What Every Expectant Parent Needs To Know About The Ph Of Their Home Water Supply

Posted on: 2 December 2015

If you are expecting a baby soon, you are probably getting your home ready for your bundle of joy. But don't stop at getting the nursery together and baby-proofing your home. There is another important thing that needs to be considered: the pH level of your home's water supply. Here's why it's important and what you need to know to protect your baby's skin and how it can lower their chance of developing asthma.

pH Levels & the Acid Mantle 

On a scale of 0 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline), pure water has a pH level of 7. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends public water systems to have a pH level between 6.5 and 8.5. Water that has a high mineral content is more alkaline. This is called hard water, and it can be harsh to your baby's skin. Contact your county health department to have your water tested to see what the pH level is. Or you can get pH test strips at your local aquarium supplier and test the water yourself. 

Babies' skin has a pH level of 5.5 and does not have the protective barrier of the acid mantle that adolescents and adults do. The acid mantle is a film on your skin that is secreted from the sebaceous glands. It is slightly acidic and helps to prevent contaminants, irritants and bacteria from entering the skin. Since babies don't have this protection, water with high pH levels can be harsh on their tender skin and make it dry, which can lead to infantile eczema. 

Infantile Eczema & Atopic March 

Infantile eczema is an itchy rash that occurs in babies with dry skin who have been exposed to an allergen. When the skin gets damaged by the rash, a substance is secreted into the blood. This substance has been found to trigger asthma later in life. In fact, 50-70% of children with severe infantile eczema develop asthma when they get older. Compare this startling statistic with the rate of asthma in the general population of children at only 9%, and now you can see the importance of protecting your baby's tender, delicate skin when they do not have an acid mantle. 

Water Softeners 

Soften your home's hard water by installing a whole-house water softener. This device will get installed where your main water supply enters your home, which is usually in the basement or crawl space. By normalizing your water's pH level, you will be protecting your baby's skin and reducing his or her risks of developing asthma. 

For more information, visit http://johnsonwater.com/ or a similar website.

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