Should improving the air quality in your child’s room be a priority?

While a lot of thought went into planning and decorating your baby’s nursery or toddler’s room, renovations can introduce many pollutants into the air. Materials such as paint, new carpeting, flooring, wallcovering, wood products, glues, varnishes, curtaining, and soft furnishings are all culprits when it comes to omitting VOCs, which may have serious short- and long-term health consequences for your little one. 

Bianca Leonard, Marketing Manager for Solenco SA, a trusted leader in air treatment and lifestyle products says, “As parents, nothing is more important than the health of your child, especially in its developmental years. Often, air quality is something that is overlooked, both outdoors and indoors, but which, in this day and age, deserves a lot more attention.”

We’ve heard the words purifiers, humidifiers and dehumidifiers thrown around, but the questions that spring to mind are, “What is the difference between these devices and how do they improve the air quality in my space?”.

Leonard explains that air purifiers come with different types of filters that eliminate microbes that cause allergies, asthma, and other respiratory complications and which also eliminate odours and airborne chemicals.

A dehumidifier on the other hand focuses on removing moisture from the air, like a clever vacuum cleaner. It sucks in the air, removes all the moisture, and then breathes dry air out again - where a humidifier adds moisture to the dry air. Both with benefits in different practical applications.

Below Leonard outlines some of the applications of these products and how the air quality could impact your child’s living environment.

1. 1. Help your baby sleep better

We know that newborns are susceptible to mucus build-up, which often leads to a restless night with not much sleep. Humidifiers provide direct protection against dry air, to create optimal breathing conditions that will loosen the build-up of mucus and allow babies to sleep more comfortably. “While keeping the sniffles at bay and helping baby breathe easier, your child will experience improved sleep as humidifiers such as the Meaco and Stylies ranges from Solenco are not only powerful, efficient and energy-saving, but super-quiet as well,“ advises Leonard.  

2. Your baby’s health

In recent weeks the Gauteng Weather Service has reported various alerts about unhealthy air quality and there have also been reports in the media of concerns that highly toxic persistent organic pollutants, that are known to cause cancer, have been unleashed in the KZN area due to a warehouse being burnt during the unrest.  Elevated pollution levels cause symptoms in sensitive groups like infants and asthmatics such as: High sinus risk; allergy risk; and respiratory risk. An air purifier with the ability to eliminate harmful microbes through a HEPA filter can put your mind at ease. However, Leonard cautions that there are different grades of HEPA filters so when looking to buy an air purifier be sure to check the grade of the filter. As an example, the Solenco air purifiers have the H13 Medical Grade HEPA filter which is of better quality than your standard HEPA filters.

No matter which part of the country you live in, air pollution is a general challenge, and the burning of harmful gasses takes place everywhere. 

Due to the growing concern around air quality, Solenco has introduced a live Air Quality Index on their website, where you can immediately assess how safe your air is in your area (provided you grant access to your location). “We hope this new feature will create greater awareness of our surroundings and how they may be impacting us as individuals and our families,” says Leonard.

3. Decorating/redecorating

Be sure to choose a non-toxic paint that won’t flake or give off harmful fumes when decorating your baby nursery or toddler room. When choosing a safe paint for the nursery, ask for a water-based product. It should contain zero volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These paints were designed specifically for those with allergies, asthma, and chemical sensitivities. 

4. Mould…everywhere! 

Mould is one of those annoying things that seem to appear... out of nowhere. It leaves horrible marks on clothing and surfaces, and smells bad too! Mould on your baby’s clothes may cause skin irritation and rashes. "I’ve had great success with Solenco’s Mini Cupboard Dehumidifier. Its removes moisture/humidity, mould, mildew, and bad odour from cupboards, wardrobes, cars, and other confined spaces. It is perfect for spaces where a portable dehumidifier is not practical," says Leonard.

5. Help your baby breathe easier

Whether your baby or toddler is showing signs of allergies or asthma, or you simply want to be proactive, using a high-efficiency air purifier in their room is an essential preventative practice. Some parents worry that if their baby's rooms are too clean, the babies will not develop natural immunities required for general health. When it comes to airborne particles, the argument does not quite hold up. Inhaling dust, pollens, and mould spores are not only bad for adults with healthy systems, but especially for babies with developing systems. 

“The unfortunate reality is that we live in a chemical heavy, pollution ridden environment with significant climate change challenges, and that means we can't just purely rely on regular home cleaning anymore, especially with our little ones in the equation,” concludes Leonard. 

For more information on the range of Solenco products and their benefits visit www.solencosa.co.za

or email info@solencosa.co.za.