Toddler reaction to fabric softener? (Photo attached)

[InsaneDame]

Started using new fabric softener a few days ago and this morning found this rash on 2yo DS. It went after about 30mins but throughout the day he has been having patches come and go - mainly on arms and legs, a few on his face and one patch on chest. He doesn't seem to find them itchy, they just feel very hot. They come up quickly then go within 30 minutes. Could it be a reaction to the softener? I've washed his bedding and clothes in the old stuff now, just in case.

It's not unusual for kids to be allergic to fabric softener.

It could be a response to fabric softener (my skin is pretty sensitive, and tends to go red and blotchy if I use certain fabric softeners/washing powders).

But I've never had the raised white rash that your DS has, if anything it looks to me more like heat rash.

I guess the old gold standard of 'keep it clean and cool and see a doc if it doesn't clear up in a couple of days and/or he shows illness symptoms' applies ;)

Is it a sensitive skin conditioner?

Sudocrem will help it.

He is absolutely fine otherwise, the rashes don't even seem to bother him unless it comes up on his face. He has had heat rash before but looked very different and didn't come and go in different places as quickly as this does.

It says 'kind to skin' but not one specifically marketed for sensitive skin. I normally use comfort pure, which has been fine. This one was comfort with jojoba oil (on offer and love the smell!)

My youngest reacts to soaps, fabric conditioners, etc. We found that Comfort Pure was the only one she doesn't react to. Also, we stick with Sainsbury's non-bio tablets.

Fairy, Ecover, Persil all gave her a reaction and any perfumed fabric conditioners. My sister gave her some item of clothing of hers and it took a few washes before DD could wear it.

Worst times are when she reacts to the sheets when we are away. She really, really suffered on her Y4 residential. As did the poor teacher who stayed with her until she finally fell asleep because the sneezing and scratching kept waking her as she was drifting off!

My DS (3) has just had the same thing and looks exactly as you describe. I also recently bought some new fabric softener I'd never bought before. It's from Aldi. Will re-wash his clothes and see how he gets on. Hope your DS is ok

Went to the drs in the end who said it was an allergic reaction, probably to the softener as that is the only 'new' thing. She prescribed some antihistamine, which helped a lot. He hasn't had any new patches today - I re-washed all his clothes and bedding but have left our other sons and our stuff for now.

I need more help! So I've washed all his things so thought we would be OK but he had a massive patch of the rash come up on his arm after breakfast. I'm pretty sure he hasn't come into contact with anything that might have the softener on. Any ideas? Could it still be an ongoing reaction?

Think I'd look for other causes. Anything where he sits, a throw on the sofa, a toy bear that has been through the wash, a coat he has worn, towel after bath?

Changed his towel and ruled out all the other things you mentioned. My mum gave him a teddy bear a couple of days ago which he has slept with the last two nights. She made it herself and is knitted so woolly, could he be reacting to that? I will have a huge fight on my hands if I stopped letting him have it, he has grown very attached very quickly.

If it hasn't been I'd wash the bear ...if nec you can probably un-stuff it to do it - the wool might have been treated with something - dye etc that might be causing it.
(I've had a nasty reaction to something that started out as small itchy patches - no anti histamines - I came up in hives all over that ran into each other into raised weals - eg my knees were twice their normal size - had to have steriods. I never found out what caused it but I had a similar reaction but not as bad a number of years later when I wore some new PJs for one night and didn't wash them first - I now wash all new clothing before wearing for me and the DCs.)
Or it could be an allergy to lanolin - in which case I think the bear will have to go

The other thing to check is for Methylisothiazolinone in fabric conditioner and shampoos etc en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylisothiazolinone
I react to it -and eg it is in Tescos baby shampoo but not Johnsons. And just because you have always used something don't assume it is 'safe' as manufacturers change their formulations and don't always say (Nivea face cream did this!) - although if it is several products you use on your DS you can probably rule it out.

Lots of babies are allergic to wool (lanolin). You might have found the culprit.

Also shampoos and washing creams with parabens and sulphites in can cause problems. The so called baby brands are full of nastiness.

This started the day before he was given the bear though. It was definitely the fabric softener to begin with, maybe he is just hyper sensitive now. I just realised that he was bare foot in his slippers this morning and the last time he wore them was with socks on that I had washed with the softener. Could they have left a residue inside?

So I've just washed his hands with a hand wash we have had for a couple of weeks..... 10 minutes later he has patches coming up all over him. I think I may have found another culprit!