Is That A Diaper Rash? A Yeast Infection? Or Staph Infection?

A few weeks ago Big Sister started having nasty sores in her diaper area. I originally thought they were a yeast infection. She had what we believed was a yeast infection before (now I am not so sure). It looked like this:(okay that is not really her it is a picture from google images but for privacy reasons I think it inappropriate to post pictures of that area). And then the infection got worse and she started to have sores that looked like this:And they were open and they hurt and she cried like crazy when I changed her. It was awful.

So, since that night was cloth diapers chat night on twitter I figured I would ask the other mamas!! And they all agreed with my original diagnoses of a yeast infection (based on my description). A few said I might need a prescription yeast fighter. Well, is just so happened that Big Sister's one year check up was the next day and so I asked the doctor.

She took one look and told me that it was a staph infection. And it was pretty bad. She gave me bactroban to put on it - three times a day. It makes me wonder how long she had it. How many of the "yeast" outbreaks were really staph? I have been beating myself up for not getting her treatment before. She has had persistent rash for quite sometime. It would flare up for a day or two and then with the help of an antifungal ointment it would go away. And then a few weeks later it would come back. Never as bad as this time but still if I had taken her earlier maybe the sores would never have gotten so bad. Maybe she would not have had to be in so much pain.

Now, the biggest problem with a Staph infection is that it is highly contagious. So, I have been taking several precautions with her in order to keep it from spreading and to keep it from reinfecting her.What am I doing?

Well, first I cut up fleece liners from a several yards of fleece I had lying around the house (we are so lucky I over buy every time I want to make something - hee hee). One for each and every diaper. I put them on in between her and the diaper - even though she is only getting the cream three times a day. Then the liners go in a separate wet bag. Since we use cloth wipes those go in the bag with the liners. Every night she uses a fresh clean towel - never reusing the one from the night before. The towel must be folded up so that the side that dried her is not facing out and I leave it in the laundr room. Then on wash night the towels and the liners go in the wash for a first rinse with half a cup of vinegar. Then I throw in the rest of the diapers and wash as usual. Luckily, the weather has been really nice and the clothesline has been an option - otherwise I probably would have dried the liners, wipes and towels and then put them on the line anyway - for some extra sun germ killing. And, of course, Hubby and I are washing out hands anytime we come in contact with her or with any item that has touched her.

In under a week the rash was almost completely gone. And now - even though it has been almost two weeks I am still using liners (I actually think I will keep using the liners - I like the way they are easy to clean) and new nightly towels, etc. Because it makes me feel better. Like the infection is less likely to come back. I know at some point I will stop and just go back to normal but for now I still feel like I am in "fight the staph" mode. So, if your baby has a rash that looks like either of the above, or if it just will not go away, ask your doctor if it could be a staph infection. And make sure to take lots of precautions.