Life
With all of the joys of the holiday season come a handful of woes. Runny noses, the common cold, and of course, chapped lips. You might be wondering, can toddlers get chapped lips?
Just like any adult, toddlers can definitely get chapped lips. With the whipping wind, the chilly temperatures, and the tendency to lick those little lips, chapped lips are something you're going to become very well acquainted with this winter. But unlike you, who can feel those chapped lips coming on, your toddler might need a little help preventing and treating their own chapped lips throughout the season.
Because your toddler might not know why their lips are hurting or how important it is to keep them protected, it's up to you to not only educate them on how to prevent them from popping up, but help them along until they get the hang of it. If one thing's for sure, it's that nobody's safe from the horrors of chapped lips in the winter months. Especially not a helpless child. So instead of letting your little one get to the point of no return, take into consideration these tips for preventing chapped lips, so you can stop the suffering before it even begins.
1
Keep Them Hydrated
According to Livestrong, dehydration might be the source of your toddler's chapped lips. Just the way your lips become dehydrated and more prone to cracking when you're not hydrated enough, the same goes for your toddler. Make sure you're keeping your kids plenty hydrated this winter to give them the best odds at beating chapped lips.
2
Pay Attention To The Sun
Though sun isn't always the first thing you think of when protecting your kids against the winter elements, it's definitely one you need to keep in mind. According to Seattle Children's Hospital, excessive exposure to the sun can mean chapped lips for your kids. To best avoid that, make sure you're providing your child with an SPF-infused chapstick to not only moisturize their lips, but prevent any damage the sun might be doing.
3
Apply Chapstick Before You Head To Bed
Though it's common not to treat chapped lips until they arrive, the key to keeping your kid's kisser kissable is prevention. Though daytime application is good, dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu told Today that applying chapstick before bed will help your lips in the long run. Wu added that that you can also use coconut oil and sweet almond oil to keep lips moisturized before bed.
4
Run A Humidifier
To ensure that the climate inside your house isn't what's chapping your little one's lips, Healthline recommended running a humidifier to help prevent chapped lips and keep things humid indoors.
5
Urge Your Child Not To Lick Their Lips
If you've got yourself a lip licker, there's a good chance you're going to be battling chapped lips for many, many moons. Whether they're licking just to lick or licking the balm off their lips, urging them not to lick their lips is an important part of getting their lips to heal, according to Livestrong. If they're licking off the balm, it won't do it's job properly.
6
Cover Their Mouths With A Scarf
Wrapping your child up and covering their mouth with a scarf will help guard them against the cold, wind, sun, and will help prevent chapped lips, according to WebMD. Limiting your child's lips exposure to the elements will keep their lips luscious, and less apt to painful cracks and chapping.
7
Head To The Doctor
When all else fails, you may need to head to the doctor for some medicated balm for your toddler. If you're taking all the preventative steps and your child is still suffering from chapped lips, it's time to take it to a professional, according to Healthline. It could be dehydration or chronic chapped lips. Either way, you'll need a little something more than hydration and chapstick to get your child through, and the best person to figure out exactly what that is, is your health provider.
