Ways To Take Care Of Children's Skin. Review on Basic Skin Care for Children

All children’s skin should be taken proper care of.  It is important to teach your children from a young age how to take care of their skin.  It does have to last a lifetime you know.  I remember when my children were all babies I looked for ways to take care of their skin and now that my oldest is providing grandchildren for me I am finding that the same still holds true.

I had to get my old notes out on this subject when my oldest called me ask be about bubble baths for her son.  Thank goodness I had held on to the stuff.  But it also brought back memories on how I took care of my children’s skin needs when they were little.  So I thought I would share it with the world.

My Intake on Lotions, Bath Products, Shampoos/conditioners, etc for babies and children

What I use to do for my children in taking care of them and teaching them to take care of themselves you will find below.

You should always use a lotion made just for babies.  Like Johnson and Johnson® products or other brands.  Make sure that there are not a lot of oils in them.  Natural ingredients are always best.   As your child gets older it is still fine to continue to use these same type of products.  Keep in mind that chemistry changes in the body so as your child gets older you can look to use other lotions to put on their skins.  And always be sure you are using a sunscreen made just for kids or babies.

If you are going to use oils be sure they are of natural ingredients.

You should not use bacterial soaps on infants ever.  If a soap is needed don’t use a harsh soap.  Look for a mild one like Ivory® which is made from all natural ingredients.  Certainly look at soaps that contain olive, coconut or palm oils.  They work the best on a child soft skin.  And they help to keep the natural of the skin in tact.  And as your child gets older they can start to use your soaps.

Washing powders should also be look at. You should look for a detergent specially made for babies clothing live Dreft®, Ivory Snow® and others.  These do not have the harsh ingredients that normal detergents have that may hurt your child.  Of course once you are sure that your baby is not allergic to certain ingredients you can use your normal choice of washing powder.

If you are going to use bubble bath for your children make sure once again that the ingredients are safe for children as well as the septic tank system.  Many bubble bath products are based on detergents that can cause the destruction of beneficial bacteria’s and your baby’s acid mantle.   You should also be aware that bubble bath products are the leading causes of urinary and vaginitis yeast infections in small children.   If you look at the packaging of bubble bath products you should find on the labels a warning by the Food and Drug Administration informing you of the dangers of using the product on infants and small children.  There are some though that are specially made for children like Mr. Bubbles® and this brand is also safe for septic tanks.

Certainly in using shampoos you need to use one specially formulated for your infant’s head.  And you never want to use much at all.  Most of the time you can use the baby washes made by Johnson and Johnson® for the first several months of your babies life.  This I highly recommended to my daughter and of course she didn’t hesitate in listening to her mother.

As your child gets older you should use products that do not cause tears to your child’s eyes when using, such as No More Tears® again another product by Johnson and Johnson®.  And still as they get older you can continue to use this type of product or look to use your own shampoos and conditioners providing your child has not had any allergic reaction to the ingredients.  Certainly look for products that do not carry perfumes, artificial colors, or preservatives that can cause allergic reactions to your child.  Some of you may want to see what your child’s doctor may recommend.  And teach your child how to wash their hair and how to bath for that matter.  They don’t know how!  Teach them!

Pulling out the old paperwork I was reminded that you should not choose products that contain Diethanolamine(DEA) or Triethanolamine(TEA)because they interact with nitrites, which may be added as preservatives and they may not be shown on the ingredients list.  Look for these ingredients as an abbreviation and listed as compounds with other ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate.  Keep in mind that the gentlest preservatives include citrus seed extracts, vitamins A, E, and C.

When choosing a baby powder for you infant you should remember to choose one that does not contain Talc.  You should use baby powder in the creases of the skin on your baby.  Areas like: underarms, genital areas and the neck.  And try to use scent free powders as well.  People do use powders to treat diaper rash in infants, which will help, but the best way to treat a diaper rash is to keep the baby’s bottom as dry as you can.  Air-drying is the best.  Also do not use petroleum jelly on a diaper rash.  This is the worst because it seals in moisture and moisture is what you want to avoid.  You can check with your child’s doctor for the best way to handle diaper rash.  Powders with cornstarch are the best for your infant.  And over the counter products that contain Zinc Oxide and Chamomile are the very best for diaper rash I think.  At least when my children were younger that is what I looked for.

I have tried many products over the years with my children and I have also learned that store brand products can work as well as name brand.  However, you should compare the ingredients to make sure.   Sometimes the store brands will have ingredients that my not be healthy for you children.  When I wrote the above about the abbreviations, my son’s doctor told me that as well and you will be shocked at what ingredients you find in some store brands.  I have found over time that the Wal-Mart brand, Equate® are some of the best store brands on the market. However, for those of you who don’t mind paying the extra money go with the name brand products that have been trusted for years and years.

Also, when buying diapers, certainly the best is the cloth.  But requires lots of work!  If you are going to try a disposable diaper ask your child’s doctor for some samples to try.  Most of these doctors have various brands for new parents. And of course sign up for every free sample you can get your hands on.  Watch for redness from the use of any disposable diaper and treat quickly and discontinue use.  Remembering that an unhappy baby makes for an unhappy parent.

Listen to what other parents have to say because you will learn from them and listen to your parents, they did raise you and already know what to do.  Keep an opened mind about the products you hear about and keep tract of what product does what to your child and/or children.

I have raised three children now and I have been through it all with all three!  And trust me as they get older they do listen although they pretend not to.  And when they leave home they leave knowing that I have given them the best love and understanding that I could give.  And that they will take what I have given them into their own homes.  And something else to keep in mind.  Not all children react the same way to products.  Just because one of them had no allergic reaction to a product does not mean the next won’t.

Teach them well and they will not part from it!

I hope that this has helped in some kind of way.

God Bless!

©LKD 2003