Diaper Rash? or Something Else?

Updated on February 22, 2011
B.K. asks from Moundridge, KS
32 answers

My son is 8 months old. For the past month, we've been battling what we had assumed was diaper rash. However, even after putting on diaper rash cream, A & D ointment, or cornstarch powder. Instead of getting better, it seems to be getting worse. Also one small spot of it almost looks like ringworm instead of diaper rash, and the worst of the rash is above his bottom on his lower back, and also on the front on his lower abdomen. It won't go away!!! What do I need to do?? Should I see the dr. about it??

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So What Happened?

Well, I took him to the dr. today, and as many of you said...it was a yeast infection. She thinks it was caused by his amoxicillin, and prescribed some sort of topical cream for it. Apparently this is pretty common, and not a cause for major concern.

Thanks everyone for your input!!

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J.L.

answers from Wichita on

Have you thought of changing the brand of diapers that you are using or maybe just switching to cloth diapers.

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S.H.

answers from Oklahoma City on

It could be a yeast infection. If it is any antifungal cream used in small doses every diaper change will help it go away. If its ringworm use the antifungal cream in the greenbox and keep it covered so it doesn't spread to you or anyone else. ringworm is highly contagious. Could also be a really bad case of excema which most dr.s can provide a cream to use to help it. Hope this helps.
S. Jo

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S.H.

answers from Tulsa on

I would say you need to visit the pediatrician. My son had a rash which sounds the same and it was actually a rash caused by yeast. The doctor prescribed an ointment and within a few days it was gone, never to appear again. From what he said it is very common, especially in boys.

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B.D.

answers from Peoria on

B.- It's always a good idea to check with your doctor. I just had my 2 year old son in for a rash that he has had over a week now and found out it was Strep Throat! Sometimes strep throat causes a rash on the body. That wouldn't have gone away on it's own and now he's on an antibiotic. I was suspicious because it was getting worse instead of better. If your mother's instinct tells you somethings not right, trust it! Good luck!

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S.S.

answers from Oklahoma City on

My daughter started getting these same symptoms around 11 months. I was trying everything and them my mom came to visit and thought it looked like a food allergy rash. I had no idea you could get a rash from food, but I started paying attention to what she ate and figured out she was allergic to tomatoes. I did take her to the doctor and she gave me a list of other things she would probably (and is) allergic to-eggs, wheat, citrus fruits (including berries), and foods w/lots of citric acid. The doctor gave me a steroid to put on when it gets really bad and a milder lotion for other times. My husband has asthma and lots of allergies and my daughter seems to have the beginnings of them too. She has exzema (sp?) and everytime she gets sick, it goes to her lungs. The doctor said the food allergy falls right in line with her other problems. Hope this helps.

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K.B.

answers from Kansas City on

Sounds like a yeast or bacterial infection. I would make a trip to the doctor since it isn't getting better.

I hope your son gets better fast!.

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T.L.

answers from Peoria on

It seems similar to a fungal infection my son had. Instead of being bright red spots like regular diaper rash, his was more of a large pinkish raised area. It got so bad it would bleed. His was caused by a yeast and was treated with a topical cream. Either way, I would take your baby in.
T.

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S.C.

answers from Oklahoma City on

he could be allergic to the diapers. my niece went from wearing the diapers fine to one day she broke out in what we thought was diaper rash too that wouldn't clear up. finally i had the bright idea of chaning diapers and it went away. but if it doesn't go away check out the dr. you can also try plain yogurt on the parts that are inside the diaper it is cold but a yeast infection will go away when using it.

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M.S.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Hi B.! My name is M., and i am a stay at home mom of 3 kiddoes. From my experience, if the diaper cream isn't worrking, and it is spreading up his back, etc. I would say it is probably a yeast infection. I would suggest taking him in to have the doctor look at it, but that is more than likely all it is. It is common for babies to get yeast infections bec of all the warmth and moisture in there diapers. If you can't afford to see the doc, my doctor has always told me to use an over the counter monistat cream, or something similar. It is the cream that we use on ourselves, it is an antifungal, and if it is a yeast infection that your son has, then that should clear it up. Hope I have been of some help.
M.

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C.K.

answers from Tulsa on

My son had a similar rash while taking antibiotics and he had a yeast infection. I also thought once I would save a little money on diapers and used the white cloud brand. He had a rash above privates like that while using them. I do think you should take him to the doctor.

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K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

B.,
Have you ever tried a rash ointment called Dr. Smith diaper ointment? When I had my grand-daughter the last time, she had a rash so bad that I was putting her in the tub every hour and after every diaper change. My daughter told me about this ointment and she even went picked me some up to put on her. It started to go away within 4 or 5 changes (I still kept up what I had been doing). You can find it at Walgreens. Its in a little white container with a screw on lid. It doesn't come in a tube. If nothing has helped and it looks like ring-worm, definitely take her to the doctors. Good-luck.

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M.M.

answers from Enid on

I'd have him checked for Eczema. I have a friend who's 1 year old son had what they thought was diaper rash as well. It spread all the way from his waist down to his toes!

The doctors told them it was an allergy but no one could find out to what. Finally, she took him to a specialist and she said it was Eczema. He's much better now that they are treating him appropriately.

Hope this helps.

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J.

answers from St. Louis on

Hi B.
We fought something that sounds similar to what you are experiencing. It was quite frustrating. First, we took her to a pediatric chiropractor. This helped, ALOT! Then, we let her bathe in oatmeal as much as possible. I did this in our sink so that I could use the garbage disposal for easy cleanup! But she sat in there and got alot of relief from that. Next, we treated her from the inside with infant probiotics. You know, ringworm or any of those types of rashes are actually a form of fungus/yeast..so you need to fight it from the inside out. Then, because I was frustrated enough, we treated topically with an antifungal from walgreens. It went away and never came back! However, this is highly contagious and quite a pain to get rid of so I recommend sterilizing all his binkies...toys..etc. Anything that has gotten into his mouth.
I know you'll take care of this wonderfully!
J.

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F.M.

answers from Kansas City on

Hi B.,

If this rash is not going away; it could potentially be a yeast. Ask your Peditrician to look at it. Diaper rashes that have the appearance that you are describing can be "Yeast". Some babies get "Thrush", which is the white patches inside their little mouths. That too, is Yeast.
If it is not Yeast, you may inquire about a diaper rash ointment that is called, "Van Bibbers" ointment. It is a very thick ointment that protects the babies bottoms. It was made up by Dr. Van Bibber. I may have that spelling wrong, but it sounds like it I spelled it.
I hope that helps!

Take Care,
F. M.
Olathe, KS.

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K.C.

answers from Kansas City on

I would go to the dr! Even if it is bad diaper rash he might be able to give a precripion cream!

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A.H.

answers from St. Louis on

Hey B. yes i would seriously take him to see doc also let the doc know what you been using on the rash .It may be very uncomfortable for your son so please do this right away let me know what happens good luck sweety A.

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L.L.

answers from Kansas City on

B.,
My son had something similar. I took him to the doctor. They had me bring a dirty diaper in. They found out that he was getting to much acid. He loves juice. I would weaken it down but it was not enough. When he would go in his diaper he was breaking out immediately. The doctor had me cut out juices from his diet. I had to learn to find other sources of food that had the same vitamins in them. The doctor told me that he should grow out of it. I test him about twice a year. So far he is able to drink two types of juices, mango and peach. But the rest still break him out. I hope this helps.

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B.S.

answers from Rockford on

It would be a good idea to see the doctor to make sure of what it is. My grandson got yeast infection on his upper leg when he was a baby and a friend's kids got scabies somehow once...so to be sure I would take him in to be looked at. Sorry I'm not much help. A realy good salve for diaper rashes or chafing from diareah is Paladin Ointment. It's over the counter but you have to ask the pharmacist for it. It's only around $3 a jar. Good luck!

J.G.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I would go get it checked b/c if it is ring worm it needs to be treated so it doesn't spread. Both of my kids had ring worm and my daughters got really bad. They can leave scars if they go untreated. Also for the diaper rash I found a treatment that worked really well for us. You first put neosporin, then lotrimin AF cream and then your diaper rash cream of choice. It cleared up my kids diaper rash within 24 hours. Hope everything turns out well.

J.

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M.S.

answers from Lawton on

Have you seen the doctor to see if maybe it is a yeast infection. When my son was an infant he had a "diaper rash" that wouldn't quit and everything I did made it worse. I turned out to be a yeast infection.

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L.M.

answers from Fort Myers on

My daughter has the same thing (including an open sore)! Mine has been going away since I started only using water to wipe her and useing antiboiotic cream. The whole rash eventually spread to her arms and legs too.

I went to see the dr so I would suggest the same thing. Since alot of rashes get discribed the same way and Drs are trained to look for the small differences in illnesses.

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N.C.

answers from Kansas City on

My first thought was eczema, my son and daughter have it. My daughter is 19 months old and only get's it on her bottom or her cheeks. Sounds exactly like what you are saying is a rash on your son's bottom. You can use a lotion called cetaphil which will help tremendously. It is the only lotion that helps with my son's, which is a lot worse. He has it all over his arms and legs during the winter. Don't give too many baths, instead of everyday give him one every other day. Also while he is still wet you might try putting baby oil on his bottom. I like the baby oil gel, it is much easier to use. If you have any questions about eczema please feel free to email me, I have done a lot of research on it since my son and nephew and daughter all have it. It is a genetic disease linked to the same gene as asthma. Childhood Eczema usually goes away, and is easily treatable.

N.

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A.G.

answers from Oklahoma City on

GO TO THE DOCTOR NOW!!! I don't mean to yell but it's always better safe than sorry. It could be a multitude of things, but no diaper rash I have ever come across has lasted that long. My kids used to have bad diaper rash. I literally would watch them go in the diaper and then take them to go change it and they would already have a really bad diaper rash. Try Flanders Buttpaste. You can find it in Walmart in the baby section where all the soap and lotion are. But you never know, it may also be that your baby has sensitive skin and something like the diapers he's wearing are irritating him. Go to the doc and find out like I said, better safe than sorry. Good luck!

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D.M.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Yes, take him to the Dr. It may be a form of a yeast infection. My son started getting the same thing when we started feeding him solid food. Went to the Dr. and it was gone withing a couple of days.

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S.D.

answers from St. Joseph on

My son seemed to get a srange rash whenever he felt under the weather. Powder and zinc creams never seemed to work. Then his doctor suggested it might be a fungal infection. Kinda of how we can be suseptible to yeast when we take antibiotics. He suggested hydrocotrisone. you can get the generic brand at WM for two bucks. 1% hydrocortisone cream has been our lifesaver. When he gets really bad we get an antifungal perscription, but since using the hyrdo' we haven't needed the precription for over a year. It's worth a shot to try. If it doesn't work it won't hurt him and you're only out two dollars. Good luck.

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L.K.

answers from Kansas City on

My 22 Month old had a similiar issue a month or so ago. I had her in the doctor's office for something else and they said that she actually had a Stat Infection. So I would take your little guy in to get checked out. It wasn't anything real serious but they did have to give her a prescribtion and after using that for a few days it was all cleared up. Hope this helps you. L.

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S.M.

answers from Kansas City on

The best stuff in the world for any rash on an adult or on a child that I could recommend and I was a patient of his when I was a baby and I use this on my kids and I would never hesitate to recommend it to anyone, in fact I always have a container of it in my house is called VanBibber's Buttocks Ointment or they may have changed the name to VanBibber's Ointment now. It cures everything from allergic rashes to yeast to fungal - no diaper rash that I know of has been able to beat it. I feel that the reason it works better than any other thing out there is because it is not petrolium based. I know you can get it at Watt Drug on 23rd Street in Independence, MO, but I also understand that it is available at other pharmacies with a prescription from you doctor. I hope this helps. If not, yes, I would definately take him to the doctor. God Bless

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M.A.

answers from Oklahoma City on

My son kept getting a rash like that and when I took him to the doctor, it was a yeast infection. Are the places your son has it the worst ever wet for long periods of time? Maybe when he wets his diaper, it goes straight up the front and back? I don't know, we had to find a diaper that worked the best for us with each different child. Check into the yeast infection though. It's bright red sometimes, but mostly pinkish and has a flat, scaly look to it. Good luck!

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T.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I am happy to hear it isnt ring worm or anything... :) SO happy you got some answers. My only suggestion is whenever you put anyone on antibodics, also have them take pro-biodics. (or acidolpholis sp??) you can find it in yogurt as the easiest source. Basically it keeps the good bacteria going in the system. :)

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R.K.

answers from Rockford on

You know, it could be any of the things already suggested...but my first thought was eczema. My son has it really bad in his diaper area for some reason, always has. I mean he gets it on his abdomen and his face sometimes too but it's mostly in the diaper area. I would take him to the doc so they can clear your conscience and get him treated for whatever it is. Keep us posted though! I'd love to hear what it was . :)

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A.W.

answers from Peoria on

B.. I would take him to the doctor ASAP. It could be a number of things, but the first thing that comes to my mind is a yeast infection. We had the same problem with our 2 year old about 6 months ago. The only thing that makes me think it could be something besides that is the fact that it is up his back and abdomen. I would not mess with this, take him to the doctor! I hope this helps.

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T.A.

answers from St. Louis on

B.-
Like everyone else, I would take him to the doctor. Almost three weeks ago the same thing happened in our house. Turns out that is was ringworm when I thought it was just a rash, very contagious it was tranferred from my daughters head to my sons face (because he loves to kiss his baby sister), antifungal cream and almost three weeks later and it still isn't gone!!! AGH!!!!!!
Hope everyone gets better soon!!
T.

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