Randomised Controlled Feasibility Trial of an Intervention to Reduce Infant Bathing.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pediatrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Frequent infant bathing alters skin physiology and may increase eczema risk.
• Infant eczema is a common condition with significant impact on families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) for reducing infant bathing frequency and intensity.
• To evaluate the acceptability and adherence to a reduced bathing intervention for eczema prevention.

Main Methods:

• A 1:1 RCT involving 105 pregnant women with a family history of atopy.
• Intervention group: reduced bathing frequency (≤ once/week) and intensity for the first six months.
• Control group: received routine postnatal infant care advice.

Main Results:

• 44% of eligible families were randomized; adherence to the intervention was high (79.6%).
• The intervention was acceptable to 95% of participants.
• Eczema occurred less frequently in the intervention group (visible eczema 15.8% vs 29.2%).

Conclusions:

• Reduced frequency and intensity infant bathing is a feasible intervention for eczema prevention.
• The intervention is acceptable to families and shows a trend towards reduced eczema incidence.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm efficacy.