Foods That Cause Diaper Rash In Toddlers
What are the Foods that cause diaper rash in toddlers?
As a parent, you are most likely not alien to what rashes are. Well, let us not take chances; an explanation sure does not hurt. Diaper rashes are red, inflamed patches of skin that you find on the buttocks of your toddlers. These patches are a thorn in the flesh of the toddlers (and, by extension, the parents). In this post, you are going to learn more about some of the Foods that cause diaper rash in toddlers.
They cause pain to the toddler, making diaper changing a very strenuous process for whoever takes care of the toddler.
This post may contain affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy click here.
In most cases, you as a parent attribute rashes to sicknesses, wrong diaper products, and contaminated water. Of course, you are not wrong. These things are important triggers of diaper rashes in babies and toddlers.
However, what happens when you cannot trace the rashes to any of these. You even apply soothing creams to make the effects go away.
Even after all of these, the rashes persist. Naturally, you are confused. When things go sideways, you have to wait and think! It may be because of the sort of food that the toddler eats.
When you cannot trace the reason for the diaper rashes to any other thing, the food may cause it. Food type is a more likely trigger of allergy in comparison with the other items listed above.
This is very common, especially in toddlers. They are just starting to get integrated into the world of adult feeding. Therefore, their body systems may find these food items strange. This phenomenon is called Food sensitivity.
How do Toddlers get diaper rashes from some food
Toddlers get rashes from some foods primarily due to two reasons; allergies and food sensitivity. Food sensitivity is a term used to describe the immediate response of the human immune system (and by extension, the body) to food items that it finds very strange. This same meaning applies to an allergic reaction, at least on the surface level.
The differences between these two phenomena lie in the severity of the response. When diaper rashes result from insensitivity, it is because produce less severe reactions when compared to allergies.
Because you are dealing with toddlers, the immune system would filter out some food items as foreign. If your toddler is insensitive to certain food items, it is probably due to one of the following reasons;
The body considers the food item too acidic. All the foods the toddlers have been consuming since birth exists within a PH range. When they are introduced to a new food with a PH too low or too high, it triggers their intestine. This may cause diarrhea and, consequently, diaper rashes.
The body has not synthesized the enzymes needed to digest the food item. Therefore, there are some enzymes absent in the body until the need arises. The diaper rashes that appear as a result of this are usually one-off.
The toddler’s immune system perceives the food item as a threat and consequently triggers an inflammatory response.
In the case of allergies, the toddler’s immune system has been genetically predisposed to react to certain food items.
The accompanying diaper rashes (and other reactions) are often very severe. In this situation, you may need to take the toddler to a Pediatrician to be treated immediately.
After this, you need to put all measures so that the toddler does not get exposed to these food items again. To detect this, you need to be observant enough to know the specific food item (or ingredient as the case may be) that triggered the allergy.
What are Foods that cause diaper rash in toddlers
Now, you understand that food can cause diaper rashes; you also understand the underlying principles behind the break out of the rash. Now, all you need is knowledge of the specific food items capable of triggering the above situations. Hang on! This is going to be a revealing ride!
Corn or maize

Some toddlers are insensitive (or even allergic) to maize or any food item derived from corn or maize. This sort of rash may be difficult to avoid. This is because most cereals made for toddlers are made from corn. Even if they are not, they do have a maize based ingredient at the very least.
However, if the diaper rashes are triggered due to food insensitivity, the baby’s body eventually adapts to it. However, if it’s the case of an allergy, you may need to avoid corn or maize based food.
In the case of corn, food insensitivity is triggered because the immune system reacts to the foreign protein component of the food.
Here is a little extra tip for parents with regards to allergies. The majority of the body washes and lotions for toddlers have an element of corn in them. So you may need to watch out for this.
Legumes (especially beans)

Diaper rashes are triggered because the toddler is insensitive or allergic to the protein components in beans and legumes. It is common knowledge that legumes are a protein powerhouse; it, therefore, should not be a surprise if it triggers rashes (as a result of diarrhea) upon initial consumption.
Fruits

This category includes pineapple, tomatoes, raisins, grapes, peaches, plums, tarts, apples, strawberries, oranges, and tangerines. The diaper rashes that arise from these fruits result from the PH imbalance they trigger upon consumption. This is particularly common in fruits in the citrus family.
This PH imbalance triggers a consequent discomfort in the toddler’s intestine. It may then lead to diarrhea. In addition, upon constant exposure to acidic stool, the baby develops diaper rashes.
This happens because the toddler’s intestinal structure is not acclimatized to digest the level of acid in these fruits.
Diaper rashes could also result from a direct immune response to the fruits and the content of the fruits. Sometimes, the immune system of toddlers deems the components of fruits like tomatoes foreign and reacts to them.
This may automatically trigger rashes in all parts of the body (or in the toddler’s buttocks in rare cases).
Yogurt

It is very common for yogurts to trigger diaper rashes in many toddlers. They are a myriad of possible reasons that are behind this. First, if a baby is intolerant or sensitive to sugar, they may develop diaper rashes when taking yogurts.
On the other hand, toddlers may develop diaper rashes if they are lactose intolerant or intolerant to dairy products.
Furthermore, toddlers are prone to develop diarrhea when they consume too much yogurt. You, however, need to understand that too much is different with people. When this happens, the toddler is predisposed to diaper rashes.
Peanuts

Peanuts are also another common trigger of diaper rashes in toddlers. It happens commonly because parents often introduce this food item when trying to level up the puree of their toddlers.
In these cases, the toddler’s immune system mistakes the protein components of these peanuts as foreign and dangerous. This either triggers severe diarrhea or direct diaper rashes.
Eggs

Eggs are also another trigger of diaper rashes in toddlers. However, they are not very common when compared to other food items. Like in a situation involving the immune system and proteins, there is the possibility of misconception.
The immune system may take the albumin or the egg yolk as a dangerous foreign substance and trigger diarrhea or a direct diaper rash. On the other hand, egg allergies are not very common.
Aside from the minority of toddlers who are allergic and insensitive to eggs, eggs are naturally consumed.
Wheat

Wheat happens to be a popular allergen. It is not uncommon to see people that are allergic to wheat. However, it is also not uncommon to see toddler feed made from wheat. Due to the above reason, wheat happens to be a very common trigger of diaper rashes in toddlers.
Wheat is very rich in protein; therefore, the immune system is likely to mistake the protein component to invade infectious molecules. When this happens, a reaction is triggered in major parts of the toddler’s body, including the face, armpits, or buttocks.
Allergic reactions to wheat can be dangerous in some toddlers. If you know you have a predisposition to wheat allergy yourself as a parent, watch the quantity you introduce into your toddler’s diet to avoid a severe reaction.
Seafoods

Although this is quite uncommon in toddlers, you cannot rule out the fact that it is a potential trigger of diaper rash. Fishes and other seafood are rich in certain proteins and minerals.
As a result of this, seafood is also susceptible to being unrecognized by the immune system of the toddler’s body.
In some other cases, the toddler’s digestive tract is not yet adapted to digest some mineral components of this seafood. All this may contribute to diarrhea, trigger widespread body rashes, or specifically trigger diaper rashes in your toddler.
Can diaper rash indicate food allergy?
Can certain foods make diaper rash worse?
What causes sudden severe diaper rash?
Can too much milk cause diaper rash?
What foods help diaper rash?
Conclusion
As a parent, diaper rashes do not mean that your child should forever abandon the food items listed above, except in the case of an allergy. With the learn about the Foods that cause diaper rash in toddlers. Instead, you need to introduce the food item to the toddler’s diet little by little and allow the body to adapt to the biochemistry of the food. In anything you do, always remember, child upbringing is a lot easier when you are observant.