A MUM claims she was forced to rush her 19-month-old son to hospital after swollen welts appeared on his head – just minutes after using Asda baby shampoo.
Natalie Mathias, 23, says she was bathing tot Haisley with the supermarket’s Little Angels shampoo when the “hot to touch” marks started appearing.
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The mum, from Malvern, Worcestershire, said her son started to have a “meltdown” as a result of the pain, and scrambled to rush him to Malvern Community Hospital on February 25.
She said: “It could’ve happened to a newborn. I’m glad we caught it early and took him straight to the hospital.
“We’ve since binned all of the products. We’re not risking anything like that again. We’ll never buy that range again. We haven’t shopped in Asda since that happened.
“If it went in his eyes, it could’ve been a lot worse. It’s frustrating this is supposed to be a baby product and they’re causing [marks] like that.
“It could’ve been much worse for us, we feel lucky.”
Asda have claimed that they have sold over a quarter of a million bottles and haven’t received any similar complaints.
The product had been dermatologically accredited by the Skin Health Alliance, the retailer added.
The mum continued: “He’d had an afternoon bath then 10, 15 minutes later, he came out in [these marks].
“He’s never had any reaction before. We’ve been using those products since he was a newborn.
“We’ve used the shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and lavender mist spray. He’s never had a reaction like this.
“He had [these marks] all over his head and the back of his head was bright red.
“They were raised and swollen. It looked different to an allergic reaction. They were hot to touch.
“He had a meltdown, he was really distressed. I was really concerned as a mum.”
Natalie claimed that she was handed a £5 coupon after raising the incident with staff.
It could’ve been much worse for us, we feel lucky
Natalie Mathias
“We are sorry to hear about Ms Mathias’ experience with this product,” an Asda spokesperson said.
“We have sold over 250,000 bottles of Little Angels shampoo during the last 12 months and have not received any similar complaints during that period.
“This product has been dermatologically accredited by the Skin Health Alliance and the formulation and ingredients have not been changed since 2020.
“Every bottle (almost a million) has met both physical and microbiological specifications.
“If a customer has any concerns about a particular product they should immediately return it to store or contact us directly.”
TO SHAMPOO OR NOT TO SHAMPOO?
Joyce French, hygiene expert at HomeHow, revealed when parents wash their child’s hair, they should steer clear of using normal shampoo.
She said: “You should avoid using normal shampoo as they contain stronger chemicals which can cause scalp irritation.
“Instead, you should use baby or kid-friendly shampoo that will be more delicate on soft hair and sensitive scalps.”
Elsewhere parenting expert and qualified Early Years Practitioner Kirsty Ketley shared her advice on shampooing kids’ hair.
WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD I NEVER USE ON KIDS?
If your child has sensitive skin, you should try to look for a soap-free body wash to avoid any irritation, recommended Joyce.
She said: “You should also avoid any products that contain parabens and sulfates, as these chemicals are too harsh for a child’s skin.
“Steer clear of any fragranced body cleaning products, as this can cause itchiness and make your child more uncomfortable.”
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Cleaning a child’s hair too often can result in a dry scalp or even dermatitis, which can cause the scalp to become sore or swollen, warned Joyce.
WHEN TO WASH YOUR BABY’S HAIR
Parenting expert Kirsty Ketley revealed that there’s no real right or wrong with hair washing.
It is advised that babies perhaps only have their hair washed once a week due to their sensitive skin, but Kirsty suggested there will be times when this is impossible.
She said: “Obviously there will be weeks where your little ones have puked and rolled in it or when weaning, they have got food in their hair, so it is fine to wash as necessary.
“Too much washing can dry the scalp but if it needs washing, it needs washing!
“As children get older, you tend to notice their hair becoming greasy.
“It will be different for each child, so some might need every other day, some may need two-three times a week. Again though, if hair needs washing, it needs washing!”
Kirsty also added that it is not necessary to blow dry kids’ hair – instead just towel drying and leaving it to dry naturally, works best.
Joyce French, hygiene expert at HomeHow, explained that not washing your child’s hair often enough can cause dandruff, hair breakage, and excess oil.
She added: “It may also result in an infection of the hair follicles.”