Diaper rash a sign of food sensitivity?

[timmysmommy]

Poor dd has come down with a terrible diaper rash.  It is a raised ring around her anus with parts where the skin is flaking off and the raw skin underneath is bright red.  I've been putting my normal diaper ointment on and it is getting worse. 

We've been upping her solids lately, so it could be a reaction to a new food.  Also I started supplimenting with formula this week.  I started with a free sample then switched to a different brand.  Sample has milk, new stuff has milk and soy.  She also ate an entire hard boiled egg- although eggs aren't new.  She's had a few bites of tomato, which could be new.  And, a small piece of blue play dough- oops!

Her poo has been runny, and green, but no mucous that I can tell.

No reflux that I can tell, and she has been getting up the same at night- which is far too often.

I appreciate any thoughts.

[ENMS]

Hmmm it could definitely be the formula. It is the first time she has had formula ever this week, right? I've heard of LO's who don't react through breastmilk but definitely react to formula.

DS had the diaper rash you're mentionning I think - burnt red-raw looking, shiny- since he was born. We tried diaper rash cream, cortisone, antifungal. The doctors said the usual stuff, but nothing worked. When I got off dairy it got better.

The runny and green poop is also a new thing this week?

Could you try some hypo-allergenic formula instead and see if it clears up? I'm not sure about the other solids, hopefully someone with more experience will pop in with some advice.

Maybe the tomato which is very acidic could have done that too. But I'd assume that the diaper rash cream would help cure it

[timmysmommy]

Thanks Elise!  Yes, this is her first week on formula.  I am thinking I will switch back to the sample and try it for a few days.  Maybe it is the soy in the new stuff.  I don't want to dish out any more $ at this point as I bought two containers of the other stuff and it was pricey! 

I did try yogurt also this week- and a few cheesy crackers.  All this is the first of the dairy that I have tried with her.  I'm trying to remember when the rash actually started.  I think it started Monday, because it was def there Wed when we had our doc appt but it wasn't very bad and doc wasn't concerned.  I was supprised it hadn't gone away by appt, and it has just gotten worse.  I don't remember the ring being quite so pronounced as it is now.

No, we've never had green poo before.

[ENMS]

Unfortunately with food allergies, it is always trial and error 

So I would probably remove the rest of the dairy from her diet, just until you know more, and try with the other formula. It could be that she can tolerate dairy, but not in too big amounts, or maybe you need to increase it gradually 

I think it can be normal to have the poo change color and consistency with formula vs bf, so the green could be normal I guess, but if it's very liquidy, in addition to the rash, then I'd think it all may be related 

[:: ANA ::]

My DS came down with exactly the same kind of diaper rash just today and I think it's the yogurt!

He's been on formula for a long while now and this had never happened before but I've noticed lately that flavored yogurt (apple, peach, whatever) makes his poop runny and smellier, and apparently it makes him poop more often.
Poor thing, the ointment doesn't seem to help much and he's definitely in pain when I change his diaper...

I'll remove yogurt for a few days and see what happens.

Hope your DD gets better really soon!!

[timmysmommy]

Thanks Anna!  Hope your lo is better soon too!  I tried a few spoonfuls one day, then a bit more another day.  I'm not going to give any more that is for sure.  Keep me posted as to how your lo is doing!

[:: ANA ::]

So I spoke to my sister last night (she's a pediatrician) and, besides the ointment (which should have zinc oxide, she said), and suspending yogurt to see if that's what's causing it, she suggested to clean him with a cotton ball soaked in chamomile tea (which is a home remedy we use around here for everything! LOL) and let the affected area get as much air as possible.  So I'm doing this on every nappy change since this morning, just leave him "naked" a few minutes until everything evaporates and he's completely dry, then the ointment and then diaper on again.

It seems to be helping, in case you want to try it!

[timmysmommy]

Thanks Ana!  We've stopped the yogurt, and I've been trying diaper free time- and she's peed twice now oops!  I'll give the chamomile a try!