Signs of a yeast infection in baby

It is difficult to be able to tell the difference between a simple diaper rash and a yeast infection (Candida albicans), especially if you are a first time parent.

Breastfed babies are more likely to get a yeast infection as well as those babies who are taking antibiotics because they kill the good bacteria which keeps the yeast in order.

Surprisingly even a male child can develop a yeast infection.Everybody has harmless amounts of yeast in their body. it lives in warm,wet,damp areas on bodies ( mouth,skin,vagina etc.).

If your baby has a yeast infection then diaper rash treatments will not give you a positive response,it will make no difference. A yeast infection will appear more as a flat red rash,more of a lesion and the skin will be scaly with a well defined red colour. It can also appear in the folds of the groin area.

If you suspect the infection,make an appointment with your pediatrician as soon as possible, to rule out everything else. There are non-prescription creams you can get as well.

Some tips to avoid getting yeast infections in the future are:

- Change wet/soiled diapers as soon as you can(roughly every couple of hours)

-Clean child's bum throughly and pat dry before putting on a diaper.

-Leave some breathing room.Try not to put your babies diaper on too tight or no air will be able to flow through.

-Give baby some diaperless time! Whether it is while sleeping with the diaper under them or playing on a washable playmat, air is important.