Causes of Diaper Rash

My daughter as an infant would stay dry through the night, then wet her diaper ( 6 mo) After I fed her breakfast, baby cereal, rice or oat, sometimes a poached egg,with zeibach toast, milk, with the next wetting, she would scream and be raw in the diaper area. I couldn't get the diaper off fast enough. I rinsed the diiaper in vinegar water, used all kinds of diaper cream, which helped. Going for a walk later as a toddler, her cheeks would turn red with a wind burn. She would scratch at the creases of her arms, this would be broken out with a rash, also behind her knees.
Going to the new doctor, as we had moved to another state. he suggested we eliminate eggs, milk citrus,and wheat.
It turned out eggs were the allergin. Any one would be OK, but the combination of 2-3 would cause the reaction.
At last it cleared up. Give it a try. N. H

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iT MAY BE SOMETHING HE IS EATING. tHE DOC IS RIGHT, YOU CAN START WITH 3 OR 4 safe foods, and then reintroduce the others unless you can think of any new foods you have given him. I think the teeth are a big factor. However, how can you get it under control? I soaked mine, let them play for 30 min at a time in baking soda baths. Washed their butts with soap and water each time I changed them. Maybe try changing the pamper brand? Slather them with a thick coat of desitin inbetween.
I know that people have highly recommended a coconut cookie by archer for diarrhea control in the case of chron's syndrome, and you might try a little with him. Good luck.

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Just in case...has he had any antibiotics during the last few months? My daughter got a yeast diaper rash from an antibiotic for strep throat. She'd never had a diaper rash before, so I was totally in the dark until another mom changed her diaper at church. I felt very DUH! since I was also a nurse, but I'd just never seen a yeast diaper rash. May not apply, but I thought it might be worth mentioning.

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Hi C.!

So sorry that your little one is suffering with this. I do have a couple of suggestions for you. First, you said you wondered if it is something that he is eating...is he drinking alot of or almost exclusively fruit juice? If so, you might want to dilute it with some water as well as encourage him to drink other things. It will help greatly. Also, have you considered changing the brand of diapers and/or wipes? My daughter would get rashes if I used anything but Luvs diapers and the aloe, thicker type of wipes. Last, when he is getting a flare up, bathe him in water that is as warm as you are comfortable putting him in and pour epsom salts in it(it won't sting him). Some people would suggest oatmeal baths but I found them only effective for itchiness not soreness. Then let him soak as long as he wants to (even if its an hour). Warm water is a wonderful healer and I did this a couple times a day when my daughter was really hurting. After his bath or even after a diaper change, make sure his bottom is totally dry before you put on a diaper. Also, A+D cream worked really well when I put it on my daughter. I found this process cleared things up really quick. I hope this helps and I hope you and your little one get through this real soon!

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Yes, both my children had this. According to my mother, both my sister and I had it really bad, to the point of tearing the skin off our bottoms.

You're doing great changing as soon as they are soiled. May I want to suggest warm baths, especially if the rash is really bad and to use baby powder or powdered corn starch instead of a diaper rash cream. This helps with the wetness issue and helps absorb the moisture. Sometimes aquafour (found in the HBA/pharmacy section) or mylanta (generic is fine) will help as well. I once created a concoction for bad rashes that was a mix of the mylanta, aquafour, and baseline. It worked pretty well, it was just a mess to make.

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my son started getting a lot of diaper rash around his first birthday too and also since it's the summer there is more moisture. My ped. told me to put baking soda in his bathwater when he had a break out and we also use Beadreaux Butt Paste. I SWEAR by that stuff. but taht and the baking soda in the bath water really protect the skin and sometimes you have to doit every day til it oges away.

But taht butt paste will take it away immediately.

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I don't know about food flare up and diaper rashes, but I recently had a lot of problems with diaper rashes. My son had a continuous diaper rash for over 7 weeks. I tried prescription diaper ointments, all the different over the counter products. It would get better, but never completely disappear. I found three things that really worked. 1. Taking a bath with baking soda in it. 2. Using triple antibiotics ointment on his bottom (which you can buy over the counter). 3. Keeping a diaper off the bottom twice a day for 15 minutes.

Good Luck!

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my son who is 19 months old sometimes seems to get it pretty bad while teething. i don't blame you for not wanting to do the food thing, that could be too hard for you and your son lol!!! if he seems to be in pain with it, as my son sometimes is with a 'poopy' diaper, you can use mylanta on it. just pour it onto his bottom, sit for just a minute and you can put balmex over it too if you want. our ped had reccommended that a while back for a painful rash. it works wonders.

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Did your doctor say anything about the possibility of a yeast infection? I had trouble with my son and diaper rashes that cleared and flared and until he was treated for the yeast, it never totally cleared. I thought that it was weird, but I had an old time doctor that said anywhere that is warm and moist can develope the fungus that causes yeast infections. Also, my daughter had rash trouble when she started juices because of the high acid content. It just tore her little bottom up so I held off on the juice and had her eat the fruit itself and it cleared.

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My son who is now almost 4 went through pretty much the same thing... I found that Resinol does wonders for his bottom! You can only buy it behind the counter but you don't need a prescription for it.. just go to the pharmacist and ask for Resinol...

But as for causes.. my boys all got diaper rashes when they teethed.. I attributed it to that more fluid was going down because of the drooling so that made the stools looser which then irritated his bottom... well then to really find out... my son loves oranges and grapes... those REALLY would irriate his bottom... the citric acid from the fruit would kind of "burn" his bottom... so I ended up having to limit the amount of those fruits he could eat... well now that he his potty trained he loves that he can eat grapes and oranges whenever he wants!

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HI! My pediatrician recommended leaving my daughter out of her diaper for 10 min. at each diaper change. It really made a difference. I know you may deal with some messes, but to me it was worth it. :)

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it may be yeast. my daughter had a rash that was persistent until i figured out it was a yeast infection. as your pediatritian about yeast

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hi! We've had to deal with alot of diaper rash from yeast -- adding probiotics to baby's food or drink has really helped us, and it's great for his tummy. Can find a really good one at Whole Foods. Good luck!

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Hi C.. Is he having alot of diarrhea? If so, then yes, it could definitely be due to the molars coming in. The very best thing that I have found for a diaper rash (and I am married to a Pharmacist) is Boudreaux's Butt Paste. Works great!!! We used to use Flander's Buttocks Ointment which is great stuff also, and you can get that from any pharmacy, but found that the Butt Paste, purchased OTC, has more Zinc Oxide which is the stuff that gets rid of the diaper rash. You will be amazed at how quickly it works. And just an FYI. If he ever gets a yeast diaper rash from taking antibiotics, treat with Lortimin AF, then Butt Paste on top of that. We just went through that very recently. Good luck and hope this helps! Let me know how it goes! T.

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I had an ongoing rash with my son and I knew what it was but the pediatrician didn't agree until he saw more symptoms showing that I was correct. I had little girls before so I was familiar with yeast infections. I knew my son had a yeast rash and the dr just kept saying Desitin, but ofcourse it would flare up again and never at all went away. Finally after a month he gave me yeast cream and 3 days later it was GONE!!! And it hasn't been back since. Now, I'm not stating that your son has a yeast rash but just know that not only girls get it but boys too.

It looks a little bumpy (red bumps) and the skin peels away around the bumpy areas and it just kind of spreads.

Only other thing I can think of is food and drink that can cause diaper rash along with illness, so good luck in finding the culprit whatever that may be!!!

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Hello,

I went through some similar things with my second son. His turned out to be yeast infections. When we tried medication for that we it finally went away. One product that worked well was vusion. Don't know if this will help. Good luck.

K.

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sounds like a yeast infection ask your doctor about that

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I am an Arbonne representative. They have wonderful baby products that are pure, safe, and beneficial. Arbonne's baby diaper cream has worked wonders for babies. Arbonne's products are developed in Arbonne, Switzerland under very stringent conditions. My neighbor used them on her baby with great success when nothing else would work. He was older like your baby.

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Hey C. :) Just an idea that worked for my son who also started developing a diaper rash around 12-18 months. We switched him to Pampers Baby Dry from the Cruizers (so to a diaper with no netting lining.) And we started using Desitin Original on his rashes because it has a higher Zinc consistency. Both seemed to do the trick!! I don't really know any ways to take away the discomfort though... except try distractions like a toy or so. Little boys are very tender especially raw, rashy and cracked :( And changing a diaper that makes them cry feels like it is going to break your heart too. I remember those feelings even though they were close to a year ago now. Ill be praying for you today and your little man!!

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Yes, teething can cause him to have more frequent diaper rash. You might also want to look into it maybe being a yeast infection. With it being allergy season and him only being one, it could just be the change in the weather and such. I would try keeping his treatment on him constantly, not just when you see the outbreaks happening. If whatever you are doing helps clear it up, then just stick to that treatment - whether he has a diaper rash or not at the time. It should help prevent it. =)

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Fast Releif:

Sit him in a tub/sink with baking soda. WOW. he'll look 10x better the next day.

Cloth diapers & frequent changing combined with the above proved to be the fastest recovery for my kids!

**Clothing is not that hard, really! email me if you want some tips.

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Hi C. all 4 of my children would get a diaper rash from teething. One diaper change it would be fine and the very next one there would be a rash and irritation. They also got runny noses when they were teething. I hope this puts you at ease. I would hold off on any drastic measures just yet.

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Both my kids and two of my grandchildren ALWAYS got diaper rash when they were teething. Do what you can to make your child comfortable. I let them sit in medicated oatmeal baths every day while the rashes were bad, and found that plain old Vaseline worked the best. Butt Paste heals some, but doesn't seem to protect as well - with our kids. And every family is different. Have you heard that this, too, shall pass?
:-)

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1st thing, I used A&D the few times my son had any diaper rash. I was lucky, and he only had it if he had "the runs". Which again, thank goodness, was only like twice.

If it is because he has diarrhea, it could very well be due to teeth.
If not, maybe you could chart what he is eating, and kind of single things out one at a time to see if it changes anything. Maybe start with tomato based things, since they are so acidic.
GOOD LUCK!

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Has your doctor tested him for a yeast diaper infection? I'd specifically ask that, boys and girls both can get a yeast diaper infection. As far as what is triggering it if it is not related to yeast--your ped should have been able to send you to an allergist and have them do the tine tests to determine what items are to be avoided. I know with my older son, corn was an issue and once that was removed--diaper rashes were gone.

HTH!

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Oh gosh, I know this feeling! I had this happen to two of my children, around the same age. It was a combination, one was a reaction to switching to cow's milk and the other we determined teething. (sour diapers etc, that burned)
The ONLY remedy that worked was to NOT use store bought diaper rash products, I did the following.
1. changed diaper asap
2. cleaned up their bottoms under running water in the tub (since it was so bad wipies hurt)
3. patted their skin to dry, let it air out a bit
4. apply a liberal amount of Vaseline (regular, no scent!)
5. then sprinkle plenty of Corn Starch to cover bottom
6. Fresh diaper and repeat this for every changing.
This worked every single time, it takes a few days! My mother told me about it because this is what she did for us.
This is only a prevention for terrible diaper rash. I really didn't use this when there wasn't a sign of diaper rash, I would only use Aveeno for regular "maintenance".

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My son had what I thought was diaper rash and I tried every diaper rash cream on the market...only to have it get worse and worse. Finally when it became so bad that he was actually bleeding (!) from the rash I took him to the Dr. The nurse that saw him before the Dr. came in said she thought it could be a yeast infection and suggested washing him in cetaphil (non-soap cleanser found in facial cleanser dept.)and then letting him go diaper free for as long as possible. She also told me to get clotrimozole (sp?) for yeast infections and apply several times a day for several WEEKS (even if it appears to be gone) The clotrimozole is actually "Lotrimin AF" although there are generic versions of clotrimozole that are cheaper. I found it in the "Dr. Scholls, foot section" at the store. It is also used for 'jock itch' and 'athletes foot' as well as yeast infections. It worked like a charm and I have used it for my daughter as well when she gets a yeast infection in the creases of her legs. The way I can tell if it's yeast is if diaper cream makes it worse and the clotrimozole makes a difference within one diaper change! Also, I stopped using wipes (even the unscented ones) when they have a bad rash and only use water (I tore up pieces of old t-shirts to use as 'wiping rags'.)
On the other hand....it could very well be something he is eating! My son had some reactions to certain foods when he was a baby, but can eat them now no problem....things like fresh strawberries, cow's milk, and anything that was highly acidic. When he ate certain things I could tell a difference in how red his anus was. Hope it gets better for you and your son! Good Luck!

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I had to start counting the diapers I sent with my baby when I had to take her to the sitters house lol . She was having really bad diaper rashes. I thought maybe the sitter was not changing her diaper. Comes to find out, it was the baby wipes I was using

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try desitin original. it goes on real thick and works wonders on my son who get diaper rash when he blinks his eye! I still use it and he is 2 1/2 yrs. This desitin does not sting and you can by a huge container at walmat for about $10.00. You may also try some corn starch in the tub.

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C.,

My kids got some pretty wicked diaper rash. I gave their bottoms a mini bath after the dirty diaper was off and that seemed to help. I'd just take a couple minutes to wash their bums with a little soap and water in the tub. I also swear by Beadraux (I know it's not spelled right, but it's pronounced Boodrows) Butt Paste. You can get it at WalMart. It's better than any other diaper rash ointment I've ever used. Also, after you clean him up when he's soiled his diaper, let the diaper off for a few minutes so his bottom can get dry and get some air.

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Constatnce,
We have had issues with severe diaper rash also. I have found the best thing is to LOAD the Destin really thick all over and keep applying more than you think you need. If you need a bunch there are recipe's to make it (you could probably get one on line or ask the nurse at the padiatrician office).
If he has not changed eating habits. Take a look at
1) How mcuh juice he is getting (they recommend 6oz but i think this is a little unrealistic, but oo much can cause diaper rrash since it is acidic)
2) Have you recently swithced to "real whole milk" from formula or breast feeding? If so maybe try soy and see if lactose intolerant.

Just a few ideas. Good lcuk! Carolyn (I am mother of 2 gilrs ages 2 & 4 and my husband is a pediatrician.)

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I would say teething could be the reason for the diaper rash. It has been awhile since mine have been teething, but I remember when they did it caused a lot of things - diarrhea, rashes, a fever, etc. Many times the doctors will tell you teething doesn't cause these things but if you talk to other mothers they will tell you otherwise. As far as getting rid of it, I have what sounds like an odd suggestion but it works wonders. My friend made me some browned flour when my child had a horrible rash and none of the creams the dr. gave me worked for it. She said you just put flour in a skillet and brown it. Then you sprinkle it on as you would baby powder. It doesn't smell good, but it works. Give it a try!

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When my dd was teething she had bad diahrea and that led to a terrible diaper rash constantly. The dr. prescribed a special cream that was supposed to relieve the pain and cure the rash. It relieved the pain but it did nothing for the rash. Our remedy has been to use cornstarch and change frequently. I check her every hour or when I smell the culprit. It has been the only thing that works for us. I tried elimination but it wasn't her diet... it was diahrea from teething.

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Hi C.,

My son has had the same trouble. Really bad and painful rashes and we found that he has a sensitivity to acidic foods and juices. We definitely cut all juices out and it cleared right up other than the occasional red bottom from a really dirty diaper. He LOVES water and we just decided to give him that and on an occasion, maybe give him a splash (literally) of juice in the water. By the way, he enjoys water straight out of the fridge and he begs for it!

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I understand your frustration. My daughter is 5 now and we have been struggling with "diaper rash" since she was about 2 months old. One of the contributing factors with her was the brand of diapers we were using. We found that huggies worked best to eliminate the reaction to she had to diapers. Due to the cost of huggies we did some research and found that Kroger Brand and Sam's Brand (Members Mark) are also made by Huggies in the same factory and those worked for her. When she was about 20mounths old she had an abscess on her bottom that had to be surgically drained. Once she was potty trained we found that she had adverse reactions to Sugar that caused a rash on her bottom. Also for relief at diaper changing time you can wash out the baby wipes with warm water before using them to rinse out the alcohol that is in them, that will help to keep it from burning when you clean him up. I hope that this helps a little.
E.

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Hi, C.. I see you've gotten MANY replies, but I will throw my two cents in as well. My daughter ALWAYS had diaper rashes when teething. I suspect from drooling so much and causing so many messsy poops. She also ran fever when teething. The best thing we have found is Triple Paste. It costs a bit more, but ALWAYS clears up the worst rashes quickly. She had one from dinking too much orange juice one day and it got so bad she couldnt walk without crying. Triple Paste and soaking in Aveeno Soothing Bath treatment really cleared it up quickly and gave her LOTS of relief. Also, it could be a sort of yeast infection. My baby had a yeast infection on her bottom that would not clear up with diaper creams. her pediatrician told me to put Monistat on it and it was completely gone in a day or two! Good luck and hope this helps!

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Hi C.,

I have heard many moms remark about their children teething and bad poops, so yes, I think it certainly could be possible in your case, too. My sons both had bad diaper rash at times, and I couldn't figure out the causes, either. Like you, I didn't particularly want to go to one food at a time because they were big eaters. Luckily I didn't end up having to, because it was sporatic enough that it finally worked itself out.

I know from personal experience that sometimes what I eat will bother my stomach and cause caustic and burning bowel movements, though other times I can eat the same thing with no trouble. An instance of the runs can be very irritating to me after going to the bathroom, so I can only imagine how a strong bowel movement can make such tender skin tissues on a baby red, sore and irritated. If you don't want to go the route of taking away foods, just try to find the best way of handling the diaper rash for the time being. Change as soon as your child goes (which you're already doing), use water instead of wipies to clean him, then put him in the tub or baby tub to soak a little. Instead of putting a diaper on right away, let him dry out naturally on a towel, maybe inside the pack and play, if you have one, and then use a cream for his bottom. There are several threads in Mamasource where moms recommend their favorite "bottom creams", so look through "Requests and Responses" and see if some of those creams might help better than what you have.

I hope this works itself out for you soon.
All my best, D.

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I use aquaphor when mine get bad diaper rashes. It is not marketed for this but it works. A lactation nurse recommend it to me. Hope he gets some relief soon.

A. M

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Your doc. could be right. I would increase his water intake and see if that would help. You may want to change what he is drinking from sugary things like juice and pop to water, and sugar free juice. I find the packs in Krogers and Walmart. They seem to be cheaper at Walmart then anywhere else. Don't worry, he will not even notice, my son didn't. Since he is a big eater, I would try 1 group of foods and every week introduce another food item and see if that food or the combination of certain foods causes his rashes. Good Luck.

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It could just be the weather is warmer, and he may be sweating down there. Try putting the diaper on looser than normal, and even though they don't recommend baby powder, place the powder on the diaper and then put it on him. This will absorb the urine better and prevent it from staying against his skin.
Also makes sure he is being washed with soap and water at least every other day. Dry him thoroughly before putting the diaper or clothes on. Kids love to be naked anyway, so air dry helps also.

Good Luck!

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if your child is a big eater of fruits mainly strawberries, that could be the cause. If he is a big eater of fruit I would try cutting out the strawberries, and seeing if that helps, I understand not wanting to restart his whole diet, but if in your potion I would try the fruit approciate; but doing it one at a time, otherwise you wont know what is causing the problem. I may be completely wrong, but trying this option you should see result within a week or two.

Hope I have been helpfull

P. W.

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Use plain vaseline on him each time you change his diaper. No diaper creams or anything. The vaseline will prevent his skin from being irritated. You should see a change quickly. My daughter had one diaper rash and my mother told me about the vaseline and she never had one after that. I actually listened to my mother.

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When my son got pneumonia and a stomach bug at the same time he started having 8-10 diarrheas a day. At the first sight of redness I started applying Balmex every diaper change regardless if he was wet or had another diarrhea and he never got a bad rash. If you are not comfortable with using diaper cream all the time start putting vaseline on his bottom after every diaper change. This will keep the poop from sticking to his bottom and irritating him.

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my son gets a horrible, bleeding diaper rash every time he has juice. he has not had juice since he was 6 months old and we realized that was the cause. he now only drinks whole milk and water. my pediatrician said that it is fairly common for juice to do that, because it is so acidic, and that it was not something that my son needed, so we just cut it out. he also gets this rash if he eats grapes three times a day, which he would do if i let him. grapes are his favorite food, but they just really tear his little bottom up. hope this was helpful, and good luck finding the culprit.

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Finding the cause is key, but for relief on the bottom, you might want to try cloth diapers when at home, except maybe for night time. These feel better on the bottom, and even though they can be a little messier and more trouble, it's worth it. My son always seemed to do better when he wore these. Also, when you can, you may want to try letting him go without a diaper at all so air can get to his bottom. Good luck!!

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Do you wipe him everytime you change his diaper. This was my problem. I started wiping him every other wet diaper and the rashes went away. It was drying his skin out or something. I know it sounds gross not to wipe them clean everytime he wets his diaper but he was in less pain. I also would blow on the rash while changing him.

Good luck!!!

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I love Butt Paste to take care/prevent of diaper rash. It could be the teething but could also be something he is eating. My daughter got horrible diaper rash with preserved fruits (fruit juice, fruit coctail, canned fruit, etc) but did ok with the fruit itself if it wasn't perserved.

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