Diaper Rash

Written by: Wahida Sabir

 Diaper rash is one of the most common diseases in children. According to dermatologists, the disease affects 50% of children under the age of 5, due to the thinner and weaker skin. AEPO’s

writer/producer has talked to some mothers and a physician about the signs, symptoms, and causes of diaper rash. 

A mother from Chaharasiab district, Kabul province says, “My third baby was fat and he was more suffering from diaper rash. In the beginning, they were red rashes then they blistered and my baby was crying.”

A mother, a resident of Bamiyan province says, “If I was diapering or using cloth instead of a diaper, my baby was suffering from diaper rash and his wounds irritated.”

 Doctor Rahimullah Khpalwak, child specialist at one of the private hospitals in Kabul city says, “The symptoms of diaper rash are redness of the affected area, blisters, and if the blisters burst, germs might find their way into the bloodstream and face the child with more serious health problems.”

 What do some people think about the causes of diaper rash?

The mother from Chaharasiab district says, “I was using cloth or plastic instead of the diaper and it was causing diaper rash.”

A mother from Paghman district of Kabul province says, “When we get busy in house chores, we forget to change our baby’s cloth or diaper and it causes diaper rash.”

Doctor Khpalwak says, “Causes of children getting diaper rash include use of plastic diapers, baby staying more in the diaper,  using piece of cloth or plastic instead of diaper; not cleaning properly after urination and defecation, not using Vaseline or other moisturizing creams on the affected area, using a single pant several times, and the intervention of germs which can be fungi and bacteria.” 

How do some mothers treat diaper rash?

The mother from Paghman district says, “If baby suffers from diaper rash, first I wash the affected place with clean water and then I use baby talcum powder and gentian violate solution.”

A mother from Ahmad Shah Baba Mena, district 12, Kabul city says, “I am the mother of four children. I had been using henna powder and had been getting a good result but when I used henna powder for my forth baby, it did not affect.” 

A woman from Bamiyan province says, “My child was suffering from diaper rash and no medications affected her. Finally, she recovered with a special mud of river.”

Doctor Khpalwak says, “If the diaper rash is fungal, gentian violate solution is useful or if it is caused by bacteria or microbes, this solution is not useful and mothers should not use herbs for the treatment of diaper rash, they should wash the affected area with lukewarm water and they apply Vaseline to it and if it does not affect, they should take the baby to a doctor.”