ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida family says their daughter broke out in a rash after using a popular children's bath bomb.
Now, a Florida allergy doctor is issuing a warning about some of the potentially irritating ingredients in the Hatchimal Bath Bombs.
The Hatchimal Bath Bombs, modeled after the popular children's Hatchimal toy, dissolve in water, turning the bath bright colors as well as revealing a charm inside.
Jolene Loper and her family were visiting family over the holidays in St. Petersburg, Florida. Loper's five-year-old daughter, Stella, had been asking for a Hatchimal Bath Bomb for Christmas.
When she got one, her and her other siblings went into the bath with the bath bombs. That's when Loper said the problems started.
"She started screaming," Loper said. "As soon as she started screaming and crying, we ripped her out of the tub."
While her other kids in the bathtub were fine being exposed to the bath bomb, Loper said Stella developed red bumps and rashes all over her stomach and bottom. All of this happened in less than three minutes in the bath, Loper said.
"She wasn't in there very long at all," Loper said. "Her hair didn't even get wet."
This comes after a post from Facebook user Jennifer Renee went viral, saying after 30-45 seconds in the bath tub, her daughter's skin began hurting, eventually resulting in a chemical burn.
Dr. Roberto Garcia-Ibáñez, a local allergist with The Allergi Group, says parents who have kids with sensitive skin need to be extremely careful when using products like the Hatchimal Bath Bombs.
"I think that if a child is affected with a skin condition, such as atopic dermatitis or eczema, these baths are not a good idea at all," Garcia-Ibáñez said.
Garcia-Ibáñez said there are several ingredients within the bath bombs that can be irritating to sensitive skin, including fragrances and dyes. However, he said most kids who don't have sensitive skin will be fine using them.
If your child has an allergic reaction to a bath bomb, Garcia-Ibáñez said rinse them off immediately. He also said they can have Ibuprofen, acetaminophen for the pain and diphenhydramine, an antihistamine like Benadryl, to help with symptoms like a rash or itching.
Loper said she wants to share her story to warn other parents
"I think other parents need to know that this can happen," she said. "Especially if you have a child that has potentially sensitive skin. Don't let them use the Hatchimal bath bomb."
Scripps sister station WFTS-TV has reached out to Spin Master, the company that produces Hatchimal products, for a response and has not heard back yet.
