by Kris Brewer

Created on: November 17, 2007

One of the most common ailments among young children is diaper rash. Most if not all kids have suffered from this problem at some time. The key to preventing diaper rash is to understand what causes it, and then eliminate those causes. Let's consider how you can prevent diaper rash with your children. Many of these can certainly be a challenge, but diligence can certainly make your child more comfortable. Here are some things that you can do to prevent diaper rash with your child.

1. Remove Irritants. Some things may irritate one infant, and not irritate another. For example, one brand of disposable diaper may cause a slight allergy or irritation for your child, when another does not. Other things may have chemicals in them that irritate your infant's skin. To help eliminate the problem caused by these chemicals, make sure you clean your infant's diaper area with warm water, and a very mild soap when soap is needed. Ivory soap is one of the best possible, because it is very mild and very few people have any kind of allergic reaction to it.

2. Make sure to keep your infant's diaper area clean. All parents try to do this, but when you have a young one that is susceptible to diaper rash, it is even more of a concern. Make sure and change your infant's diaper regularly, even if it does not seem to be very wet. Most disposable diapers today are very absorbent, so they may feel dry, even when there is a small amount of urine in the diaper. Even that small amount of urine can cause a diaper rash if it stays in contact with baby's skin for too long. Adding a little corn starch or talc to your baby's diaper can also help prevent diaper rash by keeping him dry.

3. Don't wipe baby's bottom with the "clean" part of the diaper. Even though part of the diaper looks clean, and it is convenient to use, don't wipe with it! Wiping with the diaper spreads bacteria throughout the whole diaper area. Instead, use baby wipes specially made for cleaning your infant's diaper area. If you already know that your baby has problems with rashes, make sure to buy the hypoallergenic, unscented wipes. These have fewer chemicals, and no perfumes, which are often the culprit when it comes to these rashes.

4. Use cloth diapers. I know that this is a taboo statement in today's world of convenience. But, it has been shown that babies who wear cloth diapers are five times less likely to suffer from diaper rash. Keep in mind that you must care for the diapers in the right way, keeping them laundered.

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