Bathing and Hygiene

Part of your daily routine will be to keep your baby clean. Many new parents worry about handling a very small baby in the baby bath, but you will soon get used to bathtimes and look forward to it as an opportunity to have fun and play with your baby. Instead of feeling apprehensive, set aside half an hour, have everything you need around you, try to relax, and you will enjoy it.

A young baby doesn't need bathing very often because only her bottom, face and neck, and skin creases get dirty, so you only have to bathe her every two or three days, and even then you can wash only the dirt-prone parts instead of putting her in the bath. This allows you to wash the parts that really need washing with the minimum of distress to her. Be sure the water you use is just warm to the touch. Avoid hot water, which could scald a baby's delicate skin, and cold water, which may give the baby a chill. Do wash your baby's hair fairly often; it gets dirty from sweat and other sources. A small squeeze of baby soap in the bath water will suffice for newborns; you don't want to leave soap residue on the skin.

Babies don't like having their skin exposed to the air, so you should keep your baby undressed for as short a time as possible. Warm a big, fluffy towel on a radiator (not too hot) and have it ready to wrap your baby in as soon as you are finished.

Body Care

Once you have taken care of your baby's diaper area, and made sure that her skin is kept free from any traces of food or dirt that might cause irritation, the rest will take care of itself.

Eyes, nose, and ears - Wash your baby's eyes with a couple of cotton balls and some fresh tepid water. Work from the inner part of the eye to the outer, and use a different cotton ball for each eye to avoid spreading any infection that may be present.

Don't poke around inside your baby's nose and ears; they are self-cleaning, so don't use nose or ear drops, except on your doctor's advice. Just clean ears using moist cotton balls. If you see wax in your baby's ears, don't try to scrape it out; it is a natural secretion of the canal of the outer ear, is antiseptic, and protects the eardrum from dust and grit. Removing it will only cause the ear to produce more. If you are concerned consult your doctor.

Nails - Your newborn baby's nails should be kept short; otherwise, she may scratch her skin. The best time to cut them is after a bath, when they are soft; use a pair of small, blunt-ended scissors. If you are nervous about it, bite the nails off; your mouth is so sensitive that you will not hurt her.

Navel - During the few days after birth, the umbilical stump dries and shrivels, and then drops off. Give your baby sponge baths before the stump has healed. Allow the area to stay open to the air as much as possible to help speed up the shrinking and healing process.

Your toddler will probably regard bathtime primarily as playtime, and you can take advantage of this in teaching him to wash himself by making a game of it. Let him have his own special sponge for bathtime and show him how to wash his face first, then his arms and legs, and so on. He won't be able to do a very good job of it yet, so you'll probably have to go over the same areas yourself with a washcloth. Soap your child's hands and show him how to spread the soap over his body and arms; then make a game of rinsing all the suds off.

Washing Routines

Children are often hungry when they wake up, so it's best to leave washing until after breakfast, when your child will be more willing to stand still to have his face and hands washed, teeth brushed and hair combed. From the age of about 18 months he can start learning to rinse his hands under running water and, later on, he will learn to soap them, though he may make quite a mess with the soap and water.

Cleanliness

The younger you start teaching good hygiene the better. The best way to teach is by example. Wash your hands with your child: get your hands soapy together and wash each other's hands, then inspect each other's hands to see whose are the cleanest. If he finds the washcloth rough, let him use a sponge, which is softer.

Make it clear that hands should always be washed after using the toilet. You should start this at the potty stage and do it with your child every single time. Similarly, make sure your child washes his hands before meals or after handling pets.

Encourage your child to do this for himself. Make sure he can reach the sink and toilet easily by putting a stool in the bathroom for him to use, and make sure that he knows which is the hot tap and which the cold.

Hair Care

Your child will probably have a thick head of hair by now, and this will need regular washing to remove everyday grime. Unfortunately there are few children who enjoy this process. You will make life easier for both of you if you keep your child's hair short. You can also make washing as easy as possible for your child by using the following tips to help to reduce the potential for conflict.

• Use a tear-free baby shampoo and get a special halolike shield that will keep the water and suds away from his eyes.
• If your child really hates hair washing, try allowing him some control over it: choosing whether he holds his head back for washing or forward, for example, or holding a sprayer and wetting his own hair.
• You could also offer incentives to be good, such as the promise of a special game or story once hair washing is successfully completed, or even get in the bath yourself and allow your child to "wash" your hair in return for your doing his.

Tooth Care

You will have been brushing your baby's teeth from the time that they first appeared and you should continue to do so at least twice a day. Always brush his teeth after the evening meal so that food particles are not left in the mouth overnight. As your child gets older, he will probably want to hold the toothbrush and do it himself. While this should be encouraged, he will not be able to clean his own teeth effectively, and you should always follow up his efforts yourself with a thorough brushing.

When brushing your child's teeth, use a small, soft-bristled brush and a toothpaste containing fluoride. Use only a peasized amount of toothpaste, as an excess of fluorine (usually from a range of sources) while your child's teeth are growing can cause fluorosis (discoloration or mottling of the enamel). There are many "fun" flavors of toothpaste available, which may give your child an added incentive to brush his teeth. Sit your child sideways on your knee, holding him securely with one arm, and gently brush the teeth up and down. If he won't keep his head still, try gently resting your free hand on his forehead.

With any luck it will be years before your toddler will need any form of dental treatment. Nonetheless, it is important to get him used to the idea of going to the dentist. Make a point of taking him with you when you go for a checkup. Most dentists are sympathetic to the need to remove any possibility of fear in young patients, and will probably be happy for your child to sit in the "magic" chair and ask him to open his mouth so that his teeth can be checked and counted. At about two years, you can schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist.

Nails

Keep your child's fingernails and toenails cut short; it is more hygienic, and helps keep him from scratching himself or others accidentally. Long toenails may also make his shoes uncomfortable. You will probably still find it easiest to cut his nails when they are soft after a bath, and, as children's nails grow very quickly, it is a good idea to incorporate a nail-cutting session into your bath­time ritual once a week. Use bluntended scissors, specially designed to be safe for young children, or nail clippers. You will find it easier to restrain your wriggling child if you sit him on your lap. Follow the natural line of his fingernails and do not cut too close to the quick. Toenails should be cut straight across.

Bathing and Hygiene at the age of three

By the time a child has reached the age of three years, she will have developed her own views on many aspects of her day-to-day life and will want increasing control over her daily routine. This is often expressed negatively in a reluctance or even refusal to cooperate with mundane tasks such as bath time and hairbrushing, which are often seen as unwelcome interruptions to more exciting forms of play. The best way to avoid arguments is to turn washing and brushing into a game, or to incorporate a fun element into the task. Allowing your child to take increasing responsibility for carrying out a task, supervised if necessary, or giving her some element of choice about the activity - choosing which comb or which shampoo to use, for example, can make it more interesting and encourage cooperation. The following hints will make the daily routine easier and more enjoyable for both of you:

• Try not to rush your child to complete a task she is trying to manage by herself. It leads to tension and may make her less willing to help next time.
• Don't leave bath time until last thing before bedtime, or your child may be too tired to enjoy it.
• Encourage interest in toothbrushing by using disclosing tablets once a week. The need to brush away the color is a great way to ensure that your child cleans her teeth really well.
• Make hair washing fun by letting your child see in a mirror all the silly hairstyles she can create from lathered hair.
• Offer the bribe of the use of some "special" grown-up toiletries such as perfumed soap or bubble bath in return for her coperation at bath time. (I believe in bribes for young children.)

Explaining About Hygiene

By the age of three your child is capable of understanding, reasoning, and comprehending why something is important. If you give her a reason why she shouldn't do something rather than pulling rank, she's likely to desist, and you'll gain her cooperation more readily if you present arguments in favor of certain actions. Explain to your child that if her hands are dirty they are covered in germs that could make her very ill, or that if she has handled the dog she might have germs on her hands that could give her a nasty tummy ache.

Once your child begins to understand the reasons for washing and toothbrushing, you must be consistent. Children are very logical, and if you have persuaded your child that it is essential towash her hands before meals, and brush her teeth afterward, she will probably question you if you overlook it. At the same time you should try not to be excessively fussy about cleanliness.

Conditions Passed Between Children

As soon as your child starts to socialize with other children, she is at risk from a variety of minor disorders that are commonly passed between children. Don't be unduly upset by these; they are not necessarily a result of poor hygiene, and all can easily be treated.

Ringworm A fungal infection affecting the scalp (tinea capitis) or the body (tinea corporis), ringworm appears as small bald areas on the scalp, or round, reddish or gray, scaly patches on the skin. These are usually oval in shape and the edges of the patch remain scaly while the center clears, leaving rings. Consult your child's doctor, as the condition is irritating and contagious.

Nits (head lice) Head lice are passed easily from child to child. The insects are hard to see. Most people first notice the pale, oval eggs (nits) attached to the hair; nits become more apparent as the hair grows. The scalp may be very itchy. Wash the child's hair with a doctor-recommended insecticidal shampoo, cover with a special conditioner available at a pharmacy, and comb with a nit comb. Repeat every two or three days for at least two weeks or until clear.

Pinworms and roundworms Pinworms are the most common form of intestinal worm. They live in the bowel and lay eggs around the anus, causing tickling or itching in the anal region, often at night; this may cause the child to scratch. Roundworms are rare in the U.S. Your child's doctor can prescribe a drug to treat either type.