After leaving the hospital, parents are left alone with the child. Motion sickness, changing diapers, feeding and other daily chores give that very happy realization of parenthood. However, only having faced such a slightest problem as diaper dermatitis, mom and dad realize the full extent of the responsibility that has fallen on them. Therefore, you need to figure out what it is.
What is the difference between dermatitis and diaper rash?
Diaper dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin of an infant, caused by external irritants. Since in the first months of life, diapers (and now diapers) have the closest contact with the skin of the newborn, this is where the name of this phenomenon came from.
Among parents, this medical term is known as diaper rash. Therefore, these two concepts are equivalent. That this is one and the same can be seen by looking at the diaper dermatitis photo presented below.
Causes of dermatitis in children
Most often diaper rash is localized in the most piquant places - in the perineum, buttocks and armpits. This is due to a number of reasons that explain the nature of the occurrence of diaper dermatitis.
Causes:
- Exposure to the skin of mechanical irritants (tissue or diapers).
- Negative chemical reactions to contact with ammonia, urine salts, stool enzymes.
- Sweating due to increased ambient temperature.
- Infection with Escherichia coli or other dangerous microorganisms.
Most often, the cause of diaper dermatitis in a newborn is commonplace - not observing personal hygiene rules, in particular, an untimely change in diaper. However, irritation can occur on a certain brand of diapers. But in this case, we are not talking about diaper rash, but about an allergy to a certain chemical element (most often flavoring), which is part of the product.
Children with microflora disturbance by Candida fungus are also at increased risk. Although it is not the causative agent of this disease, with improper skin care the baby will certainly act as a catalyst for the development of diaper rash.
Factors Affecting the Occurrence
All babies have equally thin and delicate skin. However, it was noticed that some children constantly suffer from diaper dermatitis, while others have never come across it. And the point here is not the negligent attitude of the mother to the hygiene of the child.
The risks of diaper rash are much higher in children with:
- allergies
- atopic dermatitis;
- immunodeficiency;
- thrush;
- violation of the water-salt balance;
- hung ammonia levels in the urine.
In order not to waste time treating diaper dermatitis, more attention needs to be paid to the hygiene of children with disease data. First of all, you need to responsibly approach the choice of diapers or diapers.
Diapers or diapers - which is better?
The time when parents around the world rejoiced at the invention of diapers is running out. Increasingly, rumors began to appear that they were harmful to the baby’s delicate skin. However, this opinion is not fair.
It is noted that the percentage of diaper dermatitis diseases is much higher among those children whose parents voluntarily refuse to use diapers. The fact is that, firstly, the fabric has a rougher structure than the material of the diaper, and secondly, it does not have an absorbent capacity, which prevents their instant replacement.
That is why experts recommend the use of diapers at night up to 1.5 years. Around this age, children begin to control their natural needs, which allows you to start accustoming the child to the potty.
Symptoms
No internal changes in the diaper rash are carried. Below is a photo of diaper dermatitis. As you can see, the main symptoms include:
- Redness and irritation of the skin in the perineum.
- Peeling, itching.
- Restless behavior of the child, moodiness, tearfulness.
- In rare cases - the appearance of ulcers, swelling of the tissues.
Due to the improperly selected diaper size, redness may also appear in places where it is most tightly attached to the skin (on the stomach, legs, back).
Symptoms of diaper rash are found in both boys and girls. In addition, there is an opinion that children who are breast-fed are also more prone to diaper rash. This is explained by the increased alkaline environment of the stool, which leads to the appearance of redness in the anus.
The treatment of diaper dermatitis depends on the symptoms of the disease. In the photo you can see pustules and dropsy in the diaper rash. This indicates complications caused by the bacterial environment and requiring medical treatment.
Degree of neglect of the disease
Diaper rash cannot be taken lightly. After all, this disease has several stages of development. Therefore, the sooner treatment begins, the faster the condition of the baby will improve.
Diaper dermatitis in infants is:
- First degree. This is the easiest stage of the disease, which is the easiest to treat. It is characterized by a slight local redness, which occurs after air baths with the application of special healing ointments and creams based on panthenol or zinc.
- Second degree. This is diaper dermatitis of moderate severity. Inflammation of the skin begins to grow and takes on a burgundy hue. Perhaps the appearance of ulcers.
- Third degree. The neglected form of diaper rash is characterized by abundant wet rashes, deep cracks in the epidermis, as well as swelling of the tissues.
If timely treatment of diaper dermatitis in children is not started, there is a high risk of damage to the lower layers of the skin, as well as an abscess.
Diagnostics
In addition to a visual examination, nothing is required from the pediatrician to diagnose this disease. Mothers must provide all the important information for an accurate diagnosis.
The fact is that skin inflammation can be caused not only by dermatitis, but also by allergies, prickly heat, or hives. Therefore, you need to remember whether personal hygiene products (soap, diapers, powders, etc.) have changed lately.
If redness is localized only in the perineum and there are no other signs of an allergic reaction, then most likely the parents were faced with diaper rash. This is good, because the treatment of diaper dermatitis in children (photo below) is easier and faster than any other epidermal disease.
Treatment
Diaper rash, at first glance, seems to be a harmless disease. However, in the first months of the baby’s life, it’s better to still consult a pediatrician to determine the exact diagnosis and prescribe effective therapy.
How to treat diaper dermatitis:
- Change diapers every 2 hours, in case of bowel movement, this should be done immediately. Some brands of diapers have a special indicator that will tell parents that it is time to change it.
- When changing the diaper, the child needs to thoroughly wash the perineum without soap. Applying detergents to inflamed skin can cause burning and pain, which will affect the baby's well-being.
- Moisture remaining on the skin after washing must be absorbed with a soft towel. No need to rub your skin hard. Excessive irritation will only slow down the healing process of diaper rash.
- After bathing, you need to leave the child to “breathe” without a diaper, that is, do not put diapers or sliders on him immediately.
- When the inflamed area is completely dry, you need to apply a special healing cream or ointment based on dexpanthenol or zinc.
- During the day, doctors recommend that the child often have air baths. The main thing is that the room has the optimum temperature and humidity.
Means for healing diaper rash
Medications for treating diaper rash are selected based on the condition of the skin. With diaper dermatitis, the skin can be either dry or wet. For dry and rough spots in the area of diaper rash, it is recommended to use creams and fatty oils, and for wet wounds - powders and ointments that dry the skin.
Medicines for the treatment of diaper dermatitis:
- Zinc oxide based products. Zinc dries the skin and quickly removes its inflammation, and it also has high regenerative properties. Such funds include: zinc ointment, Sudokrem, Bureau Plus.
- Antiseptics. Antiseptic ointments are necessary in order to protect the skin of the child from the attachment of a bacterial infection. You can also use combination preparations containing an antibiotic and antiseptic. But only if infection has already occurred. The most common drugs: Levomekol, Oflokain. Antibiotics should be prescribed by a doctor.
- Creams and ointments based on dexpanthenol. Such drugs have a similar principle of action with zinc-based products. Therefore, in the treatment of diaper dermatitis, you need to dwell on any of them. Preparations containing dexpanthenol: Bepanten, Dexpanthenol, Panthenol.
- Hormonal drugs. Hormonal ointments are prescribed only with an advanced stage of the disease by a pediatrician.
When is a pediatrician consultation necessary?
Despite the fact that diaper rash is quickly and easily treated, sometimes you can’t do without the help of a doctor. Especially if the parents noticed the following symptoms:
- increase in body temperature;
- the formation of pustules and cracks;
- a rapid increase in the area of inflammation;
- change in the density and color of the skin to raspberry, burgundy or cyanotic;
- weakness, moodiness and anxiety of the child.
Anxiety can also cause inconclusive treatment of diaper rash for several days. If there is no positive dynamics, it is better to immediately contact a specialist in order not to start the disease, as can be seen in the above photo of diaper dermatitis in children.
Diaper rash prevention
To prevent irritation of delicate baby skin, it is necessary to carry out the prevention of dermatitis from the first days of life. The rules for care are quite simple and do not require specific training.
Rules for the care of the baby's skin in the diaper area:
- Change diapers in time, even if the baby is sleeping.
- Apply special products after each diaper change.
- Instead of powders, it is better to give preference to creams and ointments, which contain dexpanthenol. Ointments such as Bepanten are used not only to treat diaper dermatitis, but also to prevent it. Therefore, they are suitable for daily use.
- During the day, the child should systematically take air baths - at least 4-5 times a day for 20-30 minutes.
- Make sure that the size and appearance of the diaper fits the baby. Today, manufacturers produce two separate lines of diapers: for boys and for girls. This is not a planned marketing move. Gender separation of hygiene products is due to the anatomical features of different sexes.
In the autumn-winter period, experts recommend making up for the lack of vitamin D. As you know, it is produced in the body under the influence of sunlight. When the sun is not enough, there is a deficit, which leads to a risk of decreased immunity. In addition, its lack can lead to a violation of heat transfer and excessive sweating, which will be the root cause of diaper rash.
Conclusion
Diaper dermatitis is characteristic of children from 0 to 3 months. At this time, parents only learn the proper care of the baby and make some mistakes in this that stimulate the formation of diaper rash. However, over time, who taught them not only to prevent, but also to treat, this problem is forgotten once and for all.