With newly developing immune systems, babies can be susceptible to a wide range of diseases and medical conditions. They have especially sensitive skin which can be irritated by any number of things.
Parents must be vigilant when it comes to the items your child comes into contact with. This is doubly true if the substances are liable to cause allergic reactions.
Some triggers include dust, animal dander, insect stings and pollen. Be extra careful when exposing your child to new foods and medications as they can also cause allergic reactions.
Always have an eye open for these signs and symptoms. Redness, scratching, swelling are among the clues that your baby may be suffering from an allergy.
If their skin is scaly or bumpy, you should suspect that your baby has come into contact with an allergic trigger. Your baby could also be sneezing, have red and watery eyes as well as have a runny nose when an allergy hits.
Unfortunately, prevention is not always possible when it comes to preventing allergy irritations for your baby. Nevertheless, here are some tips to protect your baby.
Identify and Avoid Allergens
Ideally, you should identify the substances that cause your baby to have allergic reactions. After that, you can start keeping allergens out of your home. Sadly, specific triggers can be difficult to pinpoint at times.
If your child has a food allergy, especially if it is to peanuts, you have to be alert and eagle-eyed at all times to avoid exposure. The best thing you can do is to cut down the likelihood that your baby will come into contact with known and potential allergens.
Should they be allergic to pollen, keep them from the outdoors come spring and use a mask. Should your child be allergic to grass, make sure their skin is adequately covered before letting them run about.
Additionally, you should use unscented or hypoallergenic products for your baby. Items include laundry detergent, soap, and any other product that will come into contact with your child’s skin.
Try not to change brands often as new products or formulas may not agree with your baby.
Always Be Ready
When you are going on a holiday, hiring a baby capsule is a great way to ensure your baby is safe when traveling from one place to another. They will likely spend more time in the capsule than usual, so make sure to prepare accordingly and always have your allergy medications with you just in case.
Clean and Moisturise
To give your baby an extra barrier against skin irritations, you should establish and follow a good skin care regimen. Clean skin is essential to keep your baby healthy and protected against irritations.
Daily baths may not be necessary, but do try to wipe down your baby with clean water often. Besides, this habit keeps your baby feeling cool and fresh.
Once you are done with cleansing your baby’s skin, use moisturiser as it acts as an extra line of defence against allergens.
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are the type of medication you need to fight against allergic reactions. For food allergies, you should have oral medicines ready.
As for skin irritations, there are creams, lotions and ointments that work to calm the immune system and control irritation. Calamine lotion is especially significant to reduce that itchy feeling.
Hydrocortisone cream is also suitable for skin conditions like eczema. However, this cream may not be ideal for babies, so it is best to speak to a doctor regarding its use.
Scratch Mitts
If your baby is having skin irritations or a rash, you should do your best to prevent them from scratching at the skin. Scratch mitts come in very handy for this.
You do not want your baby to injure themselves by scratching too hard accidentally. Plus, using scratch mitts prevents them from breaking the skin and causing an infection.
If you do not have gloves for this specific purpose, you can try doing it yourself and repurposing old socks for this instead.
