Baby

When you’re smoothing that sweet-smelling lotion on your baby’s skin, are you doing more harm than good? It depends on whom you ask. Recent news reports might have us believe that when it comes to infant care, the more natural the better, but many mainstream scientists have found little evidence of hidden health hazards in commonly used baby products. We spoke to people in both camps to give you a balanced look at what’s really going on inside that bottle of baby bubble bath.

Whiff of danger

Practically every product on the store shelf — from baby lotion to laundry detergent — has some kind of fragrance. So what’s the problem? Scented products are more likely than fragrance-free varieties to trigger asthma symptoms and eczema flare-ups in susceptible kids. Nor are artificial perfumes the only offenders — natural fragrances can also set off symptoms. What’s more, some essential oils, such as citrus, can severely irritate skin, even in people who aren’t eczema-prone.

Barbara Harris, a representative of the Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia, contends allergies to fragrances are becoming more common, and the ubiquity of perfumed products is partly to blame. “When you’re constantly exposed to something, the chance of sensitization is greater,” she says.

While there’s no proof that exposure to scented products can actually increase the probability a child will develop eczema, allergies or hay fever, if any of these “allergic diseases” runs in your family or your partner’s, that’s reason enough to consider going fragrance-free when it comes to baby’s skin.

Originally published in Today's Parent, December 2008