Health Topics A-Z

What Are the Symptoms?

• Redness over the diaper area — around the genitals, buttocks, and thighs — but not on the abdomen.
• Increased discomfort especially at diaper change 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, or thrush.
• 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.