Can a Diaper Rash Spread to Hands?

Updated on June 19, 2012
M.C. asks from DHS, VA
6 answers

So my daughter, age 22 months, has a habit of pulling her arm out of her sleeper sleeve so she can tuck her hand in the waistband of her diaper while she sleeps. This seems to be some kind of a comfort thing, since she does it while she sucks her finger or thumb. We do our best to gently distract her when she's awake (in a positive way--we know it's normal and fine, but diapers aren't the cleanest places most of the time).

The issue now is that she seems to be getting what looks to be a diaper rash on her hand. It's red and a little irritated, though it doesn't seem to bother her a bit, and I assume it's from the contact with a wet pee diaper during the night. We do change her in the night, since she can be prone to rashes anyway, especially the yeast diaper rash that can be so hard to get rid of. Is there anything we can do to treat this? I'm just thinking that if I put buttpaste or aquaphor on it, she'd either taste it or just wipe it all over everything. Or, if you have any ideas to help us help her keep her arm in the sleeper sleeve and not in the diaper, that would be swell, too!

Thanks!!

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M.G.

answers from Portland on

If a kid has a rash on their hand, I would look to see if they have it around their mouth and feet too. If so, it could be hand mouth and foot disease. My daughter had it recently and I couldn't figure it out. I called my doctor and they told me about it. She didn't have it on her feet and mouth, just on her hands but my husband had it on his mouth and feet as well later on.

http://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/about/index.html

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years old. However, it can sometimes occur in adults. Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease include fever, blister-like sores in the mouth (herpangina), and a skin rash.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by viruses that belong to the Enterovirus genus (group). This group of viruses includes polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, and enteroviruses.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Missoula on

I was going to mention the duct-tape, only I would wrap it around the outside of a onesie just under armpit level... so she can't get her arm inside the sleeve. That way, it's still easy to change diapers and you don't have to re-tape every time. :)

I have no clue about the rash though... If you try the buttpaste or aquaphor, you could try putting a long sock over her hand (duct tape comes in handy again... tape the sock to her sleeve. lol) to keep it from getting all over everything.

1 mom found this helpful
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G.S.

answers from New York on

I'd have to go with what GrammaRocks said & treat it as if it were a yeast infection, Whenever my daughter's diaper rash spread, our pediatrician recommended Lotromin (foot cream). It cleared things up right away. Best of luck to you and your little one ;)

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J.R.

answers from Miami on

Hi.
How about sleeping in a long nitegown so it is hard for her to get her hand in her diaper in a gentle way?

I would also rub some aquaphor on her hand as you suggested. it is meant as an allover cream ...

good luck jilly

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

It actually sounds like it could be a yeast infection, but a doctor would have to say. (I've read the labels on antifungals and they do mention washing your hands unless it's the hands you're treating, so it could affect her hand.)

You can duct tape her diaper at the top, wrapping the tape around the waist snugly and ending it in the back, then put a onesie on her under her sleeper. (Without the duct tape she might be able to unfasten a side and get her hand in.) Unless she is Houdini she won't be able to get her hand in the waistband.

I duct taped my guy's diapers a few months when he kept taking them off, then put the onesies and overalls/shortalls on him, it works!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Very easily if it's actually a yeast infection and not a diaper rash.

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