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Baby Rash and Toddler Rashes
One of the most frustrating conditions for parents, especially new first-time parents, to deal with on babies and toddlers are rashes. The difficulty is that because of their nature, rashes are easy to spot and difficult to ignore. Whether it is skin redness, little spots on baby’s skin, or a rough texture on your toddlers arms or legs, rashes trigger a parent’s instinct to do something to fix it.
Unfortunately, the great majority of toddler rashes and baby rashes are non-specific skin conditions that require no real medical treatment. It is frustrating to take baby to the doctor only to hear them say that it isn’t anything to worry about, and is probably just dryness or an allergic reaction to something.
Online medical research about skin rashes on babies and kids isn’t any more help. About all anyone will find is the advice to try and figure out what is causing the allergic rash and to remove it from the baby’s environment. This isn’t as easy as it sounds and can end up causing even more consternation among parents.
Cure for Baby or Toddler Skin Rashes
Since most rashes are non-medical allergic reactions of the skin, all any parent can do to make them better is try and reduce the allergens in the child’s environment. Fortunately, this can be a relatively simple process for most skin allergies.
Whether it’s red skin, bumpy skin, or rough skin, the culprit is most often either bedding like sheets and blankets, or clothing. The most common causes of such skin reactions is the perfumes, dyes, and preservatives in laundry soaps or bath soaps and other cleaning supplies. Removing these irritants from baby’s life is actually fairly easy.
Healing Rashes With Laundry Soap
First, start by washing all of the child’s clothing AND bedding using Dreft. Other companies make laundry soaps that are supposedly as free of irritants and chemicals as Dreft is, but since there is no way of knowing whether or not the latest “allergen free” or “pure” laundry soap is in fact just as good as Dreft, don’t take the chance just yet. If you want to try a cheaper version of child laundry soap, do it later after you’ve eliminated baby’s rash and can judge whether or not the other laundry soap causes its return.
If comparing two products, always buy the one with no parabens. Parabens may or may not have a cancer risk. However, there is no doubt that parabens are a sign of cheap, low-cost, formulation and manufacturing since their only purpose is to allow a multi-year shelf life.
You can find parabens on the ingredients list. They will have names like methylparaben, propylparaben, or something similar. It doesn’t matter what the chemical name is in front, a paraben is a paraben. So anything-paraben is garbage. If you can’t find a no parabens product, try a health food store or organic food store like Whole Foods.
As a last resort, buy the product that has parabens the closest to the end of the list since ingredients must be listed from most to least by law. You’ll have to make a guess about whether having four different types of parabens lower on the list is better or worse than having one paraben higher on the list since their is no way to now how much they add up to. This is one reason why you are better off just getting something without parabens instead.
Make sure and wash everything baby uses. Otherwise, baby might still have the skin rash because of one blanket even though everything else is not causing any problems.
Be sure to wash any baby bedding including a child’s favorite blanket or wubby or whatever in HOT water. Only hot water kills dust mites which might be the cause of the child’s skin rash.
Use the second rinse feature of your washing machine to give baby’s blankets, sheets, and clothes an additional rinse. Don’t add anything like fabric softener, just get a second water rinse to ensure that everything possible is out.
Next, dry baby’s clothing and bedding without any dryer sheets or other additions to the dryer. Yes, they’ll be staticy and wrinkled, but that isn’t the primary concern for this step.
Continue to do all of your toddler’s laundry in this way so that nothing comes back into contact with him or her that.
Healing Diaper Rash
Also, change baby’s diapers and wipes. Try using one of the Huggies brand diapers if you are using others. No matter what the label says, other diapers like Pampers have some sort of perfume or chemical in them that Huggies don’t seem to have.
To prove it, open a bag of Pampers or other diapers and put them in an enclosed space like a drawer or cabinet with the drawer or door closed. Leave them overnight. Then, open the cabinet and smell inside. You’ll get a whiff of something, and that might be what is causing baby’s diaper rash. (I haven’t experienced the same thing with Huggies, either the regular diapers or the Huggies Comfort Fit diapers.)
Also, switch to one of the “Free” diaper wipes. You want one that has no perfumes AND no dyes.
While you are at it, buy a tube of Lotrimin. Lotrimin is a fungal killer, or fungicide. Most of the really painful looking bright red diaper rashes have some component of yeast infection with them. Using the Lotrimin kills off this element.
Remember to change and wipe baby often when they have a diaper rash. Most diaper rashes are caused by the chemicals in the child’s urine. The longer they stay in contact with the skin, the more likely they are to cause a rash.
To get rid of a diaper rash as fast as possible, use non-perfumed diapers and wipes and change baby a lot. By a lot, I mean too often, maybe every half-hour, but at least every hour, whether the diaper seems full or not.. At each of these diaper changes, put on some of the Lotrimin. This will ensure that the toddler or baby’s skin gets the maximum possible amount of time without any urine chemicals on their skin and also that any yeast is killed without being able to re-spread.
BPA Gives Babies Cancer – FDA Doesn’t Care
Nothing really “gives” you cancer. Your body’s cells react to certain chemicals or events in ways that lead to cells mutating into cancer cells. One of these chemicals is BPA, also known as bisphenol A. Yet, this chemical is likely in the baby bottles you are using to feed your child baby formula or pumped breast milk, or in your toddler sippy-cups and spill-proof cups and yes, it is increasing their risk for cancer.
How can this be? Isn’t the FDA supposed to regulate chemicals like these and keep greedy, corporations from poisoning us and our children. The answer, is yes they are, but no they don’t. Unfortunately the FDA has become increasingly political and subject to undue influence from outside interests. In this case the plastics industry and manufacturers of plastic products. So, BPA is not safe. BPA causes cancer. The government doesn’t care. Well, the US government anyway. BPA is banned in Canada by an apparently less tainted government agency.
In over 100 studies performed around the world by numerous well respected scientists, universities, and research centers, BPA was found to increase the risk of cancer. In just 2 studies, BPA was shown to be safe. Guess who paid for those 2 studies? The Plastics Industry. And, based on those 2 studies the FDA approved BPA as a safe chemical to use in making all kinds of products including, BABY BOTTLES!!!!
Make no mistake, this conclusion is undisputed, BPA does cause cancer. What the plastics industry argues is that the amount of BPA you get when you use products with BPA in them is not enough BPA to cause cancer. In other words, yes, we are using a cancer causing material in our plastic products, but don’t worry because there isn’t enough of it to hurt you. Yeah, I feel safer already.
Actually, this doesn’t this sound really familiar? Oh yeah, replace BPA with smoking and Plastics Industry with Tobacco Industry and you have a replay of the “debate” about whether or not smoking causes cancer. It is the exact same blueprint. Use industry studies to produce “results” that show something every non-industry funded study in the world shows to be dangerous and then pretend like that is a real conflict of science and not a sham.
My dad told me that no long ago in this country there was a notion that when it came to children and babies, that safety is what mattered above all else. That meant if there was even the slightest doubt that something wasn’t completely safe, then it wasn’t done. That is why baby food used to only come in glass jars, because we knew for sure that it was safe. These days, it seems that the government and the FDA especially seem far more interested in protecting their big corporate donations than in protecting our children, who let’s face it, don’t really contribute very much money to political campaigns.
The FDA even refused to require that products be labeled so that people could make their own decisions about BPA! I guess we regular people are just too stupid to know what is and isn’t good for us, so we can’t handle having truthful information about what a bottle does or doesn’t contain printed on the packaging.
Fortunately, the lie is beginning to unravel. A consortium of scientists have reported that the finding that BPA is safe is suspect at best and a sham at worst, especially in babies and children. The lead scientist from one of the studies used to “prove” that BPA was safe has said publicly that her research was flawed and even so, was never designed to offer proof that BPA was safe in anything other than the reproductive systems of rats.
Unfortunately, by the time the FDA gets around to doing the right thing, your baby could have been exposed to thousands of feedings from BPA tainted bottles. Since the FDA did not require labeling of plastics you can’t be sure if a bottle does or does not contain BPA unless it is labeled BPA-Free or Does Not Contain BPA. So, buy only baby bottles (and all other hard plastics) that are labeled BPA Free.
In the meantime, assume that all plastics not labeled BPA Free are cancer causing plastics.
Or, even easier, just remember one of these handy reminders:
NO BPA FREE label = CAUSES CANCER, DO NOT USE
CAUSES CANCER UNLESS LABELED BPA-FREE!
Baby Health Skin Care – Understanding Humidifiers
Whether it is to help with a cold that’s causing nasal congestion, or to help with a rash or dry skin, or even for chapped lips, sooner or later, you’ll end up needing a humidifier to help with the health of your baby. Getting the right humidifier is easy if you understand some basic concepts and information.
Which is better, warm humidifiers or cold humidifiers?
As you do research on humidifiers, you’ll come across conflicting information and recommendations. Part of that is because a lot of that information is old news, based on humidifier models that are not made anymore. The other part is because both main types of humidifiers have both pros and cons, but it is easy to break them down.
Warm Humidifiers Versus Cold Humidifiers
The main decision is warm humidifiers
Basically, the two arguments come down to safety versus bacteria. Warm humidifiers, as their name implies, use warm steam to produce humidity. Heat equals the potential for burns.
Cold humidifiers use either ultrasonic waves or air blown across wicks to send humidity into the air. Bacteria grows best in moist environments like on a humidifiers wick, or in the water tank itself. Turn on the humidifier and it blows not just humidity into the air, but that bacteria as well. Ultrasonic humidifiers
Choosing the Right Humidifier For Baby
If you keep a warm humidifier out of baby’s reach, then there is no need to worry about burns or bacteria. If you clean a cold humidifier properly every week, then there is no need to worry about burns or bacteria.
See what is going on here? Either choice is fine IF you use it responsibly. The problem, of course, is that people aren’t always responsible. So, the choice comes down to you. Are you more likely to not clean the humidifier every week? Or are you more likely to not keep the humidifier up on a shelf or table?
For us, there is no contest. Our lives are busy enough without worrying about constantly cleaning a humidifier. So, we use a modern warm humidifier with the heating element tucked away and protected, and we keep it up on a shelf with the cord behind the furniture. There is no way for our 2 year old to even touch it, let alone knock it over. No bacteria, no danger. Problem solved.
You might be the other way. If you can’t think of good places to put your humidifier other than the floor, then you are probably better off with the cold variety and making sure it gets frequent cleanings.
Best Humidifier Deals Online
If you are going to shop online, shop via the Health & Beauty categories, not the Baby categories.
Most reputable retailers put their products in the Health & Beauty because that is primarily where they belong. Shifty retailers make sure to put theirs in Baby knowing that uninformed parents might come looking there instead. You’ll find the same products but at a higher price.
If you want some starting points, here are some good ones from Amazon.
Plastics Danger
So, our pediatrician has posted a warning on the main page of their website regarding certain plastics and their potentially dangerous nature (for all of us, not just children). It seems that certain plastics can release cancer causing chemicals, especially when microwaved. So, they are recommending that everyone avoid type 3, 6, and 7 plastics. To find out what kind of plastic something is, look on the bottom (usually) and find the recycling code. It is the number in the middle of the 3 arrows around in a circle (the standard recycle symbol). If that number is 3, 6, or 7, no one in should be using it for food or drinks, especially your children. That goes double for heating anything in 3, 6, or 7 plastic. You shouldn’t be using them either, but you aren’t a defenseless baby, so make your own decision.
Actually, you should probably get used to never microwaving food in plastic at all. Apparently, microwaves release potentially toxic and cancer causing chemicals from ALL plastic, but just in amounts that are deemed “too small” to worry about. That doesn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy, I don’t know about you. It isn’t that much trouble to transfer stuff to a glass or ceramic bowl or plate before throwing it in the microwave.
Getting the Right Stuff
As a dad, you care about things in a different way for your young child than you do for yourself. I buy the cheapest shampoo I can find that doesn’t make me thing it is recycled dish soap and I don’t give a darn what is in it. But, when it comes to my little girl, things are different. I figure I’ve built up some immunity and other ways of dealing with the world of chemicals that pour out of your average soap bottle, but she’s my little baby, and she’s delicate, and I don’t want to be putting a bunch of junk on her delicate skin.
No Parabens
Still, there is a difference between doing right by your child and getting suckered into every crazy tree-hugger scare out there. Just because something isn’t organically harvested by virgin butterflies with specially coated wings doesn’t make it a bad thing. On the other hand, there are plenty of products out there using sweet innocent sounding names that are no different than the 3 for 99 cents bottles lower on the shelf. It’s kind of like those “microbrews” that are made by Coors and Budweiser. Yeah, those are delicately hand crafted in multi-million barrel quantities. As if.
Turns out there is an easy way to separate your cut-rate garden variety giant manufacturer running the cheapest combination of chemicals they can find down the conveyor belt, and thoughtfully formulated products that are gentle for your sensitive baby. If it has parabens, it is the junky mass market mix. If not, then it is likely good.
Basically, parabens are chemicals which extend the shelf-life of a product by keeping down the bacteria count. Sounds ok, right? Except we aren’t talking about normal shelf-life here, we are talking about FIVE YEARS! You want five year old shampoo? Me neither. I certainly don’t want to put it on my daughter. There’s more. Ask anyone, anywhere, who is concerned about people’s long-term health AND who is not bound by structure of having undeniable proof before they are supposed to give you an opinion and they will tell you that parabens are cancer causing chemicals. The key here is that there are a whole group of people out there who are not allowed to tell you what they know unless they have rock solid data to back it up. In this case, that means collecting years of data for thousands of people and then showing that the people who use products with parabens have higher cancer rates than those that don’t. That kind of thing just doesn’t happen over a weekend.
Here is the data you need to know. Parabens have been found in cancer tumors. Parabens are also scientifically proven to be estrogenic. Estrogenic means that they increase one of the mechanisms that cause cancer. Technically, this doesn’t add up to proof. One more fact should make this obvious to anyone who has two brain cells to rub together and doesn’t work for the cosmetics industry or politicians who get big money from the same people (I’m looking at you FDA). Parabens are not produced in the body, nor found in nature.
Allow me to connect the dots. Your body doesn’t not make parabens and there are no parabens on anything you eat or breathe. So, there is only one way they get into your body, and that is from the products you buy and put on your skin where the parabens get absorbed. From there we know that parabens are in cancer tumors. Ever hear of Vitamin C being found in cancer tumors? I didn’t think so. Technically it is possible that the parabens are just randomly somehow innocently in cancer tumors. I guess you have to decide who’s being naive.
Cancer or No Cancer, The Good Stuff Is Paraben Free
Actually, it doesn’t matter. Whether parabens are dangerous or not is moot. Parabens is the cheap way to make something. It is your proof that the company just went with the big tank of “this usually works” instead of putting some effort into it. This is true for adult and baby products, but especially for baby products where there is A LOT of concern about a baby’s sensitive skin. When designing a product for a baby you should be thinking, “What can we possibly leave out to make this product even safer and better?” If you are asking that question, you are leaving out parabens.
Now, you can sort out those products. If it is called Super Caring Mom Formula and it has propylparaben and mehtylparaben, then you know that it is actually Super Non-Caring Company Hoping to Make a Buck With a Good Name.
How to Spot Parabens
The good news is that it is easy to spot parabens. Turn the bottle around and read the ingredients. They are listed under “Inactive” or “Other” ingredients if the product has active ingredients. They will have a chemistry word in front of the word paraben. Common ones include: propylparaben and methylparaben, but it really doesn’t matter – anythingparapen is garbage. Find something else.
You don’t have to shell out big money for better products. Sometimes just changing formulas or regular brands is enough. Maybe Johnson & Johnson is chock full of parabens, but Dove isn’t, or whatever. If you do need to go to special brands, try the Vitamin Cottage if you have one. They seem to be a pretty decent deal for stuff like this.
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