Persistent nappy rash

[CandleRigg89]

Hi everyone!

My 17 month old son has had an ongoing battle with what I can only describe as nappy rash for about 5 weeks now. The rash appeared at the start of an illness that went on to be diagnosed as bacterial tonsillitis for which he was on 10 days of antibiotics.

In its current form, it’s not a rash. It’s like redness all around his anal area in the middle of his bum cheeks. We’re managing to keep it there.

I got caneston from the pharmacy which didn’t seem to make a difference, then Dakatort from the GP which made it worse if anything. Then Fuscidic Acid which has maybe made it slightly better but nothing hugely.

Sudocream made it much worse, and the day we only used sudocream it got very angry, red and spotty at the edges, and spread up to his testes etc. He cried with every poop that day. Metanium got it under control overnight, clearing up the new bits but leaving the redness around his anus.

The doctor took a swab last week so whilst we wait for those results, I’ve been doing as much nappy free time as possible, using terry towering wipes, and the acid cream and metanium. It’s not worse but not gone either. Has anyone had any experience of this? What could it be?

Just bumping this for you.

was it the yellow Metanium?

Thank you!

Yes the yellow metanium! At the mere hint of nappy rash in the past that has cleared it up with one application, but it’s definitely not working.

Swab also came back with no findings so phoning GP again in the morning. I’m stumped!

I had a similar problem and found DD had eczema, hydrocortisone cleared it up.

I'd have assumed thrush but as canestan didn't work, I'm rather stumped too! How long did you use the canestan for?

Maybe GP will give you fucidn H or something else with steroid in, may settle it down.

If you're still breastfeeding you can use breast milk on the affected area - liquid miracle
Could you try a dose of piriton just in case it's an allergic reaction to something? Admittedly this is unlikely but you've tried a lot already so might be worth a shot

Thanks both!

@RagzRebooted we’ve been using Fucidin which is Fusilic Acid. Is there another one to try? We’ve been using that for a week and nothing. We used Caneston for 5 days with no change, and a slight worsening! The swab came back today showing nothing though, so assume that would have picked up thrush?

@Herbie0987 We used Dakatort which I believe is anti-fungal and hydrocortisone and it didn’t do anything at all :(

I have psoriasis so I’m starting to wonder if it could maybe be a first flare up of that - has anyone had any experience with it in the nappy area?

Thank you! We are still breastfeeding and I did try this and I think it may have made a difference but not huge enough to be sure. We were then prescribed a cream to try so I used the cream instead, and have just been using prescription things since then.

@CandleRigg89 Any joy with the new cream? And what was it?!

My baby is 9 weeks, and had persistent nappy rash for 3-4 weeks now. Metanium doesn't seem to be touching it, have now had clotrimazole (canesten) for a few days and seems worse if anything.

It's soooo cold right now, so nappy free time is hard to achieve!

Hope you've got yours under control.

Have you changed nappy brands?

@Moneypanicker I was using reusables, but had a bit of a rash so thought I'd switch to disposables for a bit to clear it up (don't like getting metanium all over them...)
I'm going to try a different brand to see if it helps - poor love, it looks so sore. But it's all over where the nappy is, so looks likely it's nappy brand.

Hello! Not got it fully away yet!

He had a diarrhoea bug for 5 days so we didn’t even bother trying the most recent cream until that was over, then we went on holiday and forgot to take it, but we started it the start of this week and it doesn’t seem to be doing anything!

Metanium definitely keeps it at bay. I have psoarisis and I’ve started to wonder if it’s that as I’ve noticed a couple of tiny dry patches on his back. I’ve been using epiderm ointment on alternate nappy changes and it is maybe taking the redness out of it and calming it.

It’s just a bit round around his wee bum though, it’s never went back to being a rash rash!

Hope it shifts soon - diarrhoea is the WORST! My 2yo had it a while ago and it was awful - multiple overnight poos, requiring both of us to change him.

Looking slightly better here. Trying multiple options, so no idea what's helping.

Coconut oil at changes
Making sure she's really dry before nappy goes on
Alternating clotrimazole and metanium
Swapped nappy brands - usually use reusables. Changed to disposable nappies. (Tesco Fred and flo) to clear up nappy rash. Made it worse. Changed to pampers - seems to be improving.
Lots of nappy free time - or as much as I can bear to, as it's fecking freeeeezing here!

Good luck with yours - it's been going on a while.

Thank you! I’ve actually added weleda to the overnight concoction of epiderm and a touch of metanium, and this it might be making a difference! Hoping we’ve hit the magic combo! It all started with strep tonsilitis and I keep having moments of panic thinking it’s strep and we’re not treating it, but having to calm myself knowing that the swab didn’t pick anything up!

Doctor thinks ours likely a combination of the high temp, constant nursery illness, and antibiotics that have just caused an irritation that’s hard to shift. Will phone them again on Monday for another cream to try. She did say we’ve barely scraped the surface of things to try and not to worry. He’s been off nursery since last week and he’s finished up for Christmas so hoping that us being able to keep properly on top of it all week will make the world of difference.

Hope your little one’s clears up super fast!

Just to update - I'd read that Timodene can be great. I happened to have some - and IT IS! 48hrs at every nappy change, and now I can barely see where the rash was. I'll give her another day, then revert back to barrier creams and keep on top of it that way.

My DD had something very much like; went to the doctors, tried different things. Nothing helped until we tried daily epsom salt baths followed by Weleda calendula nappy cream; they got rid of the rash so fast it was quite astonishing.

Omg I think we just had this. Did it turn into open and sore like wounds? Fucidin clears it although you may need a script. My baby had it after Strep A tonsillitis last week. It came around the same time as impetigo and Hand, foot and mouth. We've had a shite two weeks of strep A tonsillitis followed by impetigo, then hand foot and mouth and now currently recovering from chickenpox.

Sorry just seen you've tried fucidin

When Metanium doesn't work, my LO was prescribed Fucidin which worked wonders. It was red raw and open skin all over her bum. I believe Fucidin is an antiseptic, antibiotic and antibacterial.

Thank you!! The epiderm seems to have worked but will definitely keep this info if it flares up again!

We’ve already had Fuciden, it didn’t work!

The only thing that worked so far was epiderm so likely looking at more eczema/psoriasis!

It does sound similar but I think what’s probably happened is that the strep tonsilitis has triggered an eczema or psoriasis flare up! I have mild psoriasis and it flares up when my immune system is heightened, so if I’m fighting something or postpartum etc. and now that we’ve observed it, it does look similar to the psoarisis I get on my hands. Plus epiderm is working for it which now points more to eczema/psoarisis! He’s never had dry skin etc, but there has to be a first time for everything. My mum said I had psoarisis at his age that would flare up and down, and it is genetic, so it’s possible!