If your baby has a diaper rash, you may be wondering if there is anything you can do to help ease their discomfort. One medication to treat acid reflux that some parents turn to for relief is ranitidine. But does ranitidine cause diaper rash? And if it does, is there anything you can do to prevent it? In this post, we’ll take a look at the potential link between ranitidine and diaper rash, as well as what you can do to keep your baby’s bottom healthy and happy.
What is Ranitidine?
Zantac is a medication that is used to treat high stomach acid and related disorders. You may also be familiar with it by its generic name, ranitidine. Ranitidine is a histamine-2 receptor blocker, sometimes known as an H2-blocker. H2-blockers reduce the amount of acid produced by particular cells in your stomach.
What is Ranitidine for babies used for?
Zantac is a medication that is used to treat high stomach acid and related disorders. You may also be familiar with it by its generic name, ranitidine. Ranitidine is a histamine-2 receptor blocker, sometimes known as an H2-blocker. H2-blockers reduce the amount of acid produced by particular cells in your stomach.
Acid Reflux
The lower esophageal sphincter, which is located at the junction of the esophagus and stomach, does not close completely in this disease, allowing some stomach acid to escape upwards towards the mouth. Ranitidine suppresses stomach acid output, offering relief from acid reflux in child patients.
Esophagitis
It is an inflammation of the esophageal inner lining caused by a variety of factors, including GERD. Ranitidine has also been reported to be useful in the treatment of this illness in some infant patients.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Acid reflux is referred to be GERD when it becomes chronic. Zantac alleviates GERD symptoms by reducing excess acid collection in the stomach of some child patients.
Can you give ranitidine to babies?
Ranitidine, also known by the brand name Zantac(R), is an H-2 (Histamine-2) blocker. It is approved for the treatment of GERD in infants as young as four weeks old and may be prescribed by your child’s primary care physician.
You can give your baby Zantac (ranitidine) in the form of a 15-mg/mL syrup. It can only be obtained with a prescription. Zantac is available over-the-counter, however, it should only be used by children over the age of 12.
How safe is Ranitidine?
Ranitidine has recently been in the headlines due to safety concerns. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered modest quantities of an impurity known as NDMA in ranitidine tablet samples. NDMA is an environmental pollutant found in water and foods such as meats, dairy products, and vegetables.
Although NDMA can be harmful in high doses, the FDA reports that the quantities of NDMA identified in preliminary tests barely exceed the amounts present in popular foods. NDMA levels in grilled and smoked meats are comparable, and recent research indicates that NDMA is not generated when exposed to stomach acid.
Is Ranitidine safe for babies?
If you check the warning label on Zantac and ranitidine products, you’ll notice that the safety and efficacy of using these drugs as treatment for infants have not been established.
Despite the widespread use of Zantac and ranitidine in infants, numerous studies have found that there are some potential risks and concerns to treating neonates with anti-reflux medications. The longer a baby is given Zantac, the higher the risks.
What are the side effects of Ranitidine?
Reflux problems are quite frequent in newborns and are supposed to improve over time due to natural development. When administering medicines such as Zantac to infants, it is critical to consult with your doctor who prescribed the dosage to establish whether the benefits of using Zantac for reflux exceed the potential side effects and health hazards.
Less evidence is known, however, regarding the negative effects of medications like Zantac in infants. A child can react differently to pharmaceuticals than adults in clinical drug trials.
Side effects of Zantac (ranitidine) in newborns, according to medical authorities, may include:
- diarrhea
- nausea
- constipation
- vomiting
- skin rash
- drowsiness
- headache
Drug interactions
Because of the changes, it makes to the quantity of stomach acid, Ranitidine can alter how your baby’s body absorbs other medications. It may also have an impact on how the kidneys eliminate drugs from the body. Ranitidine can inhibit the enzymes in the liver that break down medicines.
These side effects may have an impact on other medicines or substances that you may give to your infant. Make sure your baby’s doctor is aware of all medicines he or she is taking, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements. This information will assist the doctor in determining whether Ranitidine is safe for your child.
Does Ranitidine cause diaper rash?
Yes, Ranitidine might cause diaper rashes as a result of one or more side effect symptoms. One of the side effects of Ranitidine is diarrhea or loose bowel movement. Prolonged exposure of the skin to stool or urine can increase the risk of irritated skin or developing diaper rashes or a patch of bright red skin. Likewise, rashes caused by Ranitidine might also spread in the diaper region.
A diaper rash is commonly treatable at home before it gets worse. Here are a few tips:
- If you’re using cloth diapers, make sure to wash them with mild detergent.
- Soak your baby’s skin for 10 minutes in warm water if it is very red. Put 2 tablespoons of baking soda in the tub with warm water. Repeat three times daily.
- Do not let your baby wear tight diapers and clothing.
- If you suspect a yeast infection, buy an over-the-counter antifungal cream (not antibiotic ointment) and apply it to the affected area during each diaper change.
- Change diapers regularly and let the skin rash breathe. Keep the area with the skin crash dry at all times. The redness should be gone within the day after initial treatment and continued treatment should be gone within a few days not weeks.
- Initially, there will be some discomfort or pain in the area of the skin with rashes and the pain should go away when the rash is getting better.
- Rinse your baby’s bottom with warm water and use mild soap so as not to irritate skin while still killing any bacteria.
- Severe rash symptoms don’t usually occur if you treat them right away. However, then the rashes don’t go away after a few weeks and it is still sore after you applied a cream to them it is time to contact your doctor. They could diagnose whether it is being infected by germs or bacteria.
Is Ranitidine available?
Currently, ranitidine is not available in the US or globally. It has been withdrawn as a precaution because it may contain a trace of an impurity associated with an increased risk of cancer in humans. It is unknown whether it will be available again in the future.
There are a few ranitidine alternatives for people who rely on medicine to control acid reflux and other acid-related diseases.
Zantac 360 with famotidine is now on the market. Proton pump inhibitors and other H2 blockers are medication alternatives. Patients who want to change drugs should consult with their doctors.
Takeaway
Ranitidine might cause an irritating diaper rash in some infants. If your baby is experiencing any of the side effects associated with Ranitidine, please consult the healthcare provider or doctor of your child immediately. Additionally, make sure to keep the diaper area clean and dry to reduce the chance of developing a rash.
