Is It Really Necessary To Give Your Child A Bath Every Single Day?
I love when my kids smell squeaky clean-it makes me want to hug them even more! But when it's not always possible to give your kids a bath on those nights you feel like there's not enough time in the day…some might say it's actually okay…you don't have to feel so bad those nights you skip bath-time. 😉 Here's a great article, by Ana Connery, over on Yahoo Parenting, sharing what experts have to say about daily bath-time.
Contrary to popular belief, babies don’t need daily baths, according to Laura Jana, MD, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP). It’s not until they begin crawling around in sandboxes and other places, and start eating solid foods, that they get dirty enough to merit a full-body wash. “Bathing is really necessary only to clean your child off when she gets dirty,” pediatrician David Gellar, MD, told BabyCenter.
As long as the diaper area is kept squeaky clean, and the folds under the armpits and groin area are wiped regularly with a wet washcloth, the AAP says babies and toddlers are good to go. Bathing them more frequently than three times per week can dry out their skin and cause eczema, a dry, itchy condition that is associated with asthma and allergies.
If your kids are between 6 and 11, you might be surprised to learn the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says they need a bath only about once or twice a week; when they get muddy or swim; or if they have body odor. In other words, if they’re mostly spending time indoors, they can forgo a daily bath. “Exposure to a little grime may protect kids,” Michael Welch, MD, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ section on allergy and immunology, told Parenting magazine. “Because their immune systems are still maturing, they seem to benefit from being around viruses, bacteria, and dirt.”
Once they’re tweens, however, the AAD increases its recommendation to daily baths or showers, plus face-washing twice each day to remove oil and dirt.
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