Posted by KarenC on January 07, 2004 at 08:40:25:
In Reply to: Re: sore on bum posted by megan on January 07, 2004 at 06:48:37:
Yup, all good advice from Megan.... Just wanted to add that you can try a couple soakings in the tub a day and LOTS of no diaper time. Try letting him play in the tub even if there's no water in it.... that way it'll limit where you have to clean up messes. Let him sleep without a diaper if at all possible, put a wonderproof layer underneath him (plus maybe add a towel directly underneath him and around him to absorb messes) and make sure there's nothing around that can't be washed fairly easily (stuffed toys etc...). Sounds like a lot of trouble but if you do this intensively for a day or two it will probably help a LOT!
Also try fleece liners in every diaper to help keep him as dry as possible. Also, if you can't leave him completly diaperless try putting just a diaper with no cover on to let as much air in as possible. Plus this way you'll be alerted as soon as he wets so you can change it immediatly. I also remember reading that warmth can be soothing and healing. A little booklet I got from the hospital with my first said that you can blow hot air on their bum from a dryer (set on low of course, you don't want to burn him!), it'll also help get him completly dry without rubbing. You can also try spraying poop gently off his bum with the shower wand instead of rubbing it off with a wipe. Not exactly water efficient but much gentler on the sore...
That's about all I can think of for now... I got lots of experience with this when my daughter was little as she had an undiagnosed yeast rash for ages. That's actually my next (and most important advice).... If this isn't gone after all that you've tried and everything we've suggested here, then I would definetly take him to the doctor's to have it checked out for yeast. An open sore like that is typical of a yeast rash, especially if it's always in exactly the same spot and won't go away despite all the traditional diaper rash remedies. If it's yeast you can give him weeks without a diaper and try every diaper rash cream in existance and it won't help because it doesn't kill the yeast!
Karen.