What you need to know about diaper rash and how to treat it

Diaper rash is common in babies, especially around the age of 9-12 months. This kind of rash is sometimes difficult to avoid. Don't worry, diaper rash is a harmless condition that can be easily treated.

Diaper rash is an inflammation of the baby's skin in the area covered by the diaper or generally occurs around the buttocks.

Causes of Diaper Rash

Symptoms of diaper rash are marked by the baby's skin that looks red around the buttocks, groin, thighs, and genitals. The pain of diaper rash can make your little one even more cranky. What's more, the part of the skin covered by the diaper when touched or cleaned often makes the baby cry.

Diaper rash is generally caused by a number of conditions, such as:

  • The baby's diaper is too wet and dirty from urine or feces.
  • Baby's skin becomes sensitive due to exposure to chemicals found in diapers.
  • Fungal and bacterial infections.
  • Intake of solid food for the first time given to babies, especially those that are acidic, such as lemon or pineapple. Solid food should only be given when the baby is more than 6 months old.
  • Babies who are taking antibiotics and babies who are breastfeeding from mothers who are taking antibiotics.

Take Handling Early

Early treatment measures need to be taken so that the diaper rash does not spread to other parts of the skin and disturb the comfort of the little one. There are several ways to treat newborns or babies who are older than diaper rash, such as:

  • Wash hands thoroughly before and after changing baby's diapers.
  • Check your baby's diaper every few hours. Do not let the baby's diaper wet and dirty by changing it with a new diaper.
  • Before changing a new diaper, clean the baby's skin using clean water and a special skin cleanser. If you are going to bathe, you should use warm water for about 10-15 minutes.
  • Avoid scrubbing diaper rash with alcohol or perfumed ingredients. Gently pat the baby's skin with a clean and soft towel or washcloth until dry.
  • Make sure the area affected by the diaper rash is completely dry and clean before putting on a new baby diaper.
  • Occasionally let the baby not use a diaper for a while.

Petroleum Jelly to Help Treat Diaper Rashes

After cleaning the affected area with diaper rash with water and a soft cloth, you can apply petroleum jelly. The benefits of petroleum jelly will form a protective layer on the skin, so it can help avoid irritation, while reducing friction on the skin with diaper rash.

In addition, petroleum jelly is able to maintain moisture and care for the health of your little one's skin. After that, just use a clean diaper on the baby.

It's best to avoid steroid creams for diaper rash, unless your doctor recommends it. In addition, the use of powder should also be done carefully and not excessively. Powder that hits the baby's face and is often inhaled, can cause respiratory problems. Pour the powder into the palm of your hand and apply a thin layer, spreading evenly over the diaper rash area.

Diaper rash is not always related to mistakes in caring for the baby. A rash may appear if there is irritation of the skin. Take the steps to overcome and prevent diaper rash above. Consult a doctor if the diaper rash is increasingly disturbing your little one's comfort.

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