Handsoap allergy and school

[mikala]

Anyone have experience with a handsoap allergy/sensitivity? DS gets severe excema from something in the school soap. With help from a dermatologist we finally have his skin healed back to normal over summer but now I'm thinking logistics and am curious how others have handled this.

The elementary school is fine with me sending in our own soap for him to use there but the kids use bathrooms around the building throughout the day.

Do you send in bars or bottles of soap for every restroom? Do you carry your own soap in general for other public outings? Tips or tricks? This seems like it should be simple but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it and want to keep it easy for everyone and not make him feel singled out.

[mom2binsd]

Can you put hand sanitizer on is backpack? Or loop it somewhere? Our schools use a lot of hand sanitizer.

[PZMommy]

I wouldn't want to leave the soap in the bathrooms at school because other students will use it, and the bottle will be gone in a day. I'd have him leave it in his cubby and just carry it to the bathroom when needed.

[candaceb]

I am allergic to a chemical called methylisothiazolinone. I think my years of eczema can mostly be attributed to this chemical. It is found in almost all liquid soaps and a million other things - even the "natural" brands like Seventh Generation and Method.
I will never use soap in a public restroom. I usually rinse my hands with water and then use hand sanitizer that I carry around in a travel-size dispenser. Maybe your DS could put hand sanitizer in his pocket? Or just keep it in his backpack and use it when he returns to the regular classroom?

[gatorsmom]

De has psoriasis that was really exacerbated this last winter from the school handsoap. Her dermatologist recommended washing her hands with only water when she needed to remove stuff (like food after lunch or glue in class) but killing germs with hand sanitizer and not using the soap. That helped tremendously in keeping her psoriasis under control.

[mikala]

Hm, interesting suggestion about hand sanitizer. I've actually avoided sanitizer for awhile because the alcohol stung his cracked skin but I'm wondering if it would be better now.

I just talked to him more about when they wash at school and it sounds like they also have the kids use some sort of wipes after lunch to remove traces of food allergens. Now I'm wondering which substance at school is causing the issue. For those who have similar sensitivity, how did you identify the culprit? Did you do any sort of testing or just trial and error?

[AnnieW625]

I sent hand soap (soft soap) for a while with DD1, but she eventually just started using water. She can't use hand sanitizer either because it stings like crazy for her. There are baby wipes in her classroom as well and those don't irritate her.


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[abh5e8]

I would probably send soap, wipes and hand sanitizer that I know are safe, for his cubby and instruct him to use just water in situations he cannot take his own soap with him.

How does he dry his hands? My eczema on my hands is really exacerbated by heat, so I also avoid hot water or a hot air hand dryer. I had to ditch my space heater in my office too.

[mikala]

I would probably send soap, wipes and hand sanitizer that I know are safe, for his cubby and instruct him to use just water in situations he cannot take his own soap with him.

How does he dry his hands? My eczema on my hands is really exacerbated by heat, so I also avoid hot water or a hot air hand dryer. I had to ditch my space heater in my office too.Unfortunately I don't really know what kind of wipes and sanitizer are ok at this point since I've avoided using both on him for awhile now. Cetaphil and diluted castille soap are both fine so that's what we use. I should probably experiment with other products in the next couple days. Kicking myself for not thinking through the logistics of this sooner.

I think he uses coldish water and paper towels to dry but I'll ask him in the morning. I've been trying to emphasize gently rinsing well to remove any soap residue but that's much easier said than practiced for a 1st grader with attention challenges.

[essnce629]

I'd fill a travel size squeeze bottle of safe hand soap and just have him take it to the bathroom with him each time. Refill it each week at home.

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[AnnieW625]

Op don't feel bad. I had no idea DD1 had eczema until this happened in kindergarten. DD1 had only had only ever had a reaction to Pampers Cruisers diapers (this was in 2007 so pre dry max controversy) and had horrible diaper rash that went away once I switched diapers. You just never know how kids are going to react.

The travel size container of soap ended up being a pain because she didn't want to take it into the bathroom with her. We did initially try the Clean Well hand sanitizer, but she said that stung as well.


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[candaceb]

For those who have similar sensitivity, how did you identify the culprit? Did you do any sort of testing or just trial and error?

I had chemical skin patch testing done after over a year of derm visits with no relief. It was huggies natural wipes that I was using on my son that were the main culprit. apparently I was not the only one with this problem because they removed the chemical and now label them "MI free".

[calebsmama03]

My son had a severe reaction to the hand soap at school when he was little. We sent a bottle of diluted Dr Bronners (in a foamer pump) with his name on it and he kept it at the classroom sink. He washed his hands there instead of in the bathroom sink. If your classrooms have sinks in them that would be my suggestion.

[calebsmama03]

I had chemical skin patch testing done after over a year of derm visits with no relief. It was huggies natural wipes that I was using on my son that were the main culprit. apparently I was not the only one with this problem because they removed the chemical and now label them "MI free".

Ooh, I wonder if that was the issue for DS, too?! He also reacted to baby wipes as a NB so I either made his wipes with paper towels or just used wet washcloths when we switched to cloth diapers.

[solsister]

We had the same issue with my daughter. Water is just fine. We do have her hand sanitize, but rarely, usually, during flu season, when she was in elementary. She's starting high school tomorrow!
She's one of the healthiest kids we know.

[MSWR0319]

I had chemical skin patch testing done after over a year of derm visits with no relief. It was huggies natural wipes that I was using on my son that were the main culprit. apparently I was not the only one with this problem because they removed the chemical and now label them "MI free".

I had horrible problems on my hands until I figured out it was the huggies natural wipes. I haven't had one single problem since. Do you know what the name of the chemical was? I'd like to avoid it if possible.

[hbridge]

Could you fill the little bottles that clip to backpacks, ect. with his soap? He could attach it to his backpack, beltloop, keep it in his cubby, pencil box, ect. Or even have him carry a little pouch with a small bottle in it? We have some diabetic children who always have a "fanny pack" with them.... I'm sure you could find a cool pouch, drawstring bag, ect that he could carry so he has what he needs.

Also, you may want to discuss a 504plan with the school so that he has "permission" to have what he needs with him.

[Dayzy]

Is there a liquid soap that he is able to use? If so, these mylar heat-seal bags are available on amazon and you can squirt a little bit in each, seal it shut and he can stick a few in his pocket each day, readily available for when he needs to use the restroom. These are the ones I use, but there are smaller available.
Mylar Bags (https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Perfect-Giveaway-Inspired-Perfectly/dp/B01LGNC2ZU/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1504027426&sr=8-7&keywords=mylar+bags)

[candaceb]

I had horrible problems on my hands until I figured out it was the huggies natural wipes. I haven't had one single problem since. Do you know what the name of the chemical was? I'd like to avoid it if possible.

It's methylisothiazolinone. There are a couple of other variations (like benzoisothiazolinone). There are usually at the very end of the ingredient list and can be found in any liquid product (and occasionally a powder). It is very common - at last count, my whole foods sells 11 kinds of dish soap and only 2 of them don't have it. It can be in both household products and personal hygiene products like shampoo.

[dmusca]

My kids have this problem as well. Their hands crack and bleed from the chemicals in the school soap. At home we only use Method brand or Castille soap to wash our hands. I send my kids to school with a little bottle they take with them to the bathroom. Its just Dr. Bonner's castille soap. Its an incredibly gentle soap with no chemicals or alcohol. I had a doctor tell me years ago when the hand sanitzer craze had taken over that I should only use it when Im really in a bind. Soap is always better for you than the stuff they put in hand sanitizer. The alcohol will definitely dry out his hands. Just make sure to find the right bottle with a small hole if you use castille soap. Its very thin and the first time my 5 year old took her bottle it was gone in a week bc the hole was too large and she didn't know how to portion it out. I haven't tried this yet but Im thinking of putting it in a spray bottle. I don't think it will clog up the pump.

[KpbS]

I would continue to avoid hand sanitizer on sensitive hands. It is really drying for folks even with "normal" skin!

We use Dove Sensitive (unscented) soap as hand soap here. It is very mild. Not sure if he can tolerate it, but I would buy an inexpensive, small soap dish (box) that has an attached lid and send a small amount (half or a third) of a bar of soap for him to use when he needs to. He can keep it in his backpack or at the sink if there is one in the classroom.

[mikala]

Thank you for all of the responses! I really appreciate it. I talked to the teacher more at supply drop off and for now we're going to start with pump bottles in the two classrooms he's in most often and he can wash there or carry to the bathroom we needed. I also talked to him about using just water when he's washing after art. It sounds like they are also changing the wipes after lunch policy and planning to use sanitizer less so hopefully that won't be a problem after all.

I started with Cetaphil and will probably replace with a foam pump with diluted Dr Bronners or a Dove sensitive bar when the $$ Cetaphil is used up. I honestly don't care if the teacher or other kids use it some too as long as they let me know when we need refills.

I'm sure we'll have to adjust as the year goes on if we get irritation again but I think we have a decent start.