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Parents will do everything in their power to take good care of their children. We are sure you can relate to that. This is why we understand if you get scared when your child has a rash or develops allergies. In this section of our website we will provide you with some useful information and good advice about how to care for your child’s skin and reduce the risk of your child developing allergies.
Allergic reactions are messages that the immune system sends to the body. The messages can be almost unnoticeable and appear suddenly, e.g. when your child eats food he or she cannot tolerate.
In order to develop allergies your child has be exposed to one or more allergens for a period of time.
The most common allergens are tree pollen, grass pollen, horses, dogs, cats, dust mites, and outdoor mold and fungus – all of which most often cause allergic reactions in the airways. Your child can also become allergic to things like fragrances, nickel and preservatives, which may cause contact eczema on the skin.
You child cannot become allergic to an allergen he or she has not been in contact with before. But once your child has become sensitized to an allergen, he or she may show symptoms of an allergic reaction even from very short exposure.
One third of all children are at risk of developing allergies. Many are predisposed to developing allergies. Others develop allergies because every day their skin is exposed to fragrances in lotions, a poor indoor climate, pollution, etc., all of which have a negative impact on the skin’s immune system. The skin has many functions and one of its most important functions is to protect us against external influences. This is why it is important that you take care of your skin, just like it takes care of you. If you suspect that your child suffers from allergies we recommend that you contact your physician.
Most children who develop infantile eczema have parents or siblings who have had or currently are suffering from either hay fever, asthma or infantile eczema. If both parents suffer from asthma, hay fever or infantile eczema there is a 40% risk that the child will develop infantile eczema. If only one of the parents suffers from allergies the risk drops to 26%. Statistics and researchers both indicate that infantile eczema is hereditary.
Infantile eczema is also called: Atopic eczema, atopic dermatitis, Prurigo Besnier, asthmatic eczema or itching eczema.
Children who develop infantile eczema lack the fatty acid that naturally keeps skin cells in place. Metaphorically speaking it corresponds to a brick wall without the mortar.
If your child’s skin is out of balance, too much moisture evaporates and the skin quickly becomes very dry and coarse. When the skin is out of balance it becomes very sensitive and susceptible to external influences such as bacteria, and things like water, soap and perfume easily become irritating to the skin. If your child’s skin is out of balance he or she will itch a lot.
Every year more and more people are diagnosed with allergy due to the use of fragrances in cosmetics and foods.
A healthy indoor climate is healthy for the entire family.
Learn what you can do to prevent your child from developing allergies or keep existing conditions from getting worse.
One third of all children are at risk of developing allergies because they are exposed to all kinds of fragrances every day. This is why it is important that we each do what we can not to expose our children to products containing allergenic substances such as perfume.
Fragrances and scents are not just used in cosmetics but also in cleaning agents, laundry detergents and food. Fragrances are either based on plant extract or synthetically made, and a fragrance formula may consist of 10-300 different fragrance ingredients. Plant-based fragrances may be just as likely to cause allergies as synthetic fragrances.
Even though the number of people who are allergic to perfume is steadily rising, the cosmetics industry reports that the consumption of scented products has increased and that consumers are demanding increasingly stronger scents.
Fortunately it has become easier to steer clear of the products we cannot tolerate. All cosmetic products sold in the EU today must be declared in accordance with the new European INCI Declaration, the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. This means that all leave-on products (e.g. creams and lotions) or rinse-off products (e.g. soap) must declare fragrance contents of more than 0.001% and 0.01% respectively.
The INCI Declaration has identified all existing allergenic fragrance substances for us but it is important to remember that a product may contain allergenic fragrance substances even though they are not listed on the list of ingredients. This is because manufacturers do not have to declare the fragrance substances if they stay within the percentage values. Products may consequently contain troublesome and allergenic fragrances – you just don’t know it.
All Bambo Nature and Neutral’s products are free from perfume and unnecessary additives.
A healthy indoor climate is good for everybody. A healthy indoor climate is particularly important for the well-being of children who suffer from allergies or asthma.
To a great extent, having a healthy indoor climate has to do with common sense. This is why one of our best pieces of advice, which is also really easy to follow, is to create a draft every day in your house or apartment. When you air out a room, the air humidity drops quickly, making it more difficult for mold fungi and dust mites to exist. Mold fungi thrive in humid materials in the house such as wooden window frames, and dust mites prefer conditions with high relative humidity. Dust mites prefer to live in our beds.
Creating a healthy indoor climate is very easy: Air out three times a day; clean all rooms thoroughly once a week, and always use mild cleaning agents without perfume or coloring.
A healthy indoor climate also means that smoking is not allowed indoors and that you clean regularly.
If your child is at risk of developing allergies you can do a lot to reduce that risk.
Breast feed your child for at least 4 months – longer is better. If you are only able to breastfeed for a short time or if you cannot breast feed at all, you should use a special formula for the first four months. Talk to your doctor or visiting nurse.
Do not expose your child to passive smoke. Cigarette smoke increases the risk of asthmatic bronchitis and asthma.
Use only mild products without allergenic substances such as perfume or coloring.
It is not important whether your child uses a duvet/comforter or pillow filled with synthetic materials or down. What is important is that they can be washed at 60°C (140°F) thereby killing any dust mites. Wash your duvet/comforter and pillows four times a year, your mattress pad 6-12 times a year and your bed linen every week or every other week.
If you child has a bed or pram that has been used by someone else we recommend that you replace the mattress.
Air out your house three times a day for 5-10 minutes. When you air out the rooms frequently and thoroughly, the air quality improves and children with sensitive airways need lots of fresh air. Pay attention to cigarette smoke, cooking smoke and smoke from candles, wood burning stoves, etc. which easily make your children cough.
If your child is at risk of developing allergies you should not keep a furry pet during his or her first year of life. This also applies to any daycare facility your child attends.
If your child has been diagnosed with pet allergies you should avoid any contact with animals.
Do not dry clothes indoors. If you use a dryer make sure it has outdoor ventilation.
Clean all rooms thoroughly once a week. Remember to air out during and after cleaning.
