According to the Johns Hopkins Research Center, approximately 3 percent of people suffer from food allergies. Often, these allergies are diagnosed at infancy, when parents notice symptoms of severe rash, diarrhea and refusal of certain foods. In addition to treating the skin rash, cough and other allergy symptoms, babies with food allergies experience diaper rash as a result of diarrhea.
Diarrhea Associated With Food Allergy
Although food allergies in children and adults are most often associated with wheezing, skin rash and breathing problems, an allergic response can occur in any part of the body, including the digestive system. When food allergies are still undiagnosed in young babies, diarrhea after nursing or taking a bottle can be the primary signal of an allergic reaction to dairy or food in the mother's milk, and it can occur with bloating and vomiting when severe.
Diaper Rash From Food Allergy
Although diarrhea from any cause can lead to a diaper rash, the continual diarrhea associated with an undiagnosed food allergy is especially irritating, and the presence of the food allergen in the stool further irritates skin on contact. Diaper rash with food allergy can quickly progress from a mild redness to a blistered rash that can become infected with yeast or bacteria.
Treatment of Diaper Rash
As soon as a diaper rash is noticed, the area should be cleaned thoroughly with warm water and soap and patted dry. Before diapering an infant with a diaper rash, the rash should be be treated with a barrier cream, which protects the skin from irritation by blocking liquid and allergens if diarrhea continues. Simple petroleum jelly can protect the skin, but any ointment product is made to coat the skin instead of absorb into the skin. If the skin becomes blistered or weepy, a pediatrician may prescribe additional medications to treat possible diaper rash infection.
Prevention of Diaper Rash
The only way to prevent a diaper rash associated with food allergy is to identify the allergen and avoid it. Identification of food allergies in an infant can be especially difficult and should be done with a pediatrician's help, so that the the infant's nutritional needs are always met. While allergy diagnoses are being considered, the best prevention of a diaper rash is gentle but thorough cleansing of the diaper area and constant use of soothing and protective ointments.
