If your child wets the bed, you know how difficult it can be to keep his skin healthy. Frequent exposure to urine, especially for hours overnight, can cause your child's skin to become irritated and uncomfortable.

"There are several skin irritations that can be caused by contact with urine," says Dr. Preston Smith, pediatric urologist and founder of PottyMD.com. "These include an acute reaction with redness, burning and chaffing. After long-term contact, the skin can become thickened and moist with a foul odor."

Dr. Linda Sy, a dermatologist in Lafayette, Calif., has seen cases of skin infections caused by yeast and bacteria. As a parent, you know how serious and difficult to treat these types of infections can be. But there are ways you can prevent – and treat – them.

Rashes, irritation and discomfort due to exposure to urine are challenging to combat. So what's the best way to handle skin irritation? Experts say to try to avoid developing these conditions in the first place.

Dr. Laura Myers, a dermatologist at the University of Iowa, says preventative measures such as frequent bathing are key to avoiding skin irritation associated with bedwetting. "Once someone realizes they are wet, it's important to gently cleanse the area, thoroughly dry the skin and replace the wet bedclothes with clean and dry bedding," she says.

And while cleansing is an important step, Dr. Myers advises parents to remember that these conditions are often worsened by heat and friction. "Any aggressive cleansing regimens or irritating topical products applied to the delicate skin of the perinea (the area between the anus and the external genitalia) can also contribute to development of irritant dermatitis," she says. "A gentle wash with tepid water and a mild cleanser like Cetaphil® [Gentle Skin Cleanser] is a good option. Moist wipes can be convenient for some as well."

Another measure of prevention is to decrease body contact with urine at night by using absorbent and waterproof bedding, according to Dr. Smith. In the morning, be sure your child rinses his skin gently in a bath or shower.

Lisa Matthews* of Austin, Texas, a mother of three children who have all wet the bed, says her son experienced recurring rashes when he wet the bed. "Two things I have learned about [preventing rashes] are absorbency and washing the area very well," she says. "For me, making sure there is a good absorbent surface ended my rash problems."

Aside from using absorbent underpants and keeping skin clean, most experts believe applying protective lubricants or barrier creams such as white petroleum jelly or zinc oxide at bedtime is an effective way to keep skin healthy. "This forms a barrier for the skin from the irritant effect of the urine," says Dr. Sy. Skin should be clean and completely dry before you apply barrier creams and before your child puts on any absorbent undergarments. Moisture trapped against the skin provides a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria.

Marcy Liken,* a mother of two in Ann Arbor, Mich., awakens her daughter Candace, 7, earlier than the rest of the family to make sure she takes a bath or shower before school. Because Candace bathes every morning to rinse her skin, the Likens have not had to deal with irritation on a regular basis.

If you find your child has recurring rashes or infections despite bathing and using barrier creams, talk to her about ways she can more effectively keep her skin healthy. For example, you can stress the importance of changing bedding promptly to avoid lying on wet sheets until morning, even if she's very sleepy.

Try keeping a spare set of sheets and a pair of pajamas near the bed for quick changes. When skin is especially irritated, suggest your child expose it to air as often as possible and wear cotton underwear, which allows skin to breathe better than it can in synthetic garments, according to Dr. Sy. Be sure your child changes the underwear as soon as possible when accidents occur. Dr. Sy also advises patients not to scratch, which could worsen the rash.

In some cases, you may need your doctor's advice about how to cure a particularly stubborn or painful infection. He might have some suggestions for how you can most effectively treat the condition.

* Name changed to protect privacy.