The Health Blog

Clothing can cause reactions by contact with, or inhaling vapours or particles from:

• fibres

• chemical treatments and finishes

• fastenings and trimmings

Wool and synthetic fibres are the most usual causes of allergy and sensitivity to fibres. Allergy to cotton and linen is relatively rare. Silk is more allergenic than cotton and linen, but because few people have any significant exposure to it, the incidence of allergy to silk is low.

Wool and synthetic fibres often cause irritation, even if you are not actually allergic or sensitive to them. They can irritate already sensitive skin and airways, so are often best avoided.

Fabric resins, applied to give easy-care properties, can be a cause of sensitivity to fabrics. They are applied to certain types of pure cotton, to polycotton blends, to viscose and rayon, and to some linen fabrics. They are hardly ever used on wool and never on silk, nor on pure synthetics. Other fabric treatments, such as dyes, mordants, fire-retardant treatments and bleaches, can cause reactions, but they are less common causes.

Clothes that you have to wear for work or school may be the cause of reactions. This can be a difficult area to sort out and find alternatives . Leather, suede and fur clothing can be high-risk choices. Tanning agents and dyes used on leather and suede can upset the chemically sensitive, unless the clothes are quite old or well-worn clothing can upset people who are sensitive to animal hair.

Fastenings and trimmings are relatively easy to identify as a source of trouble. If you suspect these, see page 350 for how to investigate and avoid trouble. Remember that reactions caused by contact and by inhaling do not necessarily occur at the site of the body where contact takes place. Contact reactions also occur frequently after a delay -sometimes a few days after.

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Avoid using any toiletries, shampoos, soap, bubble bath, cream, ointments, medication, oil or anything else on a baby. Babies can be washed and kept perfectly clean in nothing but water. You rarely need shampoo nor soap until they become rumbustious, mudseeking toddlers – and then only when essential.

Do not use baby wipes. When going out, carry a damp cloth with you in a plastic bag or jar. Those given are entirely suitable for babies and children.

Babies can be sensitive to cosmetics, perfumes, aftershave or toiletries that you or other carers or family use. Stop using things if you think this might be the case. Check what a childminder or relatives who care for the child might be using.

For sun protection, it is best to avoid using anything at all on extremely sensitive baby skin. Cover up with hats, long sleeves and thin leggings or socks in the sun.

If your baby has eczema or extremely sensitive skin, playing in sand or saltwater can be very uncomfortable. Carry a hand water spray bottle with you and spray the skin gently to wash off sand easily from sore skin.

For scratch mitts and flat-seamed clothes suitable for babies with severe eczema.

To treat cradle cap, olive oil is usually well tolerated. Massage it into the scalp; leave for two to three days, rubbing in more oil twice a day; and then shampoo and rinse thoroughly. Repeat after a week’s interval, if required.

For cuts, bruises, sunburn and other mishaps.

Try to avoid exposing a chemically sensitive baby to traffic fumes. When you cross roads with the baby in a buggy, do not allow the baby to sit close to vehicle exhausts inhaling fumes. Cross at lights or pedestrian crossings. Choose a buggy with a higher level seat or use a pram.

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Take scrupulous care when handling and using foods if you are extremely allergic to moulds. Tiny traces of moulds grow invisibly on even slightly adulterated food – on chopped salads, for instance, in fruit juices or on a half-used loaf. They cling also to frozen and defrosted food, and to food that has been kept in a refrigerator for more than a few hours. If you are highly allergic to moulds, only eat food that is very recently cut or prepared. Re-heat chilled or defrosted foods thoroughly to kill moulds. Squeeze your own fruit juices.

Store foods with care. Moulds cling to fresh fruit and vegetables. Ripe fruit is particularly prone to mould growth on its skin and surfaces. Soil moulds cling to root vegetables. Store all fruit and vegetables outside the home if you can; try to avoid using your refrigerator to store them, unless you buy fresh each day. Do not eat very ripe or deteriorating fruit. Avoid fruit with the visible grey mould Botrytis. Wash all fruit and vegetables, or peel before eating to remove moulds.

Moulds adhere particularly to the skin of grapes. Soak grapes overnight in a bowl of water, or for up to a day, to remove moulds before eating. Rinse well before eating.

Moulds grow readily on dried fruit. To avoid these, either wash the fruit carefully before eating, rehydrate and cook well, or avoid altogether.

Keep your refrigerator clear of moulds. Defrost often and wash it down in a solution of sodium bicarbonate or Borax. Dry afterwards. This kills and deters mould growth.

You may have to avoid eating certain foods if you are allergic to moulds. If you are allergic to one specific thing, you are more prone to cross-react to things which are related to it. YOU will not always develop such cross-reactions but you will be susceptible to related allergens, and it is prudent sometimes to take care.

Moulds are related to yeasts, and to mushrooms, which are themselves fungi. If you cross-react, you may have to take care with foods that contain yeast, or moulds, avoiding or rotating them If you have candidiasis, caused by an overgrowth of a fungal organism that can cause thrush, bowel disorders and other symptoms, you can also be allergic to the yeast Candida itself, and have allergic symptoms as well.

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