Parents: Issues You May Face When Your Child Has Eczema [ March 3rd, 2010 ] Posted in » Uncategorized

Eczema Free Forever

If your child was recently diagnosed with eczema, also commonly known as atopic dermatitis, you have a long road ahead. Although eczema is easily treated at home, there are many hard issues that you, as a parent, will face.

Nighttime Itching

You might assume that nighttime itching is the same as daytime itching for children with eczema, but it can be very different, especially in small children. Although they do not fully understand the complications that can arise from constant scratching, children are aware of their actions during the day. On the other hand, many small children continue to scratch in the middle of the night, without even being aware of their actions. This type of eczema is difficult to treat, as you cannot spend every night grabbing your child’s arm before they itch.

To combat the nighttime itching that is common among children with eczema, look for doable alternatives. If dust is a trigger factor, keep your child’s room clean and dust-free. If sweat is a trigger factor, dress them in light clothes and keep their room a cool temperature. If you don’t know the cause, try to keep areas susceptible to itching, such as the arms and legs, covered.

Pain

An eczema outbreak starts out relatively pain free. It typically begins with a simple itch that can’t stop. Soon, your child may find themselves literally digging at their skin. They mistakenly believe this will make the itch go away, but it doesn’t and it only gets worse. Severe rashes and the open wounds caused by constant scratching can lead to pain and discomfort. No parent wants to see their child in pain. That is why you must stop it at the source. Work with your child and his or her doctor to determine your child’s trigger factors. These are what cause the uncontrollable urge to itch. In the meantime, keep your child’s skin well moisturized.

Concern from Other Parents

Although eczema and atopic dermatitis are common among small children, you are likely to get many stares on the playground. This is most common if your child’s eczema rashes can be seen by other parents. Although you should keep your child’s open wounds covered to prevent infection, don’t just cover them to please others.

“Is eczema contagious?” That is a common question that many parents may ask. Unfortunately, some parents don’t even ask, they may automatically assume it is. You and your child owe no one an explication, as eczema is nothing but an inflammation of the skin. However, you may want to spread the word. As heartbreaking as it is to see other parents and kids point out your child’s eczema rash, it is a normal reaction that most don’t know how to avoid.

These are just a few of the issues you may face as the parent of a child with eczema. Since your child is young and does not fully understand their skin condition, you must work with them to seek relief.

How to Care for Your Skin and Avoid Eczema Outbreaks

Eczema Free Forever

Many eczema patients spend months using trial and error to address their trigger factors. This is a great way to cure eczema, but there are steps you can take to care for your skin in the meantime. For some sufferers, a little skin care goes a long way. How can you get on the path to healthy and eczema-free skin?

Protect Your Body

There are two different ways you can care for your skin and protect your body. First, wear clothes that cover your body. If eczema is confined to your upper-thighs, don’t wear shorts. Opt for cotton pants or capris instead. Although you may still feel the urge to itch, direct contact with the skin is impossible, as the skin is covered. This reduces the risk of open wounds, skin infections, and scars, which are common with severe eczema.

Secondly, you can protect your body by avoiding unnatural products. For many, makeup, perfume, and scented laundry detergent are the cause of eczema outbreaks. Yes, you may have another trigger factor, but start your own trial and error. Eliminate unnatural beauty products from your daily routine and see if you notice a decrease in itching. Not only are you practicing healthy skincare, but you may have also found your trigger factor.

Moisturize, Moisturize, and Moisturize More

Dry skin is one of the leading causes of eczema. Although a leading cause, it is often overlooked. To avoid dry skin and the uncontrollable itching associated with eczema, moisturize your skin throughout the day. Most importantly, apply moisturizer immediately following a bath or shower. This alone will do wonders for your skin. Continue to apply moisturizer throughout the day. If you feel the need to itch or touch your skin, opt for a bottle of lotion or cream instead.

Change Your Diet to Include Skin Healthy Foods

You may be surprised to hear that what you eat impacts your skin’s health. It is true. Unfortunately, changing your diet can be a double edge sword. Some eczema sufferers have outbreaks caused by food. When changing your diet, be on the lookout for additional trigger factors. As for skin healthy foods, fruits protect the skin cells from long-term damage and aid in the fight against premature aging. Fatty acids, such as fish and walnuts, are known to lock moisture in cell membranes, but these same foods are common eczema causes. Although you can take steps to incorporate skin healthy foods into your diet yourself, consider using the services of a registered dietitian.

As you can see, it is relatively easy to improve the health of and care for your skin. You have nothing to lose by implementing these steps. With success, you will find freedom from the uncontrollable itching that has plagued you.

February 24th, 2010 | 16 Comments

Do You Have Eczema? The Symptoms Discussed

Eczema Free Forever

Do you have the uncontrollable urge to itch, which results in a large rash? Rashes are common, but a reoccurring rash may be a sign of eczema. To seek relief and treatment for eczema, you must first know you have it. Do you? Continue reading on for a list of telltale signs you may.

Symptom #1 – The Constant Need to Itch

Eczema is a term that is used to describe inflammation of the skin. The skin is irritated, for various reasons, and the sufferer itches to seek relief. We all feel the need to itch, but the itching associated with eczema is different. It is best described as the reoccurring need to itch that just doesn’t stop. With a “traditional,” itch, we scratch once and are done, but eczema is different. No matter how much you itch, scratch, or rub the area, the need is always present.

Eczema can affect just about any part of the body; however, it usually occurs on the hands, feet, elbows, and legs.

Symptom #2 – Red Patches of Skin

Since eczema leads to scratching, the skin becomes further irritated. This results in a red rash. The rash can be large or small; it all depends on the size of the skin you were itching. Most people stop touching the skin when they develop a small rash, but remember that eczema creates the uncontrollable urge. Some sufferers just can’t stop because they believe it is the only way to seek relief. Unfortunately, this often leads to the next eczema symptom, blister-like sores.

Symptom #3 – Blisters That May Ooze

Those who itch their skin due to eczema, which is an inflammation of the skin, typically experience two end results. One is blister-like sores that may ooze clear or slightly discolored liquid. Overtime, these sores will begin to heal. You may then notice a curst-like surface form.

Symptom #4 – Dry Flaky Skin Patches

Although some eczema sufferers find oozing blisters on their outbreak patches, others experience dry, flaky, and scaly skin. In this case, itching has usually caused damage to the skin and new skin is working to replace the damage. During this time, you may notice patches of skin that look like they may fall off at any moment.

You now know the common signs and symptoms of eczema, but how can you seek relief? Start by keeping your body moisturized to reduce dry skin. Then, focus on your trigger factors. What is giving you the uncontrollable urge to itch? For some, the cause is certain foods, scented bath and body products, stress, the weather, and airborne allergens.

February 10th, 2010 | 9 Comments

Beat Eczema for Good: Is It Possible?

Eczema Free Forever

If you were recently diagnosed as having eczema, you likely have many questions. One of the most common questions asked is about a cure. Many wonder if they can beat eczema and for good. In most cases, yes!

When it comes to determining if you can beat eczema for good, there are a number of factors you must take into consideration. They include:

Your cause. There is no single cause for eczema; it has many different causes and they vary from individual to individual. Some patients get the uncontrollable urge to itch when their body is exposed to hot or cold weather. Other have a reaction to airborne allergens, such as mold, pet dander, and dust. Other common causes are certain foods and close contact to certain chemicals, such as those found in scented lotions and perfume.

The key to stopping eczema at the source is to eliminate your trigger factors, but what if you can’t permanently eliminate them? You will always come into some contact with pets and pet dander, which may cause an eczema outbreak. In this and other similar cases, you can beat eczema, but it may not be for good.

Your stress levels. Stress is often attributed as an eczema cause. Some medical experts believe otherwise. Although some claim stress cannot cause eczema alone, they do agree that it can lead to a flare-up. Those suffer from atopic dermatitis are more susceptible to an outbreak when suffering from stress.

What does this mean? It means you can keep your body well moisturized, you can change your eating habits to eliminate skin irritating foods, and for forth. These will clear up your eczema and possibly stop it for months. However, the moment you have a stressful day at work, you could experience an outbreak.

Beating eczema for good is possible, for some individuals. As an adult suffering from eczema, the risk is always there. You could go years without any complications, only to wakeup one morning and have a flare-up. Aim for beating eczema for good, but also focus on ways to treat and manage atopic dermatitis. Incorporating organic and skin-healthy foods into your diet, as well as constant moisture can provide long-term relief.

February 3rd, 2010 | 7 Comments

Beat Eczema By Avoiding the Main Causes

Eczema Free Forever

Eczema causes the uncontrollable urge to itch. By the time you are done, you may be left with a painful open sore. One of the ways to stop outbreaks is to determine the cause of yours. Get started by familiarizing yourself with the most common causes. Is your listed? If so, you may soon be on the path to relief.

Common Eczema Cause: The Weather

For eczema sufferers, the weather not only determines their activities for the day, but it also determines what their skin will do. The weather can work both ways. Some patients experience complications with cold weather. Sometimes, their body doesn’t have enough time to adjust to the cold weather before strenuous activity and then arrives the urge to itch. On the other hand, hot weather can lead to an eczema outbreak. In this case, it isn’t necessarily the weather, but the sweat caused by warm temperatures.

Common Eczema Cause: Airborne Allergens

When we think of allergies, stuffy noses and sneezing often come to mind. However, those suffering from eczema can have a skin reaction, which leads to itching and then a rash. This results when the airborne allergen makes contact with the skin. A good example is dust. When during or vacuuming a home, tiny particles find their way into the air and on the skin. This causes irritation, which leads to itching.

Common Eczema Cause: Stress

Many medical professionals claim stress isn’t a cause of eczema, but they do agree it can lead to an increase in outbreaks. Who would know that stress impacts our skin? It does. Those who have a history of skin inflammation are encouraged to practice relaxation techniques.

Common Eczema Cause: Certain Chemicals

Right about now, you may be thinking “but I don’t use harmful chemicals.” It isn’t just harmful chemicals that can cause skin irritation. Chemicals found in everyday products, such as laundry detergent, makeup, and perfume can lead to an eczema outbreak. This is due to the extremely close skin contact.

Common Eczema Cause: Food

You have likely heard the phrase “you are what you eat,” and this is true. You may be surprised to hear the foods that we eat can impact our skin. Unfortunately, tasty foods, such as peanuts and seafood, are common trigger factors for those with eczema.

You now know a few of the most common causes of eczema or atopic dermatitis, but now what? Once you are able to determine the cause of your uncontrollable urge to itch, you can work on eliminating the trigger factor. Until then, keep your body well moisturized and, as difficult as it is, fight the urge to itch.

January 19th, 2010 | 27 Comments

A Parents Guide to Eczema

Eczema Free Forever

As a parent, you strive to give your child a happy and healthy life, but what if they suffer from eczema? The uncontrollable urge to itch and the unknown causes may be too much for you and your child to bear. As a parent, what are you to do?

It is common to find rashes on children, but eczema is more than just a rash. It is skin condition that can turn into a struggle for both parents and children. You may have never heard of eczema until your child was diagnosed with it, but now what?

Keep Your Child’s Skin Moisturized

There are different eczema trigger factors, which can lead to an outbreak. These trigger factors may include dust, stress, sweat, and laundry detergent. However, for some children, the cause is nothing more than dry skin. We instinctively want to touch and itch dry skin to provide relief and children do the same. Moisturize your child each day. Their itching may not completely cease, but you should notice an improvement.

When moisturizing your child, aim for application throughout the day. However, the most important step is to moisturize their body immediately following a bath or shower. Your goal is to lock in the moisture. If your child is old enough, get them in the habit of reaching for moisturizer each time they feel the need to itch.

Protect Your Child’s Skin

Eczema outbreaks are typically severe in small children. They don’t understand the complications that can arise from constant scratching; therefore, they continue to itch. If your child is old enough, have an eczema discussion with them. Encourage them to apply lotion or inform you whenever they feel the need to itch. However, for small children, such as toddlers and preschoolers, you need to protect your child’s skin yourself.

As previously stated, the first line of protection is constant moisture. The second is to keep the area prone to outbreaks covered. This is especially important at night, as some children actually scratch their arms and legs in their sleep. When later asked, some are even unaware of their actions. The less direct contact the fingernails have with the skin, the less damage is done.

Seek Medical Attention for Skin Infections

Most cases of eczema in children can be treated at home. However, children are at an increased risk for skin infections. Eczema creates the uncontrollable urge to itch. Your child may continue scratching until the skin is broken, leaving an open wound. Children will be children and that means coming into contact with many germs and bacteria. Combine these with an open wound and there is an increased risk for a skin infection. Treat your child’s eczema at home, but seek medical attention if you suspect the onset of infection.

As a parent, you are unable to cure your child’s eczema, but you help protect them from the lifelong complications, such as scars.

December 1st, 2009 | Leave a Comment

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