How to Care for Babies With Sensitive Skin
Many babies are born with sensitive skin or develop it in the first few months of life. Sensitive skin can make your baby itchy, uncomfortable and plain irritable. When they are not happy, you are not happy. Sensitive skin requires special treatment. You should handle it with care just as you would any other skin condition such as Eczema or Dermatitis. There are some proving methods to treat your baby to help keep these rashes away. Here's how:
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Things You'll Need
- Mild soap or cleanser (fragrance-free)
- Mild detergent (fragrance-free)
- Dermatologist recommended lotion (fragrance-free)
- Soft clothes
Instructions
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Wash babies clothes and anything that the baby may come in contact with, in a mild detergent. Make sure to wash blankets, washcloths, towels, hats, gloves, bibs, socks, bed sheets, car seat cover, toy covers and changing table covers. Also, as a care giver you will be holding the baby a lot, so make sure your shirts are washed in this detergent as well.
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Restrict bathing. Do not give baths more than three times a week. Baths need to be short and in lukewarm, never hot water. This can dry skin and irritate it further. When washing, only wash them with a mild fragrance-free soap or cleanser. All products that you use need to be for sensitive skin or are recommended by the pediatricians’ office. After bath time, rub a fragrance-free lotion for sensitive skin onto the dry skin areas.
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Handle allergic reactions. Some sensitive skin issues are due to an allergic reaction. Pay close attention to the types of foods, medicine and even drinks (juice or milk) that you give your baby. If you believe that one of these may be the culprit, you will need to eliminate it from the baby's diet. There are several substitutes to ensure proper nutrition.
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Keep the baby dry. Saliva can also irritate your babies’ skin. It can be hard to keep babies dry especially when they drool a lot but change them often and keep them as dry as possible (diapers, bibs and clothing).
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Keep any harmful plants out of reach of babies. If babies come in contact with outside plants such as poison ivy, poison oak or sumac, they can cause a rash on the skin. Any such rashes should be covered to prevent from spreading.
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Tips & Warnings
Rough clothing or wool should not be worn.
For diaper changing, only use wipes made for sensitive skin and hypo-allergenic diapers.
Typically, children will outgrow their sensitivity. Timing varies with each case.
If your child’s rash does not look any better after a few days, he may need to see a doctor (pediatrician or dermatologist).
