When a baby gets an ear infection, it's very common for a pediatrician to prescribe amoxicillin to treat the infection. The benefit of this is that this medication works well for eliminating ear infections, but the downside is that it may leave your baby with a diaper rash. Here are a couple things to know about this potential side effect of using an antibiotic to treat an ear infection.

What antibiotics do to the body

Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria in the body, and they are often prescribed for all types of bacterial infections. Ear infections are bacterial infections, and babies commonly develop these types of infections.

When you give your baby the antibiotic, it will destroy the bacteria that is causing the infection; however, that is not the only bacteria it may destroy. Antibiotics often destroy good bacteria in the body, and this is what leads to diaper rashes. If the baby's body does not have enough good bacteria in it, the bad bacteria will take over and may present itself in the form of a diaper rash. This occurs because of the natural yeast found in the body. If the yeast levels get too high, a diaper rash can form.

A similar effect occurs with adult women after taking antibiotics, except that women will experience vaginal irritation instead of diaper rashes. When this happens to a woman, it is called a yeast infection. When a baby gets a diaper rash from an antibiotic, the rash is also typically considered a yeast rash, and your pediatrician will be able to offer treatment options for your baby's rash.

How this type of diaper rash is treated

One of the most common ways doctors treat yeast diaper rashes is with a prescription cream called Nystatin. This is an antifungal cream that is designed to eliminate the bad bacteria causing the rash. If your doctor prescribes this, you can typically apply the cream after each diaper change, and the rash should go away within a few days.

You can also try to prevent a rash from forming if your baby needs to take an antibiotic, and there are several ways to do this:

1. Try to keep the baby's diaper dry and clean, which may involve changing his or her diapers more frequently.
2. Apply A&D ointment to the baby's bottom to serve as a protective layer on the skin.

If your baby develops diaper rash after taking an antibiotic, call your pediatrician to find out what you should do. To learn more about this subject, contact a pediatrician in your area today.