If your baby’s bottom is covered in patches of pink or bright red skin, chances are it’s diaper rash. The good news is that most diaper rash symptoms are mild and can be treated at home. But there are times when diaper rash symptoms can become more severe and need a doctor’s attention.

That’s why it’s important to watch out for certain diaper rash symptoms and signs. We’ll help you tell the difference between mild and severe diaper rash, how to treat diaper rash at home and when you need to get your little one to the doctor.

Signs and symptoms of mild diaper rash

Mild diaper rash is very common and usually improves within a few days with simple home care (which we’ll get into later). Here’s how to know if your child’s diaper rash is mild:

  • Your baby’s skin is pink and dry.
  • The rash does not seem painful or is only mildly uncomfortable for your baby.
  • Your baby may react when urine or stool touches the rash, but otherwise they’re eating, sleeping and generally acting normally.

Signs and symptoms of severe diaper rash

Severe diaper rash isn’t as common as mild diaper rash, but it does happen. If you notice one or more symptoms of a severe diaper rash, you should call your clinic’s nurse line or your baby’s doctor for next steps. Here’s how to recognize when your child’s diaper rash may be severe:

  • Baby’s skin is red, raw, broken or bleeding.
  • Your baby has a rash with blisters, pimples (which may drain pus), sores, boils or other red bumps.
  • The rash covers a large area. It may have a bright red border or be worse in the creases and folds.
  • The rash seems to cause pain when touched or rubbed.
  • Your baby seems sick, unhappy or unable to sleep.
  • There’s blood in your baby’s poop.
  • Baby has a fever of 100.4° F or more. This may be a sign that their diaper rash is caused by a bacterial infection, so you should call your baby’s doctor right away.

If you think your baby has diaper rash, here’s what you should do next​

The good news is that home remedies are usually enough to help your baby’s bottom to heal. But if you don’t see improvement within three days of consistent at-home treatment or you notice what could be signs of severe diaper rash, call your baby’s doctor or clinic’s nurse line right away.

Start with home remedies for mild diaper rash

If your baby’s diaper rash is mild, you can treat it at home. A good place to start is to make sure your baby’s diaper is dry and changed frequently, avoid using diaper wipes and make sure your baby is getting bare bottom time.

Read our diaper rash treatment guide for other effective at-home treatments to help soothe your baby’s skin.

Get help if the diaper rash is severe or isn’t getting better

When a diaper rash becomes especially red or painful, or just doesn’t seem to be improving after a couple of days of home care, get help from a doctor. They’ll help determine what’s causing it and recommend the right treatment to help your baby feel better as quickly as possible.

At HealthPartners, you don’t have to wait for an in‑person visit, either. Video visits can be a convenient way to get expert advice without packing up the diaper bag and leaving home. As part of the video visit, your doctor might ask you to upload a few photos through your online account. Photos can help them get a better look at what’s going on and helps them make sure your baby gets the right treatment to clear things up as fast as possible.

And remember, you can always call your clinic’s nurse line if you have questions. If you’re a HealthPartners patient or plan member, call our 24-hour BabyLine for answers and advice on new baby care at 612-333-2229.