Protect Your Little One From Asthma and Allergy Triggers

Many small children have allergies or asthma, and parents combat this by buying hypoallergenic products, which claim to be free of all allergen and asthma triggers. The term is most often used in reference to bath and beauty products (hypoallergenic shampoo, soap, or bubble bath) and bedclothes or apparel (hypoallergenic sheets, baby sleeping bags, or mattress toppers), because these products come into regular contact with the skin and are the most likely to cause an allergic reaction.

However, there is some controvery over whether "hypoallergenic" is an accurate or verifiable claim. There is no way to make textiles that won't cause an allergic reaction in some people, and the grounds for defining a product as "hypoallergenic" are fairly vague. It seems that any textile you can wear without feeling the need to sneeze could be given this label. Some companies put an extreme amount of effort into creating or utilizing fabrics that don't 'shed' or foster bacterial growth, and these products are probably closest to the intended meaning of "hypoallergenic". Among these are most types of baby sleeping bags.

Your Options in Allergy Prevention

When it comes to infants, protecting them from harmful allergy triggers in their environment can seem an overwhelming task. It can be made easier, however, with the use of all-natural cleansers and synthetic (or naturally hypoallergenic) clothing fibers. This is particularly important for their pyjamas, as small children with respiratory problems are at a higher risk of SIDS.

For this purpose, baby sleeping bags are a popular and economical choice. Baby sleeping bags and the other swaddling wraps like them have been specifically developed to prevent SIDS and provide your infant with a safe and warm bed. They're available in numerous styles and fabrics, many of which are hypoallergenic by nature, such as alpaca, linen, bamboo fibers, and specially treated polyester. Baby sleeping bags were originally developed to help reduce the rate of SIDS, and studies prove the use of baby sleeping bags at bedtime reduces your child's SIDS risk by half. Baby sleeping bags come in a variety of tog ratings, can be worn over other pyjamas, and conveniently replace any other bedding in your child's cot, except for the cot sheet. Not only is your baby less likely to have an allergic reaction, they're also more likely to sleep soundly, for a longer period of time. Baby sleeping bags are an excellent purchase for any parent, whether or not their infant has allergies.

For Your Consideration

While a "hypoallergenic" label might initially make products seem more appealing, be smart and check the actual materials list to make sure you're not being duped. Because the term "hypoallergenic" is not recognized as valid by either the scientific or the medical communities, there is no standard for its application; baby sleeping bags made from sheep's wool, which contains oils that cause many people allergic reactions, and baby sleeping bags made from natural alpaca can both have a "hypoallergenic" label without needing to meet any standard or show any proof. Learn all you can about your children's allergies, and use that information to make your decisions; don't base your choices on whether or not the label claims to be "hypoallergenic".