Skip to content

Baby's rash may be early warning sign of nutritional concerns

Other telltale signs your baby has an intolerance to certain foods include red cheeks, eyes and ears, black or red rings under the eyes, bumps on the cheeks, and cold sores, advises licensed nutritionist Nonie De Long
baby AdobeStock_131681880
Stock photo

Dear Nutritionist,

I really like the column and want to ask about my baby’s rash. It started under the diaper and spread to the tummy and inside of legs and really bothers her (17 months old). She scratches a lot and is fussy about having it touched and even tries to take clothing off to keep from touching it. She also has a very bad body odour. My husband says don’t worry, it’s just a rash. The doctor has prescribed a zinc ointment and told me it might develop into eczema and need steroid cream but I don’t want to use that if there is something natural I can do. Can you please give me your opinion. Do you think this could be diet?

Thank you,

Megan

Dear Megan,

Thank you for your question.

Although it might not seem food related, I think it really is.

Read on and I’ll explain.

While it’s rather common to see babies with a rash on the bottom due to irritating urine and sometimes fecal matter next to the skin for prolonged periods, a baby with a rash that does not go away, an open or weeping rash, a rash in or around the mouth, a rash on the face, or a rash on the trunk or limbs can be a serious early warning sign of underlying nutritional concerns.

Digestive problems often manifest early through rashes on the skin, and ignoring rashes can have long term ramifications for a baby’s overall health. I would bet your baby also has some history of digestive issues or antibiotic use, both of which can contribute to the skin troubles you’re speaking of.

Also, be aware that if you’re nursing, any medication you take may have an impact on baby. And, even if a medication is considered safe for baby, like antibiotics for ear infections, it doesn’t mean the medication won’t disrupt optimal digestion for a period of time. It may and some babies may be less able to bounce back from that, due to differences in immunity and constitution.Study into the gut biome of infants and how antibiotic therapy impacts that is still in the very early stages. In holistic healthcare we believe the symptoms of ill health that a person experiences are just ways of the body speaking to us about an underlying imbalance.

So your baby’s little body, in it’s great wisdom, is speaking up! The trick in a holistic model is to locate and correct the imbalance, rather than just stopping the body from expressing that symptom by means of oral or topical medications.

Sure, sometimes to function we need to suppress a symptom for a short period of time, as in a migraine, for example, but not treating the underlying imbalances that cause us to have migraines will not do anything to stop us from having migraines in the future! It’s a very near-sighted solution. A holistic perspective is interested with getting to the root of the disturbance.

The root of baby rashes can be traced to three major nutritional causes:

1) Candida/ yeast overgrowth. This can be a result of early antibiotic use (or possibly of maternal antibiotic use that is passed through breast milk), over consumption of sugars and carbohydrates, consumption of imbalanced commercial baby formulas in a baby who doesn’t tolerate them well, or colonization from imbalanced maternal vaginal bacteria during birth. Yes, a mother with a yeast overgrowth can pass it on to baby during birth, just as a mother with systemic candida, can pass it on to baby in utero. As such, probiotic therapy should be requisite for all expecting moms, in my opinion, but we just aren’t there yet.Babies born by Cesarean section are also at risk, because they do not get the normal colonization from healthy vaginal flora.

2) A food intolerance or several food intolerances. Underlying food intolerances further weaken the immune system of babies because they interfere with absorption of needed nutrients and create an inflammatory cascade. When nutrient absorption is compromised, such as zinc, for example, healing is impaired, nutrient absorption worsens, and immunity drops. This creates a cycle which is very hard to get out of if parents don’t have a good holistic healthcare provider to direct them.

The symptoms of food-induced activation of the immune system (intolerance) can be rather subtle at first. But over time that response becomes more serious if the offending food(s) is repeatedly consumed. The result initially is inflammation of the intestinal tissue, causing malabsorption. This then sets the person up for more reactivity, as malabsorbed proteins are tagged by the immune system as ‘invaders’, after which the person develops an inflammatory reaction to them. At this point the inflammation starts to overwhelm the body and manifest in other tissues. Because it can be in any tissue, this makes it complex and difficult to identify. In fact, it’s often overlooked.

My son suffered from severe food intolerances from the time he was young. But I couldn’t find anyone who could tell me what was going on. The day we began to study food intolerances in nutrition school I broke down in tears in the middle of the class because the symptoms described everything he had been experiencing, all on one page.

Applying what I learned that day was a complete game-changer for my son’s health and development. Aside from body rashes and weak immunity, there are other telltale signs that a baby has an intolerance to certain foods. These include red cheeks, red eyes, bright red ears, black or red rings under the eyes, bumps on the cheeks, cold sores, blisters or sores around the lips, perpetually stuffy or runny nose and mouth breathing, itchy skin, nose, or eyes, overly sensitive or irritable behaviour, mood swings, odd stools, frequent gassiness, frequent colds and illnesses, learning problems, fidgetiness, and hyperactivity. In fact, I have never seen a child with ADD/ ADHD that does not suffer food intolerances and improve with dietary interventions, as confirmed by the work of Dr. Georgia Ede, who goes into some of the research on the issue here.

3) A weak immune system. This can be due to the above considerations, or to constitution, or to environmental stressors.

A baby who is born premature may have a naturally weaker immunity. A baby born into a family who lives in a home with mold may develop a weaker immune system. A baby with a congenital health problem may have a weaker immunity. Many cleaning products, baby specific skin products, and household cleaning products are actually irritating or toxic for sensitive babies. Remember, these products are not tested on babies to be certified as safe! It’s odd, but if you think about it, they can’t test on babies, of course! And testing on a fully grown, healthy adult is no indicator for what it might do when used on a baby. Sadly, products can be approved as safe which we later find out to be dangerous, such as talcum powder for babies. So it’s best to be wise and select natural products where baby is concerned. This is especially important since the skin is the largest organ of the body. And, what we put on our skin is absorbed into the blood stream and processed by the liver.

So what can you do? Well, first, if you suspect food intolerances, find a qualified professional to test for them and guide you how to cook around that.

Secondly, if you suspect candida, ask a professional for an assessment and guidance. The assessment can be done through a symptom checklist if the practitioner is knowledgeable, but treatment can be very difficult and requires professional direction.

Lastly, replace all cleansers in your home with all natural, child safe ones. Don’t be fooled by greenwashing — just because it has eco or green or natural in the name does not mean it’s superior! The most natural cleansers are bicarbonate as a scouring agent and vinegar as a disinfectant. For stubborn stains peroxide can be used but it must be stored away from child access. For greater sanitation colloidal silver spray or silver infused rags can be used with water.

There are a number of natural, toxin-free, laundry and dish soap alternatives, as well.

For body care, which I feel is important in this case, I would recommend baby be washed in a special solution you can make yourself of organic coconut oil mixed half and half with a gentle, ph balanced (5 - 5.5) cleanser like this one. Natural cleansing bars are generally safe for adults but when a baby (or rash) is concerned I recommend not stripping the skin’s acid mantle with anything too alkaline. The coconut oil/ cleanser combo will be inherently moisturizing.

Then I would suggest a cream or butter that contains neem leaf oil and calendula, in a natural base, like this one here. Or, you could take a class with a herbalist and DIY for all of baby’s skincare needs!

For strengthening the digestive system I highly recommend staying away from all sugars (read last week’s article on sugar substitutes), removing the wheat (very inflammatory), and adding a good quality infant probiotic.

For a great overview of all things related to baby probiotics you’ll want to read this great article.

Thank you for your great question, Megan! I hope your baby’s rash improves and welcome you to contact me if you need more personal guidance.

As always, if you have your own health questions, don’t hesitate to send me an email.

Namaste!

Nonie Nutritionista

Nonie De Long is a registered orthomolecular nutritionist with a clinic in Bradford West Gwillimbury, where she offers holistic, integrative health care for physical and mental health issues. Check out her website here.

Do you have a question about health and wellness? Email [email protected]