Can Diaper Rash And Diarrhea Be Caused By Teething?

Teething and tiredness are often considered “catch-alls” in parenting, but they do not directly cause diaper rash. However, there is an indirect correlation between teething and diaper rash, specifically due to the risk factor of saliva passing through the gut. Diarrhea or teething can worsen the situation by causing excessive salivation, which can be irritating.

When a baby is teething, they may put their hands or toys in their mouth, which can lead to a pattern of symptoms including diarrhea and diaper rash. This could be due to the excess drool swallowed during teething, which can cause mild stomach irritation. The AAP explains that this is due to the extra saliva that accompanies teething.

There are few studies proving that teething makes babies fussier or causes rashes or fever. Nappy rash can be caused by your baby’s skin coming into contact with stool and wee in their nappy. Irritant diaper rash may occur if your child has diarrhea or teething, as extra saliva is being swallowed and passes through the gut. Teething may lead to slightly looser stools due to increased saliva, but severe diarrhea is unlikely to be related to teething.

False symptoms of teething include fever, diarrhea, diaper rash, runny nose, crying, and a lot of crying. It is important to recognize the signs of teething and take steps to prevent and treat these issues.

Why does my baby have diarrhea and diaper rash?

Diaper rash can be caused by various factors, including irritants like soaps, stool rashes, ammonia rashes, diarrhea rashes, yeast rashes, bacterial rashes, bacterial rashes, bacterial rashes, cellulitis, and staph scalded skin syndrome. Irritant rashes are mild and can be caused by the drying effect of soaps. Stool rashes are common on the scrotum or anywhere that stool can hide, while ammonia rashes are caused by combining stool and urine in a diaper, causing a mild chemical burn. Diarrhea rashes are common during bouts of diarrhea, and yeast rashes can cause a secondary infection. Bacterial rashes can cause sores, yellow scabs, pimples, or draining pus, resembling impetigo. Cellulitis is a serious bacterial infection that spreads into the skin, giving redness that spreads out from the sore. Staph scalded skin syndrome is a serious condition caused by a Staph bacteria, causing widespread large blisters and causing severe symptoms.

Prevention of recurrent diaper rash involves changing diapers more often, focusing on preventing skin contact with stool, rinsing the baby’s skin with warm water when cleaning off stool, and cleaning the scrotum thoroughly. It is essential to clean stool off all skin folds, as cleaning the scrotum can be challenging.

Can baby get diarrhea from teething?

Teething alone won’t cause diarrhea. A child could have looser stools while teething, as sore gums could encourage them to drink or nurse more, increasing fluid intake. Parents should take it seriously, however, if a child is having diarrhea throughout the day.

“Some parents tend to think that the diarrhea is less serious if it’s only ‘because the child is teething,'” said Joseph C. Pappalardo, M. D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Jeffersontown. “The reality is, diarrhea can lead to a child becoming dehydrated, whether they’re teething or not.”

Teething won’t cause diarrhea, but will bring on relatively minor symptoms such as drooling, a slightly elevated temperature and perhaps more irritability. If your baby develops a fever during the teething phase, something else is probably causing the fever — and you should contact your pediatrician.

When should I worry about baby diarrhea?

Call Your Doctor If: Blood in the diarrhea. Dehydration suspected (no urine in over 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth, and no tears) Diarrhea lasts over 2 weeks.

• Is this your child’s symptom?. Sudden increase in the number and looseness of stools
• Diarrhea means 3 or more watery or very loose stools. Reason: 1 or 2 loose stools can be normal with changes in diet.

• Causes of Acute Diarrhea. Virus (such as Rotavirus). An infection of the intestines from a virus is the most common cause.
• Bacteria (such as Salmonella). Less common cause. Diarrhea often contains streaks of blood.
• Giardia (a parasite). More likely in child care center outbreaks.
• Antibiotic Diarrhea. Many antibiotics cause mild diarrhea. This is not an allergic reaction. Keep giving the antibiotic. Call your doctor if any serious symptoms occur.
• Serious Causes. Most bacterial diarrhea goes away on its own. A few can cause a severe large bowel infection (such as Shigella colitis). C. difficile is a serious cause that can occur after being on strong antibiotics.
• Serious Complication: Dehydration. This is the health problem where the body has lost too much fluid. (See below for more on this).

• Causes of Recurrent Diarrhea. Cow’s Milk Allergy. Can cause loose, slimy stools in babies. Can be blood-streaked. Starts within the first 2 months of life. Need to avoid cow’s milk formulas.
• Lactose Intolerance. Lactose is the sugar in milk. Many people cannot absorb lactose. The gut bacteria convert the lactose to gas. The main symptoms are a lot of gas, loose stools and stomach bloating. Onset usually at age 4 or 5. This most often runs in the family (genetic).

What color is teething poop?

With formula-fed infants, it’s normal for baby poop to be a greenish-tan color. Sometimes the iron in baby formula can cause dark green baby poop and isn’t a reason for concern. Green baby poop might also signal teething or that baby is getting over a stomach bug. If baby has green poop and is also fussy at feedings or seems gassy and uncomfortable, it could be a sign they have a cow’s milk allergy and are reacting to the formula, Swanson says, which means you should consult your doctor about other options. For a breastfed baby, green baby poop might signal something else. “Bright green baby poop in a breastfed infant, especially if it’s frothy, may mean they’re getting too much foremilk and not enough of the fattier hindmilk,” Swanson says. Try keeping baby on one breast per feeding or hand-express a bit of milk before letting them latch and see if this solves the problem.

Whether baby’s being breastfed or formula-fed, chalky, whitish or gray baby poop definitely warrants a call to the pediatrician, since it can be a sign the liver isn’t functioning the way it should be.

Many of baby’s first solid foods can result in orange-colored baby poop (think: carrots and sweet potatoes). A breastfed baby may also have orange-ish tinted stool if Mom has been on medication or been eating artificially colored foods, since the dyes may make their way into breast milk. Orange poop generally doesn’t indicate a problem, but if you’re worried, call your pediatrician, Swanson says.

How does teething stool look like?

Teething and Diarrhea. Many believe that the increased saliva produced during teething can cause stool to become slightly loose. Keep in mind, diarrhea can be a sign of a more serious infection so contact your infant’s pediatrician if the stool becomes watery, because your infant could be at risk for dehydration. Contacting your infant’s pediatrician is especially important if the diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting or a high fever.

I hope the list of symptoms and ways you can help your infant will guide you through your infant’s teething phase. I also hope this helps ease the potential stress experienced by many parents. Just remember, that many symptoms we think are teething can be associated with illness, may be completely unrelated to teething and may need to be addressed by a physician.

Can a baby get a diaper rash from teething?

The most common type of diaper rash is “irritant dermatitis.” The diaper area spends much of the day in contact with two very irritating substances: urine and stool. If your child has diarrhea or is teething ―meaning extra saliva is being swallowed and passes through the gut―the chance of developing a diaper rash is even greater.

Irritant diaper rash looks like pink or red patches on the skin covered by the diaper. The groin folds are more protected from urine and stool, so this skin usually looks normal.

Image caption: Examples of irritant diaper rash. The far right photo shows a more severe case with open sores.

In general, try to limit contact of urine and stool with the skin:

How long do teething poops last?

Embrace the natural process of teething as a phase of your child’s development. If you notice your child having diarrhea in this period, you don’t need to be too alarmed as it usually clears up by itself in a few days. However, if the symptoms fail to subside in a week, call a doctor immediately.

Take a quiz. Find out what you can do with our Health Assistant.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Anna Targonskaya, Obstetrician and gynecologist.

Is baby poop more acidic when teething?

Preventing Diaper Rash During Teething. Teething can affect your baby’s digestive system. Increased saliva and chewing on various objects can lead to irritated digestive tracts and sometimes acidic stools, which can cause diaper rash.

Here are some tips to prevent diaper rash while your baby is teething:

• Use a thick barrier cream — Apply a generous layer of zinc oxide-based diaper rash ointment, especially if you notice frequent bowel movements.
• Keep the area clean — Gently wash irritated areas and pat dry.
• Choose the right diapers — Opt for highly absorbent diapers that fit well but aren’t too snug to avoid chafing.
• Offer teething foods — If your baby has started their solid food journey, offer chilled pureed fruits and veggies and harder foods, like teething biscuits or bell pepper slices, that can help provide counterpressure to their sore gums. Another parent favorite hack is to freeze breastmilk into popsicles and offer as a teether.

Can teething cause nappy rash and diarrhea?

Teething does not directly cause nappy rash. However, nappy rash can be caused by your baby’s skin coming into contact with stool and wee in their nappy, and if your baby is suffering from teething-induced diarrhoea, this may increase the likelihood of them suffering from nappy rash.

• Protect your teething child against nappy rash causes with barrier cream for babies:. Make sure their nappies are changed as soon as possible after they’ve been soiled, and use a barrier cream like Bepanthen Nappy Rash Ointment at every changing, to create a protective layer on their skin against the causes of nappy rash and to help aid in their natural skin recovery.
• Change your child’s nappy five to seven times a day and remember to use a nappy cream everytime. Let air get to your baby’s bottom as often as possible. For example, let him go nappy-free during winding.

• Help to make them feel better while teething:. Giving your baby chilled or frozen items to chew on, such as pacifiers, frozen food, or teething rings, can help soothe their sore gums.
• You can also talk to your local health care professional for further advice on pain relief.

What can be mistaken for diaper rash?

A yeast infection commonly appears in the skin folds where it is warm and moist. Other common names are a fungal infection or Candida albicans. It usually presents as a swollen red rash with white scales and lesions. They may also appear as small white pus-filled lesions surrounded by redness. In addition to the skin folds, lesions may be found on nearby skin outside the diaper area, such as the thighs or abdomen. These are called satellite lesions, and are usually a common sign of the yeast infection.

The yeast infection may appear alone or it may be in combination with the diaper rash, making the rash worse.

Be sure to call your pediatrician if your baby is showing any of these symptoms, the rash does not heal within 7 days, or heals and then reappears. Your doctor will be able to prescribe the best treatment plan for the yeast infection.

Why does my baby suddenly have a diaper rash?

Diaper rash can be caused by various factors, including prolonged use of wet or soiled diapers, chaping or rubbing, using new products, developing bacterial or yeast infections, introducing new foods, having sensitive skin, using antibiotics, and changes in skin color. Wet diapers can cause a rash, especially if babies have frequent stools or diarrhea. Chafing or rubbing can also cause a rash. Introducing new foods can increase the frequency of stools and the likelihood of diaper rash.

Sensitive skin can also increase the risk of diaper rash in babies with atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, or other skin conditions. Using antibiotics can also contribute to a rash by killing bacteria that keep yeast growth in check. Breastfed babies whose mothers take antibiotics are also at increased risk of diaper rash.

Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation, a lightening of the affected area, can also cause diaper rash in babies with brown or black skin. This lightening usually clears up in a few weeks, while severe skin lightening may take months or years to return to its usual color.

Infections can also develop into diaper rash, leading to severe infections that do not respond to treatment.