For several years, the use of hand sanitiser for kids has been a highly controversial topic. The digital space is rife with debates on whether it is safe to use a hand sanitiser on and around kids. While trusted sources reveal that washing hands with soap and water are highly preferred, the narrative may change with the introduction of natural, toxin-free, and baby-safe hand sanitisers. Let us have an in-depth look at hand sanitisers for infants and kids.
Hand Sanitiser: The Controversy
Many parents are trained to think that sanitiser use is fairly harmless and, in fact, must be encouraged in little ones. The issue is not with sanitiser use itself. The real risk lies in children and infants accidentally drinking or ingesting it. It is important to note that, normally, alcohol-based hand sanitisers contain 60% to 90% alcohol and are as dangerous as any other source of alcohol.
Ingestion of alcohol-based hand sanitisers is capable of lowering blood pressure in children, which may even lead to coma or seizures in extreme situations. At the same time, it also intoxicates the child and slows the heart rate and breathing. Other symptoms of alcohol poisoning include confusion, lower body temperature, hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis, and blue skin tone.
On the flip side, research has recently brought to light that children who clean their hands with hand sanitiser in place of soap and water are more likely to develop stronger immunity and reduce absent days. The study conducted on 911 children started by stressing upon the importance of hand hygiene and allocating hygiene protocols. During a period of eight months, the study discovered that children using hand sanitiser missed 3.25% of daycare days when compared to the 3.9% of daycare days by the soap and water group! At the same time, there was a 23% reduction in contracting respiratory infections in those using hand sanitiser!
Another study conducted on similar grounds supported the evidence that usage of hand sanitiser not only reduced the probability of contracting infections but also decreased absenteeism for students and teachers alike. Clearly, even science appears to be divided on the issue - and this is where parental supervision kicks in!
Swirlster Picks Baby Safe Hand Sanitisers
Sanitiser Usage: Dos and Don'ts
As mentioned previously, the shortcomings of hand sanitiser can be complemented with precaution and parental supervision. Keep these few points in perspective:
ALWAYS supervise your child when they use hand sanitiser and moisturiser
When using baby hand sanitiser, prevent babies from licking their hands.
ADVERTISEMENTEnsure that infants, toddlers, and children also rub their hands with sanitiser until their hands are absolutely dry.
Use only a pea-sized amount of baby or infant hand sanitiser.
ADVERTISEMENTTry making use of unscented hand sanitiser as it will prevent the child's temptation to lick their hands.
Store alcohol-based hand sanitiser away from children and out of their reach.
If your child has swallowed hand sanitiser, seek medical help immediately.
(Also read: Hygiene Tips For Kids To Safely Use Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers And Stay Infection Free)
You can clean your hands with a alcohol based hand rub
What the Experts Say
Alcohol poisoning is a real risk with truly god-awful consequences. However, experts believe that a mere lick of even an alcohol-based sanitiser is not capable of such potent effects. Small children (10-15 kg) who have drunk about 10 to 15 mL of hand sanitiser directly from the bottle without vomiting it out are the ones at risk of alcohol poisoning. Given that alcohol and soap have an irritating effect on the stomach lining, most likely, the child will throw up.
Further, as mentioned previously, the dangers of using alcohol-based hand sanitisers are significantly reduced when parents practice care while storing and handling such products. Switching to non-alcohol-based sanitiser would also be a wise move considering that studies point out that inadvertent ingestion of non-alcohol-based hand sanitiser results in less harmful repercussions than their alcoholic counterparts.
Alcohol-free hand sanitiser for babies and kids have proven to be equally effective when used in elementary school settings in the US, Finland, and Sweden. Moreover, alcohol-free hand sanitiser for newborn babies and babies less than 2 years old are highly recommended as the skin cannot function as an effective barrier to alcohol absorption. The topical application of alcohol-based products also robs the skin of its moisture leading to dry skin in infants.
It is safe to say that the best sanitiser for babies and infants would be free from alcohol. Parents should carefully read the product labels to hunt for herbal or organic hand sanitisers that are also chemical-free and non-toxic.
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