According to an estimate, over 75% of the infants get diaper rashes within one or two months of their birth.
It is not only immensely disturbing for the tender skin of the little babies; it severely affects their behavior.
Diaper rashes can be terrible to the point of turning an otherwise happy child into a complaining little devil.
Although diaper rashes are a kind of discomfort that all the babies have experienced at one time or the other, the problem should be addressed sincerely and as early as possible.
The delay in combating diaper rashes only prolongs your little ones pain.
You can reduce your childs suffering due to rashes in two ways: first by treating the affected areas, and second, by taking precautions so that they do not appear once again.
But before discussing about the ways of combating them, the mother has to know why the rashes appear on the soft skins of their babies.
Reasons of Diaper Rashes
Combinations of factors are responsible for the appearance of diaper rashes. The most common cause is the improper cleaning and washing of the nappies and other clothes used by the baby.
Because of an improper washing, bacteria and detergent residues remain on the diapers. The rashes can also occur from prolonged wetness of the cloth diapers when they are not changed frequently enough.
In the absence of proper sanitization, microbes start to grow as a result of interaction between ammonia and the urine residues and they set inside the skin causing irritating rashes.
Disposable diapers also create rashes. The plastic cover of the disposable diapers that gets constantly rubbed against the tender skin of your baby’s body is a potent cause for diaper rashes.
Then, it is altogether wrong to presume that disposable diapers soak up all he wetness. There always remains a little wetness that is sufficient for causing rashes.
Then, the disposable diapers contain such chemicals as dyes, absorbent gel in the form of sodium polyacrylate and dioxin, which are the elements certainly not suitable for the sensitive skins of an infant.
Then there are the baby products that contain certain chemical ingredients that may also lead to allergic irruptions on the diaper areas.
As for example most of the baby wipes contain alcohol that is extremely irritating for a few months old baby.
Combat the rashes
Diaper rashes are not any serious medical problem and they are cured within no time. There are varieties of ways to deal with the problems of diaper rashes.
Following some hygienic practices, you can even permanently get rid of them.
- .To treat the diaper rashes first check with the kind of diapers you are using. If your baby is catching diaper rashes very frequently, then consider changing the brand of disposable diaper currently in use.
- Also, go for a more frequent diaper change and in case of cloth diaper, remove it instantly after baby wets it.
- .Diaper rashes are prevented by increasing air circulation in the diaper areas and stopping moistures from setting in the skin.
- So, every time you change the diaper, dry the skin properly. Do not use the plastic pants or the diapers with the covers that seal in moisture.
- Make it a point to keep your baby without diaper for a certain period of time every day.
- .Try a squirt bottle and warm soapy water instead of baby wipes to clean your baby after potty. Pediatricians generally recommend the application of ointment containing Aquaphor or zinc oxide, every time after the diaper change.
- Washing the diaper area with diluted vinegar is also a good option for balancing the ammonia from the baby’s waste.
- To soak the wetness you can also apply cornstarch powder in the affected area.
- .Sometimes an early weaning process comprising a grain diet may lead to repetitive attack of diaper rashes. The diet of both the mother and child should be free of excess vitamin C.
- Get your baby potty trained as early as possible to get rid of the entire botheration of nappy changing and cleaning.
Finally, all the babies are different and they respond differently to same remedy. It is up to the parents to find out which is the best way to give their child relief from irritating nappy rashes.
In the absence of a satisfactory result, parents should consult a physician to find out whether there is any internal system disturbances that make the rashes come back over and over again.
