In addition, children’s products have another focus: while adults seek transformation, children seek protection . Precisely because of babies’ fragile skin and scalp, hair products specialize in maintaining the health of these areas of the body.
Therefore, the main characteristics of children’s shampoos are the absence of salt and sulfates, in addition to the neutral pH (around 7.0).
But why does composition matter?
Shampoos and adult hair products have a much lower pH, around 4.5, which is to open the hair cuticle minimally, promoting cleanliness and ensuring hydration. However, this pH can be very aggressive for children, especially when the product ends up going where it shouldn’t, such as in the eyes.
In children’s products, the pH is balanced to look like water (which has a pH of 7.0). This means that if the shampoo falls into the eyes, there is no burning or pain.
Salt and sulfates are not as important for babies as they are for adults: these two substances are strong surfactants, used to clean and remove oil from the scalp. Children under the age of 12, however, do not produce as much oil and, therefore, there is no need for such strong products.
When it comes to conditioners and other hair products, they should not contain petrolatum, substances widely used to keep hair in alignment. Although widely used in adult products, this type of substance can only be removed from the hair with sulfates, which are not present in the formulation of children’s shampoos.
It is important to remove petrolatum because, in the long run, they waterproof the hair, preventing the exchange of nutrients necessary to maintain capillary health.
Moisturizing soaps and lotions
The baby’s skin is 20 to 30% thinner than that of adults and tends to dry out. That’s because their sweat glands are less mature and don’t produce as much sweat, which, despite being hated by adults, helps to moisturize the skin.
Precisely for this reason, the skin protection barrier of babies and children is thin, not so effective, which makes it more prone to allergies and irritations. In addition, one of the main functions of this barrier is to retain the moisture that, in the case of children and babies, drains easily.
Therefore, it is important that the products for cleaning and moisturizing the skin are very well tested and do not contain allergenic substances, which may well cause some reaction on the unprotected skin of the little ones.
Like shampoos, soaps and lotions are made with milder substances to prevent irritation. In addition, they may contain natural ingredients with a calming effect, such as oats, which help maintain the skin’s protective barrier.
The absence of dyes is even more striking in this type of product. As for fragrances, the formulas tend to use, preferably, natural or milder compounds, in order to avoid skin allergies and respiratory problems such as rhinitis .
Toothpaste
In addition to the sweet flavors that please the child’s palate and the presence of fun characters on the packaging, the main difference between adult and children’s toothpaste is the amount of fluoride.
While children are very small, they still don’t know how to spit, which makes them end up swallowing a lot of toothpaste. The large amounts of fluoride ingested at that time end up causing a condition called “fluorosis”, a kind of deposit of fluoride in the permanent teeth that are born later.
When this happens, it is a sign that there has been demineralization of the teeth, indicating that their structure has been impaired. In addition, the condition causes white spots on the teeth, which can be aesthetically uncomfortable. In mild degrees, it does not cause much damage to oral health . However, more severe degrees of fluorosis can even make your teeth weaker.
In exclusive toothpastes for small children, the amount of fluoride is reduced precisely to prevent this problem from occurring. However, not every child benefits from this type of toothpaste.
Depending on the amount of sugar ingested or genetic factors, for example, it may need adult toothpaste, with a fluoride concentration between 1,000 ppm and 1,500 ppm, only in lesser amounts.
This means that, instead of filling the brush with toothpaste, parents should be careful to put just a little bit of toothpaste in order to avoid fluorosis and still protect their child’s teeth.
Up to 4 years of age, the recommended amount of toothpaste is equivalent to the size of a grain of uncooked rice. This prevents the child from swallowing too much fluoride, avoiding fluorosis. After that age, you can use the equivalent of a pea grain and, over time, gradually increase the amount.
If you have doubts about which toothpaste to choose or other issues related to the baby’s mouth, consult a pediatric dentist , the specialist in children’s oral health!
Bath time tips
Bathing both babies and younger children can be a complicated task. In addition to using specific products for children, here are some tips to help make this moment easier and more fun:
- Take care of the water temperature: both children and babies have skin that is more sensitive to temperature. Therefore, the ideal is that it is warm, to avoid dryness;
- When bathing small babies, use mild soaps from head to toe. There is no need to use children’s shampoos while the strands are still thin and sparse;
- Use soft sponges to apply the soap. Another alternative is flannels or soft wipes;
- Until the age of 5, the ideal is that the products are applied by parents. From this age, however, children already have fine motor skills developed enough to pass the product on themselves, but it is up to the parents to teach them how to proceed;
- Children’s products must be kept until 12 years old, being gradually replaced by adult products after that age.
Bath time recommended products
Hickey solution selected some very nice children’s products for bath time, look at this:
- Johnson’s Baby Shampoo ;
- Granado Baby Infant Conditioner ;
- Dove Baby Soap Enriched Hydration ;
- Ponjita Kids Bath Sponge ;
- 2 in 1 Mustela Baby Body and Hair .
Tips for exchange time
Right after the bath, nothing better than changing diapers on the babies they still use, right? And for children who already know how to use the bathroom, changing clothes can also be very tasty! Check out some tips:
- Use moisturizing creams specifically for babies and children to help maintain the moisture that the skin has absorbed while bathing;
- If the child wears diapers, be sure to apply the preventive rash ointment on the bottom and the entire affected area;
- Always prefer clothes made of soft and breathable fabric, which ensures that the baby or child sweats without smothering and prevents irritation;
- On cold days, be careful not to overdress children: the rule is just one coat more than adults;
- If you are going to apply a cologne, make sure that it does not contain alcohol in its composition and apply only to the clothes, in order to avoid skin irritation.
Recommended products for exchange time
Check here the products that Hickey solution believes will help this important moment of the day:
- Baby Roger Wipes ;
- Pampers Confort Sec Pants diaper ;
- Talcum PomPom ;
- Huggies Colony Turma da Mônica Extra Suave ;
- Cetrilan TheraSkin Infant Diaper Rash Lotion ;
- Off Kids Repellent ;
- Nivea Sun Kids Swim & Play Sunscreen .
Tips for brushing your teeth
Often, children are not very happy when it comes to taking care of oral health. However, that moment can be quite fun. Here are some tips to help your child brush their teeth:
- If you have a baby without teeth, oral hygiene is still necessary: use a gauze pad or the tip of a dry diaper to clean the baby’s gums. But beware! Without teeth, toothpaste should not be used;
- When buying toothbrushes, pay attention to the ages for which the brushes are indicated, and take a soft bristle brush for the correct age of your child;
- Always remember to change the brushes monthly, as old brushes accumulate bacteria and their bristles lose their function slowly;
- Since children love to imitate adults, parents can stimulate their children by brushing their teeth near them;
- Explain why brushing is important, in a playful and fun way, but without making up terrifying stories to scare the child.
Recommended products for brushing teeth
Here are some product tips you can buy to make your teeth care time a lot more fun:
- Oral-B Children’s Toothbrush ;
- Dental Brush Holder Curaprox Flipper ;
- Lillo Massager Children’s Dental Brush ;
- Malvatrikids Baby Dental Gel without Fluoride ;
- Colgate Plax Kids Oral Solution .
Children’s products are useful and should always be the first choice of parents for their little ones. If you have any questions, please contact us and we will respond with pleasure!
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