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.

Children Suffering From Eczema: Questions They May Ask

Eczema Free Forever

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.

November 9th, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Dealing with Eczema and the Lifestyle Changes

Eczema Free Forever

If you suffer from eczema, you may have turned to the internet or asked your doctor about treatment options. There are many ways to treat eczema, but they aren’t one-time things. To successfully manage and deal with eczema, you must make important lifestyle changes. As hard as this sounds, it is key to living your life without constant eczema flare-ups.

What lifestyle changes may need to be made? Honestly, it all depends on what causes your skin irritation.

A common cause of eczema is certain foods. Many patients experience an outbreak after eating milk, eggs, wheat, seafood, and peanut butter. Other foods can be the cause too. Although the risk of atopic dermatitis is always present, you can significantly reduce the number of outbreaks and flare-ups you have by eliminating certain foods. Keep a journal to compare what you eat to when you have an outbreak. If you believe you found a culprit, work on eliminating these foods from your diet.

Here is where the lifestyle change comes in. Eliminating food from your diet? That may be okay if your trigger factor is seafood. Seafood tastes great, but isn’t a necessity. On the other hand, we all consume milks and eggs and on a regular basis. There are alternatives, but they taste different and will take some getting used to. You want to stop eczema outbreaks, but you are also making a lifestyle change. For that reason, take it slow. If you think milk is the culprit, don’t automatically eliminate it from your diet if you don’t want. Instead, slowly start replacing it with the alternatives.

In addition to foods, another cause of eczema flare-ups is exposure to certain airborne allergens. Some have experienced skin irritation when coming into contact with dust and pet dander. These too can lead to hard lifestyle changes. What if your parents have a dog? Of course, you don’t want to avoid seeing them, but discuss your eczema with them. You can meet outside of their home, avoid direct contact with their dog, and wear covering clothes when visiting.

Another way to successfully treat eczema is to make the switch to all-natural. Some individuals experience flare-ups after coming into contact with certain chemicals, like those found in scented laundry detergents and beauty products. Luckily, this switch is more easier to make. Get your body and skin back to its original state with natural and organic beauty products, foods, and literally anything else you can think of.

October 18th, 2009 | Leave a Comment

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