Diaper dermatitis in children

The most common skin lesion that mothers can observe on their babies’ skin during infancy and the neonatal period is diaper dermatitis. The symptoms of this inflammation shouldn’t be difficult to recognize. The most popular of them are redness and erythema, which appear in the place where the diaper is in immediate contact with the skin.  During the inflammation process, the symptoms can spread to the lower abdomen and upper tights. In the case of severe inflammation, we can also observe spots, fluid-filled blisters, and honey-coloured crusts.

A child’s skin is very delicate and much thinner than that of an adult, which is why it is so sensitive to abrasions. Diaper dermatitis in children can appear repeatedly, which is, unfortunately, very tiring for the baby because of itching and burning pain, which are related to inflammation.  

Diaper dermatitis in children appears due to long-term contact of the child’s skin with wetness and irritants that come from urine, faeces and sweat. That is why it is so important to take care of the baby’s hygiene and to apply appropriate skincare. You can read more about it in our other article titled ‘Diaper dermatitis – treatment and management.’

However, there are more possible causes of diaper dermatitis. These include, for example, not changing a child’s diaper often enough, rubbing or cleaning the diaper areas too hard, allergies to allergens that are in some cosmetics for babies, rare cleaning of the diaper area, diarrhoea, or using diapers that do not allow the baby’s skin to breathe.

The best ointments and creams that can be used to treat diaper dermatitis are those containing zinc oxide, zinc sulfate and copper sulfate (they are anti-inflammatory and help to regenerate the skin) as well as emollients, vitamin E and allantoin. However, if a child suffers from acute inflammation, do not ignore it and immediately contact your doctor. It is also worth preventively taking care of ventilation, frequently changing diapers, and using skincare cosmetics that are free from allergens.