Just discovered horrible diaper rash on my child

[Anonymous]

This evening, I found horrible, open sore diaper rash on my child. I took pictures and we are of course livid. Any advice on how I can get constructive solutions out of the director and teachers? Of course, I'd like to just leave this center, but it's hard to do on a dime (with waitlists, etc).

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Even with diligence in diaperchanging, this can happen. People post all the time that their child has a horrible diaper rash....why are you so alarmed and taking offense as if THEY did this to your child?

[Anonymous]

If my child ever ate anything very acidic (especially actual citrus fruit) they would get raw bottoms if I didn't change the diaper immediately. Honestly, a horrible rash would develop within 30 minutes.

[Anonymous]

How old is your child? How long was their day at daycare today? Is this your first horrible diaper rash?

I sympathize simply because I know how awful it is to open up a diaper and realize your baby is suffering. However, if your child has a stomach virus, a terrible rash can develop even with the most diligent changing schedule particularly with a little bit of heat (e.g., today was reasonably warm out; if you dressed your child in very warm clothes and s/he pooped while being taken for a walk outside.) The sores do heal quickly - best to use triple paste or Boudreaux's Butt Paste. And definitely talk to your daycare about what happened. But don't assume it was negligence - simply check the archives and you'll realize that just about every kid gets a nasty diaper rash at some point, and obviously in most if not all cases, this was not a result of negligence.

[Anonymous]

I'd investigate this.

Again, without knowing details of your situation, it is hard to tell.

Yes, all babies can get rashes, but indeed they can be caused by poor diaper changing or from a child being left in a position with pressure on their bum for a long period of time (in a bouncer for example). You don't need to freak out, but certainly inquire about the circumstances. Trust me, having gone through a bad daycare situation, I can tell you that things do happen.

[Anonymous]

I agree to look into it, but also that some kids can be prone to rash and it can come on easy. My first basically never had diaper rashes - my second seems to have some GI sensitivities and gets them at the drop of a hat, and has had an episode of the open sore / antibiotic cream variety. And I do try to change my kids quickly, but sometimes it just comes on fast or they do one of those stealth poops immediately after a diaper change and you don't notice right away.

But from the OP, it sounds like maybe this is just the most recent in a series of incidents?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Child is 1.5 years, and is not prone to diaper rash at all. He never has it on the weekend or when we are on vacation, and we have talked with the teachers about changing his diapers more frequently. (His pants frequently smell poopy.)

He only started getting diaper rash when he moved into this classroom.

Anyway, rather than hearing a bunch of excuses from the director, etc., I'm wondering what kinds of constructive actions I should advocate for (beyond the obvious-- change him after he poops!)

[Anonymous]

Hmmm . . . hard to know with this one. Diaper rashes can happen FAST. They can develop within an hour, even with frequent diaper changes, depending on the cause. If he has diarrhea, it is so acidic that unless you basically let him go diaperless he's bound to get a rash.

I'd keep calm, mention it to director, and watch to see if this is a pattern of behavior at the center.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Pediatrician said that this rash was caused by sitting in a dirty diaper for too long--not food allergies, diahrrea. It's been 2 days and he still has these terrible sores and I get furious every time I change the diaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Pediatrician said that this rash was caused by sitting in a dirty diaper for too long--not food allergies, diahrrea. It's been 2 days and he still has these terrible sores and I get furious every time I change the diaper.

Report to licensing ASAP!! That is neglect. You can also speak with the director etc, but frankly, if I were you I would not send my child back to a place like this even for a day. Find care to fill in until you find a new place. I'm so sorry for you OP.

[Anonymous]

PP, I should but we're still on wait lists everywhere and my goal is to get him into a preschool in the fall.

Part of me is pretty distrustful of day care generally but this day care is in my partner's office building so he can check on him throughout the day.

[Anonymous]

Does your daycare report and document diaper changes? Maybe they stop this after the infant stage. You have pictures, you have a doctor - go to the director and ask for his diaper to be changed with cream every hour. And the. Afterwards every 90 minutes? I don't think that that is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your daycare report and document diaper changes? Maybe they stop this after the infant stage. You have pictures, you have a doctor - go to the director and ask for his diaper to be changed with cream every hour. And the. Afterwards every 90 minutes? I don't think that that is crazy.

My center reports diaper changes, and seriously if it wasn't for the fact that they do, I would think that my child was being neglected (she started having frequent diaper rashes when she moved into the toddler room). If you don't have another care option OP, I would really hesitate to do anything that could cause caregivers to dislike your child. Try giving diaper cream and seeing if that improves his rashes.

[Anonymous]

Have you left diaper cream at the daycare? Ask them to slather it on at any sign of redness.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't the daycare give you a sheet with a record of the diaper changes, noting whether the child was wet, poopy, dry?
If it were just the rash, I would say it happens sometimes even with relatively frequent changes. But your child should not have pants that smell poopy, that is just disturbing.
I would talk to the director and tell him/her that DS needs more frequent diaper changes, and specify the frequency you want it to be changed.
The other thing you could do is work with DS to have him tell a teacher when he poops. We did that with my son, and he was able to do it by 18-20 months or so. He would just say "I pooped" and then they would know to change him.
It may also be worth having your partner check in every 2 hours or so to see the diaper status if he is right in the same building.