Hand Sanitizer

I would not use hand sanitizer on a child that young. Like you said, at that age, they have their hands in their mouths all the time. Those hand sanitizers have a high % of alcohol in them and can be lethal if they swallow enough, especially a small baby.

There was a case a while back where a child had gotten alcohol poisoning from hand sanitizer. It's worth doing some research online about.

Hi E....

The answer to your question is ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

Hand sanitizer can cause alcohol poisoning if ingested. Please see the link below:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp

Please don't use this stuff. Stick with wipes or good old hand-washing. Good luck!!!

C.

The other posts about drying out the skin and killing the good bacteria that keep skin healthy are right on. I wanted to share with everyone that one time my daughter decided to put hand sanitizer all over her body multiple times in one day while at a friends house. She developed awful patches of dry skin all over her body. Even special lotions weren't helping. Finally I decided to put plain yogurt all over her body to help her skin to restore its original 'germ' make-up. It rubs in just like lotion and it worked like a charm. (I tried this because when I was in Croatia I was told to put yogurt on her sunburn-it worked great for that too. I must have 'live and active' cultures.) I do not recommend using anything "antibacterial" on your hands or body. I second the other posts that say regular soap and water are wonderful. Good luck!
-L.

I've used hand sanitizer on both of my kids, just make sure its rubbed in real good and his hands are completely dry after use.

E., these have alcohol in them and so it would be my opinion that you should not put hand sanitizers on your baby. I read a media article several months ago about an elementary school student who became sick after using a hand sanitizer and then putting her hands in her mouth.

NO to the hand sanitizer for the alcohol reason. BRU makes "Especially for Kids" hand wipes that are safe and you can also buy the green Wet Wipes that are safe for babies. I use both on my toddler and have for a long time.

Nothing will ever top good old fashioned hand-washing. I sit my twins at the kitchen sink facing away from the sink and towards me. Then I have them reach back with the left and wash, then reach back with the right and wash. Now they are in the habit and ask for their hands to be washed.

We use baby wipes in a pinch to wipe off surfaces and hands when a sink is not available.

With an 11 month old I dont think you should worry about hand sanitizer. But when I potty trained my daughter when she was two I would definately use hand sanitizer when we went into public bathrooms and wherever, I keep it on my purse at all times. I would be afraid of a one year old sticking it in her mouth. Maybe wait until shes a little older? Baby wipes are good, and I think they have wet ones with antibacterial, its not as concentrated as the actual sanitizer.

i wouldn't recommend it...

Yes you can, but be careful. Especially if your baby puts his hands in his mouth a lot. Hand sanitizer contains alcohol, and young children have gotten alcohol poisoning from hand sanitizer. Make sure you use very little and that it is completely dried before you let him put his hands in his mouth. Alcohol is also absorbed through the skin, so don't use it in excess.

I would just use soap and water. It may take a little more effort, but worth it!

The reason we are getting sicker now a days is because we use to much hand sanitizer. You son needs some germs to be able to fight off the other germs. We have horrible immune systems becuase of sanitizers. Hold off until he is older and only when you really need it, like when you are about to eat and can't wash. Good luck and God Bless.

I know that once my son started walking and I would take him into public restrooms with me I used hand sanitizer on his hands and when he went to one of his Dr. check ups he was pulling stuff out of the diaper bag and one of the things that he got out was the sanitizer. He acted like he put it on and the Dr. made the comment that he knows how to use it and that is good. His Dr. said that it was good practice to use when in public places to help cut down on chances of getting something like a cold or the flu. I would use it in small amounts and make sure that you help him rub his hands together as well as to make sure that they are dry. I know a friend of mines daughter played with a small bottle of hand sanitizer a few years back and she had the symptoms of being drunk because she was drinking it, she only had a small amout like 2 oz. (This is a child who never put anything but her hands in her mouth so my friend was very suprised that she did this when she was 2 or 3). So yes the warning of alchol poisoning sp? is very true.
L.

I either used the regular baby wipes and always carried the anti-bacterial wet wipe packages in my purse (you can generally get them in the check out counters at Target, Kmart or Walmart). You can also buy the anti-bacterical wet wipes in individual travel packets (just like you used to get for your fingers at KFC) in the travel aisle. Of course, I'm sure soap and water are best but none of my counters were ever big enough to set baby on to do that. You can always just use a washcloth too.

No, no, no! It is not for children, especially babies. There are some crazy emails going around that I am sure are exaggerated, but it is true that you should not use it on children that will put their hands in their mouths.

Please don't use it on your baby! It will poison him with alcohol!

E., hand sanitizer has alcohol in it ( that is why it evaporates) I know it stings if you get it in your eyes, babys skin is more delicate than ours, hand sanitizer is very drying and I would guess alcohol is not something they should put in their mouths and at that age everything goes in the mouth. I would say a baby wipe would be a little safer, but a wet wash cloth with water is even better.
Good luck
B.