Diaper dermatitis of 7 month old baby
-
Hi, my neighbor's 7-month-old boy has reddened skin under the diaper area developing over the past 3 days. The area appears wet, but there is no discharge. The child is otherwise healthy and does not appear to have any changes in body temperature, bowel movements, or energy level. His diaper is typically changed frequently, but he has a new nanny who may have a different schedule. Can anyone give fruitful suggestion?
-
@Manisha Symptoms are consistent with the common presentation of diaper dermatitis. Given that he does not have diarrhea, fever, or oozing, and he has not had had the rash for > 7 days, he is eligible for treatment at home. Diaper dermatitis can occur in the setting of occlusion from the diaper and increased exposure to moisture from gastrointestinal contents and urine. Instruct child's nanny to increase awareness of wet diapers and change them more frequently—a minimum of 6 times per day. A modality that may be difficult but effective includes a “diaper holiday,” where the baby would not wear a diaper and therefore avoid duration of contact with a wet diaper.
Additionally, the use of skin protectants with each diaper change will aid in preventing diaper dermatitis. The FDA has approved 17 skin protective ingredients for treatment of diaper dermatitis, including allantoin, calamine, cocoa butter, petrolatum, and zinc oxide. Baby's caregiver should use an OTC skin protectant after each diaper change for 7 days and observe for improvement. If the rash does not improve during that time, a medical referral is recommended. OTC antibacterial and antifungal topical agents are not recommended to treat diaper dermatitis