Eczema can be tough for a child to cope with, but you can help reduce the impact of it by making certain changes to their routines.
Around 10% of babies and little children have eczema, which is a dry, itchy inflammation of the skin that usually appears on the elbows, the creases of the knees, the wrists and the neck.
The good news is that by their teens almost 75% of children grow out of eczema. Below are seven top tips to help you deal with childhood eczema, from Dr Colin Holden, consultant dermatologist and president of the British Association of Dermatologists:
- Get professional advice
If you think your baby or child has eczema, see your GP to get treatment. Don’t try to treat it by yourself. Each case of eczema can need different treatment, which usually involves a combination of moisturisers, topical steroid creams and ointments. If necessary, you may be referred to a dermatologist. If the skin becomes red and starts to ooze liquid, it may be infected, in which case see your GP immediately for antibiotics.
- Get into a bedtime routine
Children with eczema often find sleeping a problem, as their skin may get hotter and itchier at night. Keep their bedroom cool and use cotton sheets or a light, natural-fibre duvet rather than a heavy duvet. Apply moisturiser at least 20 minutes before bedtime to allow it to soak in. Keep pets out of the bedroom, as dogs and cats can make eczema worse.
- Don’t overdo the products
Soap and bubble baths can make eczema far worse, and a recent study found that washing your baby too often can make them more likely to suffer from eczema (possibly due to harsh chemicals in soaps stripping the skin of its protective layer). New advice says that a baby should be washed once or twice a week, although the baby's face, hands and bottom should be cleaned daily. Fragrance-free products are generally the best on sensitive skin. Ask your pharmacist or GP for advice on what products to buy, and use cool water in the bath.
- Moisturise
Over-dry skin is more likely to flare up or become infected with a bacteria or virus. Use creams as directed by your GP to make sure the affected skin is kept as soft and moist as possible. Avoiding harsh soaps that dry out the skin also helps.
- Help them stop scratching
One of the biggest problems with childhood eczema is the urge to scratch the itchy skin, which may then bleed or become infected. See if your child scratches at certain times of the day, for example while watching TV, and try to teach them to do something else instead, such as tightly holding their arm. Praise them for not scratching, or even use a star chart. Keep their nails short. Cotton clothes rather than wool may lessen the itching.
- Look at their diet
Eczema usually starts when the baby is around six months old, but in the majority of children this is not because of new foods in their diet. In about 10% of children with eczema, certain foods can trigger the condition, including: milk, eggs, citrus fruit, chocolate, peanuts and colourings. If you suspect a food, it is important to obtain advice from your GP to avoid feeding your child an unbalanced diet.
- Keep them cool
Heat can make the skin itch more, so after your child has been running around, or playing sports, try to keep them as cool as possible in loose clothing. If they've been swimming, rinse off any chlorine from the pool, as this can irritate the skin.
