Understanding Diaper Rash - Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms?

• Redness over the diaper area -- around the genitals, buttocks, and thighs
• Increased discomfort, especially at diaper-changing time.
• Tight, papery skin or skin that is shiny and bright red.
• A strong smell of ammonia.
• In boys, an inflamed penis.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You see no improvement after four days of home treatment, or you also see white patches inside the mouth that appear red after being wiped with a clean cloth.  Your child may have a yeast infection called candidiasis.
• The rash is scaly and has a yellowish hue and appears not only in the diaper area, but elsewhere on the body, such as behind the ears or under the arms.  Your child may have seborrheic dermatitis.
• The diaper rash does not go away within a few days or worsens.  Your child may have developed a strep or staph infection, or a local reaction to a particular lotion, soap, or laundry detergent.
• The diaper area is covered with blisters that leave shallow red sores. Your child may have impetigo, which requires treatment with antibiotics.
• Your son's penis is swollen and red and you can't retract the foreskin, or you notice a greenish discharge from the penis.  Your child may have a painful condition called balanitis, which requires antibiotics.