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How To Deal With Diaper Allergy

Diaper Allergy: a concise and comprehensive study

How do you deal with diaper allergy? What causes it? How is it best treated? When do you need to see a doctor about it? What are the symptoms and what are the preventive measures if there are any?

These and many more questions are frequently asked when it comes to diaper allergy. Moms, most especially first time mothers, need to know the facts about diaper allergy. After all, your baby’s health is now your top priority. Let us take a look at these questions one at a time.

What causes diaper allergy?

Diaper rash or diaper allergy typically arises from some chemical irritation due to certain germs that are present in the baby’s urine and stool. These germs are broken down into ammonia by urea, which burns the skin.

Another cause is the materials or fabric the diaper is made off. Babies often develop skin rashes because of the irritation caused by a certain diaper’s fabric or material. Water-repellant chemicals in materials are quite dangerous to those with skin allergies and to those with sensitive skin such as babies. An irritated skin is often a cause for real trouble and discomfort for a young child. Irritation of the skin which results to chaffing, rashes, and itch is more likely to occur where two moist areas meet. Most of these areas are the groins, buttocks, and under the arms.

Prolonged exposure to these materials and precipitating agents is more likely to cause diaper allergy.

How to deal with diaper allergy: what is the best home treatment?

Clean skin has great powers of resistance to germs and bacteria. It is important to wash or rinse the diaper area with soft and clean water as often as necessary to avoid prolonged exposure to urine and stool. Using pure soft water and soft cloth for cleansing your baby’s skin is better than using baby wipes especially if rashes has already started to develop. If you have difficulty cleansing sticky stool, it is well to apply mineral oil to the area for easy removal of stool. Frequent diaper change greatly aids in avoidance of precipitating agents and chemical reactions that causes skin irritation. Keep the baby’s skin clean and dry. Exposing the affected area to fresh air is one very effective way to speed up the healing process of diaper rash.

Warm water bath is recommended for you baby’s over-all hygiene and skin care. It avoids rashes not only on diaper areas but all over the body. When it comes to diaper rash, you can make the child sit on warm water bath (only the affected area is uncovered especially if it is cold) at most two times daily for 15 to 20 minutes each time. It is advisable to use just clean and pure soft water because supplementary cleansing agents such as baking soda and the like is dubious. Even antiseptics like boric acid can cause further irritation especially if the skin is broken. Antiseptics and some cleansing agents can cause toxicity if it is absorbed by the skin at an increased rate.

Topical ointments and liquids can also be applied to affected areas. It is well to apply some mild zinc oxide ointment to the sore spot once or twice daily. Ointments and creams especially formulated for rashes can also act as a protective layer against skin irritants. It also lessens further damage and irritation due to friction. Petroleum jelly can also be used as topical ointment to alleviate irritation and diminish abrasion, chafing, roughness and other symptoms caused by diaper allergy. However, be careful not to put too much petroleum jelly as it can clog the pores. The skin has to breathe as well. Be careful also about using powders or cornstarch on the skin especially if it is already irritated. Some powders contain zinc stearate, which is particularly dangerous to babies.

When do you need to see a doctor about it?

The home treatments mentioned above, if carefully followed, should produce a dramatic effect within two or three days. If there is no significant result after two or three days of home treatment, the skin rash maybe due to yeast infection. In this case, it is advisable to contact your pediatrician. It might also be helpful to temporarily stop applying ointments until you have contacted your pediatrician. Some may have different reactions to normal skin treatments or your child may have some allergies you are not yet aware of. Although, maintaining your baby’s hygiene is still necessary even if you stop applying topical ointments or creams.

What are the symptoms of diaper allergy?

The symptoms are redness or red spots, chafing, itchiness, roughness, and some may include swelling. Skin irritations especially among babies are common due to the many fabrics and chemicals in use today. Skin reactions though, vary. Some babies may perfectly be alright using a certain brand of diaper, while the same brand of diaper may cause allergies to other babies.

What are the preventive measures for diaper allergy?

It is important to always keep the diaper area clean and dry. Always use pure soft water to cleanse your baby’s skin. Avoid perfumed baby wipes and cleansing agents as it may contain strong chemicals that are not suitable for sensitive skin. Test the diapers if it is compatible to your baby’s skin. It the diaper area shows some of the symptoms listed above, switch to another material immediately. Choose the diapers that allow free air circulation while in use. Also, when using cloths or towels instead of diapers, wash and rinse well (especially new clothing) before putting it next to your baby’s skin. Bland soap and soft water are best for laundering baby clothing. Strong detergents or soaps may cause skin irritations.