Nappy rash is a very common condition and up to a third of all babies will be affected at some point. It causes the skin to become irritated and often occurs between the ages of nine and twelve months. Mild nappy rash can often be treated with a simple skin care routine and causes the baby no pain.

The symptoms of nappy rash will depends on how serious the rash is but most cases will only be mild.  In more severe cases of nappy rashes the baby may experience more severe and painful symptoms including swellings, ulcers, blisters, dry cracked and broken skin.

The main cause of nappy rash is ammonia which is a chemical that comes from urine and faeces when a nappy is left on a long time.  Nappy rash can also be caused by underlying conditions such as eczema and dermatitis.

Mild nappy rash will normally not require any treatment but there are a number of self help treatments you can provide parents with to help reduce the symptoms:-

• Leave nappies off as long as possible 
• Only use water to clean the baby's skin
• Avoid bathing more than twice a week
• Use barrier cream
• Change nappies frequently
• Consider changing the type of nappies

For more serious cases of nappy rash you should refer the patient to their GP or health visitor and they can recommend a treatment to help relieve the symptoms of severe nappy rash.