C.M. asks from Beloit, WI on May 04, 2007
Toddler's Belly Button Is Painful and Brown/red
My son's belly button looks like it could be dirty but when we try and clean it, he cries as if in pain and it doesn't come clean. It looks normal just looking at it but when you pull back a little skin, it appears to have some dirt in it. But it won't come clean and we are hurting him by just touching it. I have never heard of an infected belly button (he's 17 months old) but could it be?
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L.C. answers from Janesville-Beloit on May 05, 2007
My sister still gets an infected belly button and shes 40+! Try the peroxide and see what happens. Otherwise, call his doctor.
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K.G. answers from Minneapolis on May 05, 2007
My daughter digs in her belly button sometimes and makes it red and sore. Wash it out good in the bath with mild soap. Put a little triple antibiotic cream i(Neosporin) in there with a q-tip and cover with a bandaid and hopefully hel'll let it heal. This should help.
A.B. answers from Madison on May 07, 2007
We had that with our oldest when she was about a year and a half also. Ours turned out to be a yeast infection in her belly button. We were given a cream and had to " pour the bubbles" in it and "get out a cloud" to get the bubbles out. They figured it was from not getting all of the water out and her digging in it. Just thought I would tell you.
L. answers from Minneapolis on May 05, 2007
Yes, they can get infected. I would say take him to the doctor if you are concerned.
K.K. answers from Janesville-Beloit on May 05, 2007
Does he have any type of fever? I would get him into the doctor as soon as possible - I know there can be complications even at this age - two of my girls have herniated belly buttons - but the main thing is he is clearly uncomfortable and you don't want that. good luck!
B.H. answers from Minneapolis on May 05, 2007
Try to lay him on the floor on his back and poor peroxide in his belly button after it fizzles for a bit use a cottonball or something and wipe it out, if there is anything pussy, or scabby looking I'd take him in.
H.W. answers from Minneapolis on May 08, 2007
My son had what I believe you are talking about... brownish red, scab like stuck in the wrinkles of his belly button. I just recently got it all out. What we figured it was is from the umbilical cord (your supposed to clean it with alcohol or peroxide) and we just stopped doing that and it ended up to be just a scab that couldn't go away because it was stuck in a wrinkly belly button. While he would sleep I would rub baby oil on his belly to soften the scabbing then with a tweezers I would kind of scrape it until I got a piece off, once I got that piece off I would use a wipe to clean off his belly then pour a little peroxide on his belly button.
I would say before you try that to talk to his Ped. to make sure it's nothing else.
Hope this helps!
J.R. answers from Minneapolis on May 06, 2007
I would pour peroxide in it first and then take a cotton ball and wipe it out. Then put some alcohol on a cotton swab and wipe everything out. Finish with some antibiotic ointment. I would do that every day and put the ointment on a few times a day. If it doesn't start clearing up in a few days I would bring him in.
Good luck,
J.
J.T. answers from St. Cloud on May 06, 2007
quit trying to clean it and take him to the doctor. It very well could be infected.
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