Severe nappy rash

[BelleBoyd]

Our DS is a month old today and has had terrible nappy rash for over a week. It's two patches on his bum that are shiny red raw. It's also spreading out to be red all over. He screams in pain when he does a wee/poo and when we change nappies.
Have tried airing it-for a whole day recently. Sudocrem, Metanium, Bethapen etc. Only use cotton wool and water to clean and change his nappy as soon as he's done a poo.
He's a really big eater and has lots of dirty nappies so is really tricky.
Went to the docs on Monday and they prescribed Hydrocortisone but it's having no effect. I went as I wanted to rule out thrush.
What else can I do?? It's breaking my heart at every nappy change!

I found Timodine really brilliant. DS2 has been very prone to nappy rash. He goes from slightly red to bleeding in. Few hours. Timodine improves things massively and fast. You're meant to use it no more than 3x a day, so I'd continue with the metanium for other nappy changes. Before he was mobile I'd put the timodine on and leave the nappy off for as long as possible. Also if the nappy is just wet, dab him with a tissue rather than wiping off any cream that's there. If it's pooey I found cotton wool soaked in oil was gentlest. Removed the poo without drying the skin or removing too many scabs. I found sunflower was fine, but I guess olive etc would be ok.

My daughter gets appalling nappy rash if we use anything but Pampers. The best cream we tried is zinc and castor oil - you'll usually have to ask at the pharmacy counter.

Hi stressed.

Our DS had terrible nappy rash at 2 weeks old as his bowl was immature and he was poo-ing literally constantly. It was a little bit pink one minute and then the next he had two great big raw patches where the skin seemed to have melted away. One of them began to bleed and none of the creams we had been advised to use were working.

The trouble is that once the skin is raw, the barrier creams dont stick to the wound and provide a barrier so it just gets worse and worse. In the end, our GP called a paediatrician at St Mary's to ask for advice and we were told to use cavilon surgical film to paint onto the wound and then a thin layer of metanium on top. It worked brilliantly and after about 5 days his bottom was almost completely healed.

You can order a box of cavilon sachets (the film comes in sachets whith an applicator and you paint it on and wait for it to dry) over the counter from any pharmacy without a prescription but you should only use them if you are sure there is not thrush or infection as they wont help for this. Probably best to see your GP first and ask them to look up cavilon and give your son the once over and if they think its right then get it on prescription as it is expensive.

I remember worrying that our sons bottom was ruined forever it looked so bad and he was so little but he's two now and there's been no lasting damage. I do remember how stressful it was!
Good luck!

My dd had this.
We had several trips back and forth to the docs, before it was confirmed as thrush. Canisten didn't work, daktarin helped a bit, and must have cleared the fungal bit away but didn't get rid completely.
What made the massive difference, like a pp has said, was only putting a very thin layer of sudocream on. Otherwise the air can't get through to help it heal.
That and a lot of nappy off time - I got the disposable pampers change mats, and a couple of old towels so she didn't get cold, and had nakie time! Went quickly as soon as we did all that.

I know how upsetting it can be. Hope it's better very soon.

Hopefully everything is now under control, but I was under the impression hydrocortisone shouldn't be used on broken skin. You might want to check the label on that one?

My daughter had this terribly 4 creams from the doctor nothing worked! Then someone suggested the johnsons nappy rash cream and it really was magic next day bleeding had stopped and 2 days later no more scabs!!

We had this with DD2... We changed nappies and kept her naked as much as possible. We also started to put her in a warm sink / baby bath so she wouldn't scream when we were trying to clean her.

They eventually prescribed a steroid cream twice a day with moisturiser for all other changes and it started to get better.

The Timodine seems to have worked-although also could be the Metanium and cleaning with oil and changing to the naty nappies!..
But he is so much better now-almost completely gone.
Will carry on using the Metanium till it's all better. Have stopped using the Timodine as have been using hydrocortisone cream for 7 days.

Also he's stopped pooing so frequently so it's given his poor bum a chance to heal...

I've just read the thread OP. Glad he's better! If it comes back (fingers crossed not) try cooled chamomile tea to wipe him when you change him - it's mildly anti fungal and antibacterial, and very gentle.

A WONDER CREAM:

ZINC AND CASTOR OIL!