How to Care For a Child With Sensitive Skin

As adults, it is safe to say that we have all experienced having red, sore, or itchy skin at one point. However, it can be very unsettling for parents to see these skin flare-ups in their children and the subsequent distress it can cause.

Firstly, don’t be too hard on yourself. Sensitive skin is well within the norm for children, given the fact that their skin has not built up the same tolerance as adults. Some of the most common culprits which cause children’s skin to become irritated include:

  • New bathing products and soaps
  • New lotions and creams
  • New washing detergents and fabric softeners

Keep reading to learn some tips and tricks to help alleviate your child’s skin irritations after they’ve been in contact with these household skin irritants.

Avoid Using Products With Fragrances

The perfumes and additives in these products which are intended to keep us smelling clean and fresh can often lead to skin problems for children. Read the ingredient list on products before purchasing them and if it looks like there is an endless list of chemicals you cannot pronounce, better to put it back on the shelf. Ideally, you should be looking for products which state clearly that they are fragrance free, paraben free, and free of dyes.

Don’t forget your haircare products either! The scalp can easily be overlooked as a possible area of irritation. Read this guide on sensitive scalps to soothe any issues with an itchy scalp that your child may be experiencing.

Baby

Don’t Overdo It With Products

You have probably heard this phrase many times already: Less is more. An accumulation of products on the skin with many different chemicals and ingredients can be upsetting to your child’s sensitive skin.

Stick to the basics and focus on a gentle soap, fragrance-free moisturiser, and an SPF! For more advice on trying out new products, check out this great advice on patch-testing new products to help identify ingredients which could be root of the problem.

Introduce New Products Slowly

If you know already that your child has sensitive skin, approach new products with caution. For example, if you’re trying out a new moisturiser, think about applying a light layer two or three times that week before you increase it to daily use. This will give your child’s skin time to show any reaction to the product and will hopefully lessen the severity of the irritation caused if it turns out not to be suitable.

Choose Non-Irritating Clothing

Choose clothing which feels soft to touch and try removing the labels if possible. Check out this guide here for how best to wrap up your little one to protect against the elements for this coming Winter

If you notice anything out of the ordinary in your child’s skin, for example, a rash after eating a new food, constantly itchy skin, or a rash that begins to spread, make sure to give your family doctor a call to check it out!

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