Diaper Rash. and Angry DCM - WWYD?

[MotherNature]

Antibiotics are known to increase amounts of candida albicans yeast in the body. Uncontrolled yeast can present as thrush & cause nasty nearly incurable, painful diaper rash. I wonder if the parents have talked to their doctor about this possibility. If it's not thrush, maybe the baby has a sensitivity to a chemical in the diaper or ointment. I know cloth isn't for everyone, but it generally reduces the amount of diaper rash. If cloth is impractical for the family & you, maybe a more natural ointment? Coconut oil is amazing & useful for so many things. CJ's Butter & Grandma Els are also good choices. Good luck!

[julie]

!:::hug: gotta give you one for that, lady!

Not saying I'd do it...but it's fun to dream...

Oh, I'm not joking. I have done this before and would totally do it again. The OP is closing in June. She really has nothing to lose. These parents are treating her like the dirt they have scraped off their shoe. I know it is not just this issue that they are giving her trouble about. I totally and unequivocally believe that this is the best way to deal with condescending, snotty people like this. It works, trust me and they are caught WAY OFF GUARD by this approach. It's hilarious.

That being said, 9 poops and 16 diaper changes is ridiculous and wouldn't be allowed to stay in my care anyway until they got checked out and ok'ed by a doctor. But if the kid was a normal pooper and just had a lot of rashes, and I knew I was doing my job, then I would recommend this to the OP.

Unfortunately she posted the other info while I was slowly typing my first response, so I missed it!

[My3cents]

I have a little peanut here who gets diaper rash badly, and often. DCM seems to think this is in some way negligence on my part. Any time it has happened before, I get a whole lot of attitude and instructions on how to prevent it, right down to letting her go without a diaper to let air get at her (this baby is 13 months old and crawling everywhere...I can't let her go without a diaper.

Yesterday, she dropped off, explaining that DCG was on antibiotics that make her poop constantly, for an infection. She then said, "I don't care what you do, she CAN NOT GET A RASH THIS TIME." I literally changed this little one every 30 minutes, all day long, regardless of poop being present. Slathered desitin on like wallpaper paste, at every change.

Same drill today, except today, she looks like she is getting a rash. I know DCM is going to be angry, and will give me a HUGE attitude. Any idea on how to handle this? I know it is coming, and feel pretty helpless. I seriously couldn't have been more diligent. This baby just has super sensitive skin!!!! So not in the mood for the attitude.

What is this child eating?

tons of fruit?
Juice?

Try bag balm, sounds like a citric acid issue- very common at this age. Alternate your diaper creams, Desitan, Butt paste, Whatever works best for this child.

I would tell the parent, it is pretty common, and that you change her often and never leave her in a soiled diaper, you can't air her out for sanitary reasons but to definitely do this at home when she can. Explain to her that this would be happening at home and that it is not from lack of good care. First time Mom? You can also mention maybe taking her to the Dr. to see if another prescription would work better for her or if it something besides diaper rash.

Best-

[My3cents]

Do you send home any type of daily note? I do and make a note of all diaper changes and any issues - I have two boys in my care that can *look* at a piece of fruit and get diaper rash so I feel your pain! That way every change, diaper cream use, etc is all documented.

When mom comes in today head her off at the pass - "Mom, we have changed Susie 47 times today, and slathered her up with diaper cream. We still noticed some redness and at this point I'm concerned she may have an allergy that is causing the redness. What has the doctor said about this?" If mom says she hasn't brought it up, make it clear that this is something that needs be mentioned. Maybe you pushing for a doctor's visit might get her to realize that you are not the enemy.
And I'd be sure to be shocked, SHOCKED that this is something so serious but yet she hasn't done anything about it "Gee, I'm kind of suprised given how badly Susie's bottom can get you haven't mentioned it to the doctor, the only time I ever saw a child's bottom get this bad, they wound up having dairy allergies." ::

At the end of the day though, if I were doing all I could do to prevent something and a parent was pissy with me, I might pull the old "you seem unhappy here, maybe you will be happier somewhere else" card.

I agree with all the advice I have read so far.

Antibiotics can do this to the little bum bums! Don't let a parent make you feel that your not doing your job- especially if you know that you are.

[My3cents]

I agree with the Vaseline. I put Desitin on and then slather on a ton of Vaseline.

vaseline is good but bag balm works better- esp for acid

[My3cents]

Be blunt and stop letting mom push you around.

It is not reasonable or realistic for mom to expect you to change baby's diaper every half hour or let her run around with no diaper.

Via email:

Dear mom,

Just dropping a line to discuss baby's pretty consistent diaper rash. You're probably as concerned and frustrated as I have been about it lately!

I'm not sure if it's an issue with sensitive skin, allergies, teething or what but I went so far as to change her every half hour applying barrier creams liberally around the clock the last couple of days and that still doesn't seem to be helping much. Changing her that often has also been quite a hindrance when it comes to taking care of the other children in my care. There is diaper changing protocol I have to follow that is far more involved than just taking a diaper off and on and I'm finding myself spending nearly the entire day in the bathroom! For obvious reasons, I just can't continue to accommodate that. Per licensing regulations I also cannot allow her to run around with no diaper. While it might work wonderfully at home, with her being in that go go go stage it simply wouldn't be sanitary here.

I'm not sure if you have any other ideas or if her doctor has suggested anything else I can try? At this point I'm wondering if this is an issue with an allergy to dairy, her brand of diapers, her wipes, the barrier cream itself, even her med? If the med itself is causing the issue will giving her some sort of probiotic help to rebalance her system?

I am really not sure what else to do at this point. Some children just have very sensitive skin and there's not much I can do about that here aside from applying barrier cream during regular changes. Unfortunately I sense that you're thinking that her diaper rashes are my fault and I'm very concerned about that. I hope I am just being silly about that but hope you know you can always be honest with me. If there is a problem let's sort it out! Feel free to drop a line back or we can simply talk more about this at pick up.

Provider"

your changing her that much??? No, no way, I agree with this above--- If a child had nine poops in a day that would be cause to send home. Mom needs to figure out what is going on with that and get her to the Ped.

Don't be afraid to talk to your parents. That is part of this job. A parent should not be allowed to make you feel the way she has been to you. You are the only one that can change that. Start there--- beyond backbone, you have to be able to communicate to the parent and with confidence. 16 changes is way too much diaper time for a day. Your making my bum ache at the thought of being changed that much.....
wish you luck

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

How did pick up go?

[My3cents]

She needs her own adult

Nan,

I already thought this and knew you would pipe in with thislovethis

That is Moms very wish, but most likely not her pocket books wish-

I say make it known to this mom that you take care of other children and you are not a one on one daycare. That is a Nanny and you don't offer that service. I would do this nicely.

I would also not bag up and give her the diapers---- I would want to and it would be screaming in my head to do this but No- Gross, not sanitary, and not something I want to deal with or even come down to on that level.......gives a whole knew meaning to poop deck-::

[My3cents]

make sure to update us on this

[momofboys]

Yes, how did pick-up go?

[bunnyslippers]

It went ok. I explained to her that I am aware of the risk of diaper rash with her little one, and that I did everything in my control to prevent it from happening. She expressed her concern, but really...I am ONE woman!!!! The little one is on a really strong antibiotic for a blood infection - cellulitis. The frequent poops were expected, but the rest of it is just a headache.

I am a really good communicator, and I typically do all right with it. This dcf, though, is really unrealistic in their expectations. I am just tired!!!

56 more days!!!

[Crystal]

Nan,

I already thought this and knew you would pipe in with thislovethis

That is Moms very wish, but most likely not her pocket books wish-

I say make it known to this mom that you take care of other children and you are not a one on one daycare. That is a Nanny and you don't offer that service. I would do this nicely.

I would also not bag up and give her the diapers---- I would want to and it would be screaming in my head to do this but No- Gross, not sanitary, and not something I want to deal with or even come down to on that level.......gives a whole knew meaning to poop deck-::

I would TOTALLY bag up and give her the diapers. It's not unsanitary, they'd be bagged. I wouldn't be going "down to that level" This Mom is basically accusing the provider of not changing the child enough. No matter what the provider says Mom is not going to beleive her and will continue to blame her UNTIL she SHOWS her that she IS changing her frequently.

Gross, Yes. But, Mom needs a wake up call.

[Mommy_to_2_sets_of_twins]

My daughter also gets a diaper rash whenever shes on an antibiotic & i use a mixture of 1/3 desitin max strength,1/3 lotrimin,& 1/3 triple antibiotic ointment-works like a charm.

[itlw8]

I have one like that except mom is great. it got worse when dcg was eating cuties this winter AND I was also serving manerine oranges some days. We started talking and both dut her WAy back on any citrus fruits.

[My3cents]

I would TOTALLY bag up and give her the diapers. It's not unsanitary, they'd be bagged. I wouldn't be going "down to that level" This Mom is basically accusing the provider of not changing the child enough. No matter what the provider says Mom is not going to beleive her and will continue to blame her UNTIL she SHOWS her that she IS changing her frequently.

Gross, Yes. But, Mom needs a wake up call.

I see your point, but if I have to babysit the parent then I would just not rather have them as clients. Been there and done that. Being an adult I am able to verbally tell the parent how many times I have changed the child, if the parent needs more then that they are not the right fit for me. I don't want to go to that level. I want them in the trash can. She can do a diaper count if she would like, but I am not playing games with the poop diapers- IF I have to Micro manage this adult parent at this level- no I am not going to do that. I might be willing to write down every time I changed the child and if it was a one or a two- especially an infant, or new client but if I have been working with this adult she is going to either trust that I am giving good care, see that I am giving good care or find someone else to hassle like this...She wants a Nanny at daycare pay---- Nooooooooooo Crystal it would be going through my head to this ..........but No I am not going to actually hand her a bag with soiled diapers. Actually most likely other things would be going through my head..........silly me