now and for the bottom the doctor said to use a combination of 3 creams Cortison cream (only for 2 days)antifungul and a zinc rich cream like desitin, it has not done much yet, so I went back and asked for the Nystatin and got it today, so I will go buy it and hope it works better.Thank you all so much, I am glad there are so many suggestions, and I will keep all the remedies in writing, so next time, I know what to do need something for a diaper rash, I will have plenty to choose from. Thanks, never thought of yeast....

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A.L.

answers from Washington DC on

My son went through the same thing while on antibiotics for ear infections. My Pediatrician said to use the Lotrimum AF twice a day. Use a small amount of the Lotrimum and put on desitin on top of that so it acts as a barrier. It cleared up my son's rash in two days.

Good Luck!

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E.S.

answers from Richmond on

Hello,
Have you tried Triple Past diaperrash ointment, it can be bought pretty much anywhere you can get other products. It can be alittle pricey, like $9 a tube but it is so worth it. This is the only thing I will use for my kids, I have used it with 3 of my 5 and it was because I did not know about it with my oldest 2, it is amazing stuff.

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A.D.

answers from Washington DC on

I just went through this with my grandson last month. He is 5 months old and got sick with diarrhea and got a bad diaper rash. He just sreamed when we changed him. I used Destin and A & D ointment and it would not clear up. We took hom to the dr and found out that he had a yeast infection. The dr said that yeast love to live in places that are warm and moist and that is why babies get yeast infections. They gave him a prescription for Nystatin and it cleared it up. You still use some kind of diaper rash cream with it.

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L.L.

answers from Washington DC on

The little bumps sound like a yeast infection, which can be the result of the antibiotics. Get a prescription from your doctor for Nystatin. My son had this same type of rash after taking antibiotics. The doctor prescribed Nystatin and it cleared right up.

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T.C.

answers from Washington DC on

It sounds like it might be a yeast infection. I cokld mever tell the difference but he certainly could. I'd go to put the diaper creme on and he would scream. Call your Dr and find out, if it is a yeast infection it won't go away without lotrimin or something.

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D.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I agree with the yeast infection idea and hope that the nystatin works for you. As far as baby wipes, I know I made my own and it worked well. I cut a roll of Bounty Paper towels in half. The cheaper kinds just fell apart. I just cut through the whole roll with my knife. I made a solution of water and baby shampoo or baby body wash--whatever you normally use. I think that it was 2 cups of water to 2 T. of shampoo, but it has been so many years ago I could be wrong with the ratio, Let it soak overnight and if you have to add more, then do so. It did not burn my baby's skin like the bought baby wipes did.

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P.K.

answers from Norfolk on

I see everyone is in agreement here!
YEAST...antibotics ALWAYS destroys the good stuff in the intestines...if left can mess up lots of other things.
Limit big time giving him sugar, other than what's in DanActive Immunity yogurt drinks...that will replace what the meds destroyed NEVER use anything oil based for yeast,..it only encourages MORE yeast to grow. These are general rule. If you don't want to go to the Docs....put plain yogurt on your hands to warm it up, then rub it on his butt everytime you change him, air him out, and give him plenty of soakings and it should be better by the next day...along with the yogurt drinks....
You might say I am an expert with this stuff. I've dealt with it with one of my kds, and myslef in my intestine, and lungs.
This will work great! Keep on giving him the yogurt and it will up his immune system and make lots of colds and sickness go away much quicker. Give him a few a day for a while when ailing!!!
God Bless!!!

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K.H.

answers from Washington DC on

I read through a few of the responses, and didn't see anything like what I am about to post... My daughter had an ear infection a year ago and the medicine she was put on gave her the worst... (blisters that broke open) diaper rash. The doc prescribed a diaper cream called Nystatin for her, and it cleared up. The real trick if you don't want to go as far as talking with your pediatrician... Then just be sure that you change your son every 1-1 1/2 hrs (or after he poops) pat him dry with a towel (the diaper cream is really only good if the bum is dry before applying) and then put the diaper on.

Good luck!!!

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T.B.

answers from Norfolk on

S.,
You should call your pediatrician and ask them to take a look at his rash. It sounds like he has a yeast infection, and they can give you a prescription for Nystatin cream. My daughter had the same problem when she was young. Every time we put her on antibiotics for an ear infection, she would get a yeast infection.

If the doctor says it is not a yeast infection, you could put some plain old corn starch on him after every diaper change. I can not explain to you why it works, but it does. With all of my children that is what I used for diaper rash, and they would be gone in a day or two.

Good luck and I hope you all feel better soon!!!

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J.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm not sure if he has the rash due to the diarrhea or the antibiotics. if you think it's because of the antibiotics please call the ped. and stop the med. if it's due to the diarrhea then you need the thickest diaper rash ointment you can find and liberally coat and coat again the baby's bottom. I would not use powder as that would dry the area. And hopefully when the next poo arrives he will be protected. Diarrhea is so acidic. Pedialyte should help even this out. Good luck. You guys are in my prayers tonight. JoJo

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S.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Put some baking soda in his bath and then let him walk around without a diaper for at least 15mi NO diaper is the best thing for a rash. The more you can do that the better.

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M.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Keep giving him the antibiotics, he needs those for all the infections the poor little guy has. what you don't need is to jump through hoops to fix his poor bottom! It's simple... Go to Wal-mart. Go to the foot care aisle. Get the Equate (walmart brand) Lotrimin athlete foot cream. Not the extra strength stuff though. I can guarantee his bottom will look better after one diaper change!
My dr. told me to do this after my son's testicles got so red and painful looking when he was about 7mo old.

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A.C.

answers from Washington DC on

yes it looks like a yeast infection to me too. Personally, I cannot look at antibiotics without getting one! Call the pediatrician for sure! there is medication.

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P.G.

answers from Washington DC on

Your prior responses are all good, but no one mentioned Balmex cream. We found this to be THE VERY BEST treatment for diaper rash and especially that which is caused by antibiotic use and the attendant yeast infection. With it we were able to avoid nystatin and laborious techniques. Just start with cleaning up with ONLY warm water and a VERY soft rag (like the cotton wool which was suggested). Pat dry and let air get to area before re-diapering if possible; use a little medicated powder (we preferred a fantastic one in a pink cylinder called Caldesene which you can get at CVS, but now Balmex makes their own and I would try it too), then apply Balmex cream thickly over the whole area. Although the ingredients in Balmex appear to be those of other zinc-based creams (A&D, desitin etc), it works dramatically better. Good luck.

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

He probably has a yeast infection. Lotrimin cream (yes, it is for athlete's foot, but also works on jock itch which is a male yeast infection) is what my doctor recommended and I am using on my 2 year old right now. I also use baking soda in the bathwater (also recommended by my Dr). You should take him in to be seen and see what the Dr recommends at his age- there is a prescription cream called Vusion which is for babies with yeast infections (works as a barrier cream like Desitin but also cures the infection) but I seem to remember that being pretty expensive even with insurance. I don't know the age cut off for one cure versus the other.

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A.A.

answers from Washington DC on

hi S.,

just went thru the same with my 13 month old. you need to get a prescription from the dr. for nystatin. sounds like it has turned into a yeast infection (the bumps). also, when you change him (even if it's not poop) wash his bum, don't use wipes at all. that just adds to the irritation.

the prescription works very fast. so he will get relief quickly. if you call and tell the dr. the issue they will most likely give you an appt. the same day.

also, triple paste cream is the best diaper cream. and the only one that did not burn my son. use that after every single diaper change on top of the prescription they give you. it is pricey but it really keeps everything away from his skin.

good luck!

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A.M.

answers from Richmond on

I didn't have time to read all of your responses so I'm sorry if I repeat. First off, I can sympathize 110% with the sever diaper rash. It's absolutely terrible. Secondly, because he is on antibiotics, chance are, he has a yeast infection. That being said, poop (especially diarrhea), is very acidic and it will burn the skin which creates more problems. Especially if it isn't caught early. With a yeast infection, I highly recommend using lotrimin cream and neosporin, but you really need to call your ped and ask what they recommend. Everyone is different. We are currently using Nystatin because the rash my son has is so bad that it's moving up his front and back. Lastly, if you are still using baby wipes, stop. I know it's nasty, but they burn, even the sensitive ones. The only reason I know this is because I made the mistake of using one on my chapped nose once when I had a cold, and it hurt so bad that it dropped me to my knees. I mean, tears pouring out of my eyes. Just use warm water and a wash cloth. Good Luck.

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T.J.

answers from Washington DC on

he prob has a yeast infection from the antibiotics, you can use over the counter monistat cream on his bottom and cover that with desitin. please call doc. and let them know, they will recommend a treatment.

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D.K.

answers from Washington DC on

Along with destorying the bad bacteria, antibiotics destroy the beneficial bacteria in our bodies that keep yeast production in check. It's a delicate balancing act and antibiotics throw off that balance. Diarrhea exacerbates the problem because the acidity of it will often cause microscopic tears in the skin that allow yeast to flourish. Diarrhea will also cause an established rash to burn very painfully.

Some are more sensitive to yeast than other. I personally and my youngest son are both VERY sensitive to antibiotics and prolific yeast production. Yeast infections are also made worse by increased moisture (such as a wet or loose stool diaper or a woman sitting around in a wet bathing suit etc.) so that's why his rash is getting a little better when you can keep him drier.

What you need to do is take him to your doctor. They can take a swab of his rash and run a 5 minute test that will tell them for sure that it's yeast, then they will give you an antifungal cream to apply three times a day or so. You will also be instructed to change him the moment he wets or poops (or the moment you notice that he has) and to let him run around with a bare bum as much as possible. If you go to the doctor and I'm right, your son's rash will be much better within 48 hours of starting the cream but make sure you continue it until there isn't a hint of the rash left or it will come back.

Best of luck to you.

_________________________________________________________

Just wanted to add that you should NOT stop the antibiotics without your doctor's permission. Stopping too soon will only ensure that you haven't eradicated the infection from your son's body and will actually make it worse. This is because the bacteria causing the infection will recover and will have had a chance to "learn" the antibiotic and adapt to it. If this happens, you'll need an even more powerful one the next time to halt this infection. This can lead you down the road of antibody resistant illnesses/bacteria which are very unpleasant and very harmful. Always, always, always finish a course of antibiotics unless there is an allergic reaction to it.

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T.C.

answers from Richmond on

I know this sounds weird but I've used liquid Maalox on my kids bottoms when they've had bad diaper rash and it works. I don't know if it calms the burn or what--I just know it works!

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C.D.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughter has had really bad diaper rash multiple times in her life- the open blister kind. At that point all of the diaper creams, foot creams, etc. burned when we would apply them. I just couldn't take it. We felt like we tried everything, and then a friend of mine recommended putting her in a shallow bath of water and baking soda. It worked miracles and seemed so soothing to my daughter. Within two days of doing that, and putting a gentle diaper gel from Whole Foods (just as a barrier between her skin and the poop and pee that would follow), her little bottom looked so much better. We do this now every time she starts to get a rash and it clears up so fast- no more open sores :) Good luck.

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P.B.

answers from Washington DC on

I went through something similar with my son and it turned out that the ingredients in the medication when digested by my son and turned into waste did not mix with the materials that the diapers were made from and it was a toxic mix that was actually burning his bottom. I had to change the kind of diapers I was using.

Just food for thought.

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K.H.

answers from Washington DC on

Sabrina

Obviously get the rash checked out like all the others have suggested but in the meantime when you change him , clean him with plain warm water and cotton wool rather than the wipes , even unscented wipes sting when they are that sore , this with plenty of diaper cream every change you should notice a difference. I find that kids start screaming before you change them because they know what is coming as soon as you touch them with a wipe!

Hope this helps

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R.S.

answers from Denver on

It is probably a yeast infection diaper rash, you'll have to go tthe dr unless you have any Nystatin cream /ointment around the house. Trick is to let the bottom dry put on the Nystatin, let it dry, then put on the desitin......That way when they poop the poop sticks to the desitin not the rash so much. You'll need to use it everytime he poops, up to 4-5 times a day, for a few days. Just make sure his skin is clear. Oh and give him a luke warm bath every night before bed, during treatment.

Hang in there!
R.

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T.A.

answers from Dover on

S., I have no tricks to offer just a lot of sympathy. My 18 mo old has been sick for over 3 weeks, first a virus, then a stomach flu (which also hit the entire family), now an ear infection and bronchitis. she's on antibiotics and one of the side effects is loose stool and diaper rash. Hang it there- spring is coming and hopefully everyone will get healthy again!

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P.F.

answers from Washington DC on

My peditrican recommended that I have my little one eat yogurt to help restore the digestive tracts normal bacteria level. That helped a little. My coworker told me instead of using diaper rash cream (my little one would scream every time I changed her diaper and especially when I put diaper rash cream on - no matter what kind) to use A and D ointment. That worked wonders and it didn't hurt. Make sure you get the original kind, not the diaper rash kind. It is like thick vaseline and stays on even through explosions.

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T.S.

answers from Washington DC on

This what I had to do to survive my now 19 months old bad diaper rashes...Try giving him a warm bath with some baking soda added to the water. Do this in the morning and in the evening before he goes to bed. I used Bourdeaux's Butt Paste...(Target) on my daughter's bottom. I swear it is the best thing on the market. It is a bit pricy..but it WORKS...make sure you change him EVERY time he wets for the next couple of days until his skin begins to heal...and yes this means getting up in the middle of the night to do so..Good Luck...T.

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M.R.

answers from Charlottesville on

Is he on amoxycillin? If so, it may be what the call a "non-allergic" reaction. My son has had the same problem, and I now I ask them to give him something else for antibiotics. There are other drugs he can take, such as omnicef or zithromax, that work just as well without the rash. In the meantime, when my kids have had bad diaper rash, my pediatrician recommended doing this: First put on a ton of diaper rash cream. Any of them will work, they all have zinc oxide as the main ingredient. After you get a really white coat, put on a layer of vasoline over top of the diaper rash cream. This locks in the medicine, and helps it work faster.

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A.B.

answers from Washington DC on

The same thing happened when my son was 11 months. (He's now 10 yrs.) Let your pediatrician know. Although diarrhea can be a side-effect when using antibiotics, doctors can switch to another antibiotic if your baby is having a rough time with that particular brand. My son had that reaction with Augmentum. While the doctor never called it an allergic reaction, he made a note of it, and the doctors we've had since then steer clear of prescribing Augmentum. Meanwhile, I'd also ask pediatrician about oatmeal baths and any ointment that he might be able to recommend or prescribe until you can get new antibiotic. It might have gone on too long to use an over-the-counter cream, especially until you get the diarrhea under control.

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S.B.

answers from Richmond on

nystatin is a good idea, but the best remedy is a combo of nystatin and a different ointment mixture. the best combo of diaper rash ointment for very painful rash is one part desitin, one part neosporin, and one part athlete's foot cream. this soothes and heals. do that in the morning and early day, then do nystatin in the afternoon and night. that should really help! antibiotics tear up my baby's bottom. :(

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