Toddler has painful pimples on buttocks

My child developed a painful boil on her buttocks about 2 months ago. It drained pus and blood and then she got another one. We took her to the Doctor who said it looked like a staph infection. This visit to the doctor was not very efficient though because my daughter was screaming so loud at the thought of someone touching these painful sores that they only quickly looked at it. They put her on a round of antibiotics which I didn't want but I wanted her to get better. She did get better and it cleared up. About 2 weeks after they went away, they started coming back again. On her bottom, and upper thigh area. She now has a mixture of pimples along with the painful boils. She can't even sit at times. She is only 2! I have been bleaching the tub, only letting her use one towel per bath, and trying to keep her as clean as possible. I really don't want to have to put her on another round of antibiotics if something else can be done or if it isn't going to work. Do you have any suggestions as to what she may have or what I can do to help my poor baby get rid of these things! Thank you so much.- Concerned Mommy

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
A boil generally starts as a reddened, tender area. Over time, the area becomes firm and hard. Eventually, the center of the abscess softens and becomes filled with pus. Finally, the pus "forms a head," which can be surgically opened or spontaneously drain out through the surface of the skin.

Boil on buttocks is usually due to plugged sweat glands that become infected or by an ingrown hair.

Apply warm compresses on the boil and keep the area clean. Drainage of the boil is done only when it becomes soft and forms a head. Give her some over the counter pain reliever and consult a doctor for examination and antibiotics prescription. Also air dry her bottom after washing and make her wear cotton nappies instead of diapers. If there are recurrent boils, then please get her blood sugar levels estimated.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.