Allergy Hazard in Cots (Cribs) and Soft Toys

Natural Allergy Cures


Cots (cribs)
Although the same cot (crib) can be used for different babies over the years, each infant should have his or her own new mattress. Replace any mattress, however, if any signs of mould (black stains) develop. This will happen if it is not thoroughly dried out after becoming wet.

Cot (crib) mattresses are usually made of foam, though some people prefer a natural cotton stuffing. A foam mattress is usually partly covered with a vinyl plastic to protect it against soiling, while the section where the baby lays it head is left uncovered for safety reasons. Barrier covers for cot (crib) mattresses are available from specialist suppliers. Do not use homemade plastic covers - these are unsafe and may cause suffocation.

When allergic children move from a cot (crib) to their first "proper" bed they should start off with a new mattress, duvet, and pillow, which should all be protected with barrier covers to keep them mite-free right from the beginning.

Soft toys
Piles of soft toys in a bedroom are a health hazard for any child with a mite allergy. Just like soft furnishings and carpets, cuddly toys create an ideal breeding environment for mites. Soft toys should be tidied away in a closet or chest at night rather than kept on the bed or cot (crib). You may, however, need to make an exception for a child's favorite toy or blanket.

Keep soft toys in the bedroom to a minimum and, ideally, wash them weekly at water temperatures of 56ºC/133ºF or above. Toys can be washed at lower temperatures if a solution of mite-killing benzyl benzoate is used - but since favourite toys are likely to be sucked and in constant contact with the child, some parents may not be happy with this option. Alternatively, you can place soft toys inside a plastic bag and leave them in your refrigerator's freezer compartment for 3-4 hours. This will kill all the mites, but you will still have to wash their droppings away.

If you wash or freeze toys weekly right from new, dust mites will never have the opportunity to establish themselves in any great numbers, especially if you use barrier covers on all bedding so that there are no reservoirs of dust mite in the room to recolonize the clean toys.

Apply this regime, more or less strictly, to soft toys that are kept in other rooms, depending on how often the child plays with them. Carrying out this routine does require time and effort, and it may be easier to keep only a few soft toys, which you can then rotate through the anti-mite regime.


Natural Allergy Cures




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