Are hand sanitizers safe for babies? Should I make sure to use one that doesn't contain alcohol? Thanks!
Thank you, everybody. I have read about the dangers of hand sanitizers and had hoped to find some info. on hand sanitizers with NO ALCOHOL but perhaps there are none. I do tend to wash with soap and water when at home, but it seems that whenever we're out, especially picking up my older daughter at school, people tend to touch my son's hands which bothers me considering the sicknesses that are going around. Yes, babies need germs, but these days I think we're all doing what we can to avoid the swine flu, etc. I wondered about using something a bit more convenient in these situations when we're out and about...the wipes that were suggested will be great. Thanks again!
i just sit my baby next to the sink & wash his hands or if he's in his high chair washcloth with soap, but for out of the house/in the car just get 'Wet Ones' in the pick nic aisle, next to paper plates etc...
Hi
Hand sanitizers are the worse and your body becomes immune to them over time. I would buy a decent handwashing soap that doesn't have junk in it such as Dr. Bronners which has been around before all the GREEN copycats.. use that and your and your family ought to be fine. Don't buy into the CRAZE .. do a little research on the net about it... go to DrMercola.Com and you can learn more about why they are worthless.. even other good sights have it on there.
I have used SaniKids brand hand wipes since my toddler was little. They are moisturizing and haven't caused any problems.
Plain old soap and water are the best thing to use. Even the so called anti-bacterial soaps are not good. Hand sanitizers are for adults and older children to use in situations where soap and water aren't readily available.
Just say no to hand sanitizers. Use wipes. I did a college biology experiement and the sanitizers did not work well. The only one that sort of worked was one that contained mostly alcohol. Might as well use straight alcohol. The wipes will disinfect and get the dirt off instead of just rubbing it around.
You're not supposed to use alcohol-based sanitizers on kids until they are at least 2. Younger kids have more porous skin and there's a risk of alcohol toxicity. I have used it here and there though but would try to use the alcohol-free kinds and/or wipes.
I asked my pediatrician this exact question! Everyone in our house is sick and I'm trying to exterminate the germs. My 3 year old and the baby, of course, pass germs back and forth constantly. Thus, the need for hand sanitizer and not going through the screaming and crying of washing hands every 15 minutes or less.
She said it's fine. I pressed the issue about my baby constantly chewing her fists and licking it off her hands. She said it's absolutely non-toxic and alcohol based sanitizers evaporate so quickly that the baby doesn't get it in her mouth. She said as long as the baby doesn't eat globs of it out of the bottle it is perfectly safe to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer on babies.
That being said, go with what you feel comfortable with :-)
I would think hand sanitizers would be bad for little ones because they put their hands in the mouth contantly. I would just use plain old soap & water and be sure to rinse them well :)
