You have noticed that your baby shows allergic reactions on wool? Every time your baby wears a wool sweater or covers with a wool blanket he gets red welts? You baby might be truly allergic to wool.
Wool is a fiber taken from sheep and it contains the natural oil lanolin. Some people are allergic to this specific oil and that’s what is called wool allergy.
What are the symptoms of a wool allergy?
Redness and swelling on the face and upper extremities.
Nasal congestion.
Itchy skin and rash in areas touched by wool.
Don’t rush to give your baby antihistamine medications before making sure of the allergy. First you have to be confident that what’s your baby is suffering from is really wool allergy and not any other allergy.
In fact, wool allergy is very rare, and what is much more common than wool allergy is wool sensitivity. Some babies with sensitive skin will feel uncomfortable wearing wool, and their skin is often irritated, but they do not have a true allergic reaction. In fact, if your baby is just wool sensitive, his skin will be irritated by any other kind of coarse fiber. Usually kids that suffer from eczema develop wool allergy.
However, if your baby is really wool allergic, some antihistamine medications are effective in treating this problem. Remember that you should see your doctor before administrating for your baby any medications.
Once you make sure that your baby is allergic to wool, avoiding exposure to it is the best way to prevent allergy flare-ups. Let your child wear cotton shirts before putting any wool sweater during winter time. Also remove all wool blankets and carpets from his room and keep his skin moisturized and hydrated.
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