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Original poster

At my wits end about dd's nappy rash - in so much pain

107 replies

LadyMetroland · 12/08/2013 21:35

My dd is 2 and since May has developed appalling nappy rash. She gets it in bouts that last about a week, then we have maybe a week or two clear, but then it's back again. During a bout, she is in absolute agony; can barely sit down, walks like a cowboy and is in tears nearly the whole day. Been to doctors four times and am using Canesten with steroid, but to no effect, because of the following:

The major problem is that she lets out little bits of poo throughout the day, rather than one big poo, and so I have to change her nappy very frequently - maybe 8-9 times in a day. She's doing this because it hurts her so much to do a poo that she clenches up as soon as a little bit comes out.

I am using Water Wipes (99.9% water) and am very gentle but it is obviously making it worse to be changing her so often. It also means the steroid cream I put on in the morning has no time to work. There is no time for the skin to heal. I can't let her go round without a nappy for very long because a) she screams that she wants a clean one put on as she knows she's going to let out more poo, and b) she is letting out little dribbles of loose poo all the time so I would just have poo everywhere. Washing her down in the bath or shower is also not on the cards because the poo gets stuck into her skin and needs some kind of gentle wipe, but also because she literally screams blue murder, as if she is really being hurt, if I take her near the bath or shower (I do give a bath before bed, with salt in it, but I have to force her into it and hold her down which is just awful)

Bepanthen etc has no effect because it just slides off the affected area - the area is so red and weepy that cream just won't absorb because it's just raw.

Tonight she has screamed in agony every time I've changed her nappy. She is in constant tears and it is absolute agony to watch. I even considered taking her to A&E to try and get some kind of local anasthaetic or major league painkiller for her (obviously didn't do this but I am desperate)

Does anyone have any advice or experience? I'm off to the docs again tomorrow morning.

OP posts:
LostinLocation · 12/08/2013 22:03

Hi lady. I have had a similar problem but it turns out she was allergic (or highly intolerant) of a particular food. In our case dairy, it just started out of nowhere or maybe built up over time.

It literally burned the skin off her bum. I was really shocked. I don't think just normal poo would have the effect your describing. Would you try taking her off dairy for a few days and see if that helps? If not you could try wheat too.

Wishfulmakeupping · 12/08/2013 22:05

Metanium is amazing stuff we call it magic cream in our house too

mumofthemonsters808 · 12/08/2013 22:05

Metanium (thick yellow) cream worked wonders for both of mine.

PoppyWearer · 12/08/2013 22:05

I've been to the GP about bad nappy rash for DC2 recently and we were prescribed Metanium. It's the only thing I've tried that works!

Tried the egg white thing too but wasn't convinced, worth a try thought if you have nothing else in the house.

RantyMcRantpants · 12/08/2013 22:06

Don't bath in salt water. Put a couple of handful of oats in the end of a pair of tights. Tie round the hot tap and run the bath so the water runs through it or tie off and chuck in the bath whilst running it. Squeeze it out when the bath is run and pop her into the bath. So soothing for nappy rash and brilliant for the skin.

Has she had a dietary change recently? That may be the cause.

quoteunquote · 12/08/2013 22:06

Try egg white.

DO NOT DO THAT, unless you want her to develop an egg allergy.

girliefriend · 12/08/2013 22:10

If it is open and weeping it sounds infected and she probably needs antibiotics.

Are you giving her regular painkillers while it is so bad? I would be esp before bathing etc.

If she is holding onto poo that needs addressing asap, I would suggest some movocol so that she literally can't hold on but has to fully open her bowels in one go.

Once that is sorted I would want to try and potty train as a priority.

Take her to G.P asap and ask for pead ref if not getting any better or for a nurse to look at it for wound advice.

MissBeehiving · 12/08/2013 22:13

Another vote for metanium - it really does work.

Glowlamp · 12/08/2013 22:21

My dd suffered terribly with nappy rash to the point where it was so raw it brought tears to my eyes nevermind hers! Another vote for metanium here it worked a miracle and I used it all the time.
Perhaps get the area swabbed... you get a kit from gp to do this yourself which means less trauma. We did have problems with infections from time to time .
No soaps in bath or near the area and I used cotton wool and water for cleaning. Continued after potty training and still does from time to time tho not hearly as badly. Flares with illness and I still use barrier creams. DD is nearly 5.
Was horrendous when she had chickenpox. Oats in the bath in tights even a bit of lavendar helped, I even put this in the paddling pool! Good luck.

AnneElliott · 12/08/2013 22:24

Another vote for metanium here. DS was do bad he screamed when he sat down. 1 day of metanium and it was all sorted.

Thesebootsweremadeforwalking · 12/08/2013 22:29

I would also recommend a GP visit to talk about constipation. About that age DS had an absolutely horrible nappy rash following little and often poos and so constant nappy changes. I think his actual rash cleared up with Canestan and a steroid IIRC, but we also ended up back in outpatient care for his constipation. I couldn't really say which came first, the rash or the constipation, but I do remember that we got into a vicious circle and had to deal with both to stop it.

LostinLocation · 12/08/2013 22:32

Cross post willowisp!

Op do consider investigating the food thing- it changed our situation in 48 hours.

SharuPraveen · 12/08/2013 22:34

Metanium worked wonders for me too.. Did you try it?

DIddled · 12/08/2013 22:36

Was going to say metanium but many have beat me to it- my son is 14 but I remember it being the only thing that worked, except maybe sudocrem??

DIddled · 12/08/2013 22:38

And hope she gets better, I am wincing thinking of her , poor little thing.

Lioninthesun · 12/08/2013 22:41

Poor little girl! I can't better any advice given, but wondered if you had considered potty training? I see she is 2 and am considering training her in a couple of months. I tell DD if she ever gets nappy rash that this won't happen when she is in big girl pants! Obv not great to try until she is ready but maybe asking her if she is ready and having as much time nappy free with a potty to hand would help?

harverina · 12/08/2013 22:44

My dd had awful nappy rash which was actually thrush. The only thing that shifted it was trimovate steroid cream which the gp told me was the strongest she could prescribe. Dd used to be in agony it was heartbreaking Hmm

Can you potty train? Dd had recurring thrush until she was potty trained - it was much better with the trimovate but this can't be used long term. I also stopped upswing barrier creams as was told that these encourage thrush. Instead I used dd's moisturiser which was prescribed for her eczema...double base at evey nappy change and trimovate when she had spots worked wonders.

SayWhatWhat · 12/08/2013 22:45

Another vote for Metanium here! Magic yellow cream I hope it works for your dd nappy rash is awful

Original poster
LadyMetroland · 12/08/2013 23:14

Thankyou everyone for your advice. A lot of it is conflicting advice! I'm going to make notes from this thread and take to gp as there are a few things I haven't thought of.

To clear up a few things: she isn't constipated, she adores fruit and veg and eats porridge every morning. The poo is quite loose - I think she is in so much pain when it starts to come out that she clenched up, thus meaning she lets more out an hour later.

Salt in bath was recommended by gp!

Haven't tried metanium yet so will ask about that. Whoever suggested the spray used for bedsores - I'll ask about that too as that is precisely the sort of thing i want - an anaesthetic to take away the pain.

The idea that she has an allergy is worth investigating and I'll mention this to gp tomorrow.

wrt potty training - yes, I think this is going to be the only final solution for us. She can do wees on the potty but isn't reliable so I think she's not quite ready but soon will be. I can't do it during the happy rash bouts as she is letting out little dribbles and bits of loose poo all the time so it isn't practical to follow her about the house with a potty all day. I have two other children to deal with inc 3 month old ebf baby (interesting whoever it was who mentioned breastmilk having healing properties - I may give this a go!)

Apologies for typos - am on phone

OP posts:
Original poster
LadyMetroland · 12/08/2013 23:17

Incidentalay, every gp we've seen says something different. One thought it was thrush another said excema. It's so difficult to see what the real cause is

OP posts:
harverina · 12/08/2013 23:20

Lady - my dd had very loose poos which were pretty vile and acidic. I switched to white bread and increased the fat in her diet and this helped significantly.

LoveBeingItsABoy · 12/08/2013 23:24

Sitting in a dettol bath will help

Glowlamp · 12/08/2013 23:24

Metanium can be found in supermarket. Gp and health visitor I dealt with weren't aware of it! We had 101 explanations too. Excema was also one. Good luck.

Hrrrm · 12/08/2013 23:24

I'd recommend cleaning with cotton wool dipped in olive or almond oil, then applying Metanium (yellow). No water, no wipes. Do this every hour or more as needed. This sorted DD out in under 2 days when it was bad.

elportodelgato · 12/08/2013 23:30

You need to go nuclear. The only thing that ever worked for DD1 was cream from the doctor with hydrocortisone in it - strong stuff, but works literally overnight. I tried bloody everything else, metanium, bepanthen, bathing in bloody tea and honey etc etc etc, nothing would shift it.

I really feel for you and your DD, I do recall being driven to tears by it regularly so you have my sympathy

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