Patient's question:
My baby is 15 days old and has been exclusively breastfed. After passing meconium, the stool was thick, but in the past week, it has become watery, mostly yellow, sometimes yellow-green. Due to the large amount of stool, the skin around the anus has become red and even peeled off today. In the past few days, I have used "Johnson's Diaper Rash Cream," vegetable oil, and erythromycin ointment, and often let the little bottom bask in the sun at noon, but there has been little improvement. How can I treat the diarrhea? Is the little bottom suffering from diaper rash? What should I do?Doctor's answer:
Hello: Based on your baby's condition, it is recommended to visit the hospital for a routine stool examination. Pay attention to keeping the diaper dry. The cause of diaper rash is the contact of the skin with urine in a stuffy environment. Therefore, choosing diapers with strong absorption and good breathability can keep the area dry and prevent overheating, eliminating the environment for skin lesions and naturally reducing the occurrence of diaper rash.Develop good hygiene habits. Parents should change the diaper promptly to prevent the baby from wearing a wet and damp diaper for too long.
Before changing the diaper, parents should wash their hands with clean water and soap to avoid bacterial contamination of the diaper or transferring bacteria to the baby.
Before putting on a clean diaper, especially after the baby has a bowel movement, it is necessary to clean the buttocks with neutral soap and warm water, then gently wipe them dry with cotton gauze, and absorb any remaining moisture to keep the skin dry. You can apply some moisturizer to hydrate the skin and reduce the chance of contact with urine.
Every day, the baby's buttocks should have some time exposed to air and sunlight to allow the skin to breathe freely.
If diaper rash occurs, keep the affected area dry. You can expose the buttocks to sunlight for a short period, but avoid rubbing the affected area. After cleaning, use cotton gauze to absorb any remaining moisture. You can apply petroleum jelly or an anti-inflammatory ointment locally to create a protective barrier and isolate irritants. In severe cases, seek medical treatment promptly.