It's no secret that the skin of newborns is very delicate, vulnerable, sensitive and requires special attention and care. One of the most common problems is the treatment of diaper rash in a newborn.
What is diaper rash, the degree and stage of its development
Diaper rash is an inflammatory process of the skin that occurs due to prolonged exposure to moisture or increased friction. Diaper rash occurs just in places where it is moist and warm - in the skin folds: axillary, inguinal, cervical, intergluteal, in the lower abdomen and behind the ears. Moisture takes a natural lubricant, making the skin defenseless against fungi and bacteria. That is why the infection penetrates the skin of the baby faster. And the friction that inevitably occurs during the movements of the baby damages the already inflamed skin even more.
3 degrees of diaper rash are conditionally distinguished:
the first is slight redness without compromising the integrity of the skin;
the second is the bright redness of the skin with microcracks, erosion, and sometimes pustules;
the third - pronounced redness, erosion, weeping cracks, ulcers, even ulcers are possible.
All this is combined with pain, itching, burning. The baby becomes restless, often cries.
There are several stages of diaper rash. At the very beginning, only slight redness occurs. If you miss this process, then the redness will become stronger, and in the depths of the folds weeping cracks will gradually appear, which will cause pain, burning, itching in the baby. If no action is taken, microbial and fungal infections may be added. In severe cases, there is a risk of developing eczema.
Causes of diaper rash
The main cause of diaper rash is an excess of moisture on the delicate, sensitive skin of the baby. Excess moisture takes away the natural lubricant from the infant skin, its protective barrier is broken, and this facilitates the access of microbes. The conditions for the appearance of diaper rash are skin irritation by urine (when destroyed, salts of urine form ammonia, which has an irritating effect) and feces. Therefore, it is necessary to change the diaper more often and wash the baby.
Another reason is the defects in hygienic care: poor drying of the baby body after bathing, too high a temperature in the room, as well as excessive wrapping of the baby.
Another reason for diaper rash may be the individual predisposition of the baby, in other words, the increased sensitivity of children's skin to external stimuli. This item includes the friction of clothing (especially synthetic) on the skin of a child, inappropriate material or constituent substances of the diaper, an allergy to cosmetics. That is why saving on cosmetics for babies is not worth it.
The risk group for diaper rash includes babies suffering from allergic diseases (and sometimes, on the contrary, diaper rash can be a harbinger of allergies), as well as fair-skinned babies or kids with closely spaced vessels (vascular pattern may stand out on the skin of the legs and arms of such babies) . This group also includes overweight infants due to pathologies of metabolic or endocrine processes.
Diaper rash can increase with the introduction of new foods into the baby’s diet, medication and teething, as this all affects the composition of urine and feces.
Treatment of diaper rash in a newborn
When treating diaper rash, remember that the main principle here is maximum fresh air.
At the first stage of diaper rash in children, treatment is not necessary, thorough skin care will be sufficient. To do this, regularly change diapers and diapers, make sure that the crumbs are always dry (use the diaper for no more than 3 hours). When changing the diaper, the baby must be washed and dried with blotting movements, especially in the folds in the inguinal region. It is useful to have regular air baths. The more time the baby lies naked and his skin breathes, the less adverse effects will affect her. The growth of pathogenic bacteria will go much slower, and treating diaper rash in a newborn will give positive results much faster. Only in this case, you need to ensure that the baby does not catch a cold.
After drying the folds, it is necessary to treat the skin under the diaper with a protective baby cream, and use only high-quality products. After these procedures, you can put on a diaper. If redness causes an allergic reaction to the diaper, try diapers from another company.
The second stage of diaper rash requires, in addition to careful care, also treatment. In this case, the pediatrician usually prescribes a crumb procedure for ultraviolet radiation, acting exclusively on the affected areas, or ascribes special ointments and creams. Creams "Desitin", "Bepanten", "Drapolen" and "Purelan" have proven themselves well. After using Drapolen and Desitin, you can put on the diaper immediately, and after Bepanten it is better to wait half an hour until the ointment is completely absorbed, and then put it on.
If inflammation has occurred at the place of diaper rash, a protective ointment containing zinc oxide or a "talker", which can be ordered at a pharmacy by prescription (it contains talc and zinc oxide), helps a lot. Ointment will protect delicate skin from irritation and friction. You can use powders that absorb moisture, soften the skin and protect it from rubbing. Potato starch used earlier is less effective and inconvenient as it rolls into lumps and hardens.
It is desirable to bathe the baby in a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate. To do this, put 3-4 crystals of potassium permanganate in a jar, dilute with a small amount of water. Then strain through a bandage folded in several layers, since undissolved potassium permanganate crystals can cause burns to children's skin. Be very careful so that later the child does not suffer from a burn.
If the baby is not allergic to herbs, you can apply infusions or decoctions of a string, oak bark, chamomile or calendula. The crumbs simply have a sitz bath with these herbs for 5-7 minutes or rinsed with folds, after which the folds and buttocks are blotted dry.
If diaper rash does not go away for more than 3 days, be sure to consult a doctor. He will recommend additional anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory or antifungal agents.
Treatment of diaper rash in a newborn is very difficult if it is in the third stage. If a wetting place occurs, you need to consult a doctor on time.
Note that for wet wounds, non-greasy-based products are used; wet surfaces cannot be treated with oils or ointments: they cover diaper rash with a film, preventing healing.
The doctor can prescribe baby lotions based on tannin, silver nitrate and rivanol.
Prevention of diaper rash
1. After changing the diaper (every 3 hours), wash the baby with running water.
2. Wipe the baby thoroughly before putting it on after bathing.
3. When wiping baby skin, pat it with a towel, but do not rub.
4. Replace wet diapers and diapers in a timely manner.
5. Arrange more often air baths for the baby.
6. Thoroughly rinse diapers and clothes crumbs from washing powder and soap.
Carefully care for infant skin, conduct regular and timely hygienic procedures, more often do air baths and troubles such as diaper rash, will not affect you and the baby.