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A Parents Guide to Eczema

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.

Children Suffering From Eczema: Questions They May Ask

Many children suffer from eczema. Many are babies who are too young to realize what is going on and ask questions. Older kids, however, know. If you are a parent of a child with eczema, they are likely to have many questions. A few of these common questions and ideal answers are outlined below.

Question: What did I do wrong?

As a parent, it just breaks your heart when you hear this question. Although eczema impacts many children, your child may not see these other cases. They look at their friends and classmates and see children with normal skin. Many automatically and mistakenly assume they did something wrong, but they didn’t. Tell your child they have sensitive skin, as do many other children and adults. This sensitive skin is a known medical condition that happen to people of all ages; they did nothing wrong.

Question: When will it go away?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. Some children outgrow eczema by their early teens and others are plagued with it for life. You can’t give your child an answer. What you can discuss is ways to treat eczema and ensure they don’t scratch so that painful rashes and blisters are a thing of the past. Use this as an opportunity to educate your child on the importance of proper skin care. They need to stay away from certain things, such as pets and pet dander, that irritate their skin. They need to keep their body moisturized constantly, which they may be able to do themselves with lotions and creams.

Question: Can I make others sick too?

This is another heartbreaking question because it is one that doesn’t usually come from nowhere. Another child or parent may have asked about your child’s rash, blister-like sores, or scaly patches of skin. Once again, use this as an opportunity to educate your child. Not everyone knows about eczema and some people, even adults, mistakenly believe it is contagious. It is not. Your child can play freely with others.

Question: Can I still swim?

A key to avoiding eczema flare-ups is to take short showers or baths in lukewarm water. Long bubble baths filled with toys is dangerous for your child. Since they aren’t allowed to do so, they may wonder if they can swim. Of course they can.