Chapped
lips have many causes and can occur in any season. Seasonal wind and sun
can contribute to the problem as can dryness in the home. If your child
is a "lip licker" then chances are you've dealt with chapped
lips plenty.
To prevent
chapped lips, You can:
Up
the moisture
Keep the air in your home moist with a humidifier, which can be purchased
in any drug or discount store. Make sure you clean the humidifier often
and place it out of the reach of young children.
Stop
the licking
Remind your child regularly not to lick her lips. The constant wetting
and drying that occurs with this causes chapped lips, and fast. So every
time you see your child licking, give them a gentle reminder to stop,
and take that opportunity to apply some lip balm or give your child something
else to do with her mouth.
Cover
that face
In the winter, especially on windy days, make sure your child has a scarf
or hat with a mask. One of the best ways to make sure chapped lips don't
happen due to wind is to keep the wind off lips all together.
Use
lip balm religiously
But, make sure that the lip balm you use doesn't have any flavoring —
this can encourage lip licking that will only make the problem worse.
Use a petroleum or beeswax based product or plain petroleum jelly (which
only costs about $1). If lips are especially chapped, try to find a medicated
balm. In addition, the sun can cause chapped lips and make already chapped
lips worse, so try to find a brand with a sunscreen if your child will
be going outside.
Keep
clean
Make sure that your child washes her face after eating or drinking and
reapply lip balm. It's a good idea to make sure your child care provider
is aware of the issue and has balm on hand as well.