Now, I forgot to ask about
>laundry stuff, good point. I should also ask if baby's laundry is done
>with family laundry (otherwise, he should be breaking out all over, eh?)


Not necessarily.  When Alison was 1 1/2 she developed a rash from her neck
to her diaper area, front only.  We explored for quite a while and
discovered it to be a new detergent a sample of which had been hung on the
door knob.  I wasn't washing her things in it but the residue was in the
washer. I washed all of our things in a milder detergent for a while.

I rinsed everything with vinegar and the rash went away.  I decided that it
was on the front of her body because she was "into" washing dishes at that
time--you know, on a stool, up at the sink with lots of water and
unbreakable dishes. Her front was wet a lot and that wet area was sensitive.

I have seen babies who had rashes on just their faces from contact with
sheets or clothing that had been washed in strong detergents, but the rest
of their bodies were clear.  One area can be more sensitive than another.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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