One of the key things parents or others tend to think about when considering buying kids bedding or baby bedding is the way it looks and whether or not the size is correct for their bed. These are, of course, very important considerations, because if the bedding won’t fit the bed you bought it for, it obviously won’t be of much use. On the same note, if the child hates the cartoon character or colors of their blanket or sheets, they are much less likely to be willing to sleep with them. What many parents don’t consider when purchasing kids bedding or baby bedding for a child are allergies that the child may have.
One thing most people may not even think about is the allergy to latex. While most of the time, there is no latex added into the fibers that are in almost all sheets, blankets, or pillows, it is important to know that many times elastic or elastic threads are often used, and can cause problems for those with a latex allergy. While it isn’t very common that a pillow or blanket would have any elastic for any reason, do not forget that fitted sheets do use them around the corners to hold them tight to the mattress. Most of the time, there still wouldn’t be any need for concern about this, because the elastic will be under the mattress, but this is one reason it is very important to buy sheets for the correct size mattress. It may be tempting to use a bigger sheet when necessary, or even try to stretch a smaller sheet to fit, but both of these could easily come undone after any tossing and turning, and could cause the elastic to end up on the bed, and up against the child.
Lycra is also made up partially of latex, so it is not a material that should be used by a person with a latex allergy. Usually there is no lycra in bedding products, but it is always best to find this out before purchasing. If you know that it is 100 percent cotton, though, it should be of no concern. Most manufacturers of lycra are moving away from latex because of new technology, but until they quit using it completely, it is good to be safe.
Another allergy concern in kids bedding for children is how the bedding affects allergies to dust mites and asthma. Dust mites are the microscopic creatures that often live in pillows and mattresses, and their covers. In fact, bedding is known as a sort of haven for them, and it is the place they are most commonly found because they feed off of hair particles and shedding skin. Some baby bedding is designed to reduce the exposure to dust mites and other allergens. Many times these are recommended by allergists to prevent the person from inhaling dust that carries dust mite droppings, because doing so can cause allergies and worsen asthma. There are dust-mite-proof covers that are recommended for sufferers of these types of allergies. While many studies have shown that people who used these covers actually suffered the same from these conditions as those who did not, it is likely that those were situations where the person was using that as the only method of prevention. When used in conjunction with other ways, it is very possible that they will help, and will definitely do no harm.
While studies have shown that using allergy-proof bedding alone doesn’t decrease a person’s allergies, the bedding itself actually has been proven to reduce a person’s exposure to dust mites, which leads to the conclusion that they should be used, but they should be used in conjunction with other preventative measures.