Eczema in children and babies
Eczema in children and babies
What may aggravate eczema?
Heat, letting the skin get dry and prickle aggravate eczema. Keep your child cool, apply plenty of moisturiser and dress them in loose, light cotton or bamboo clothing and blankets. More information can be found on eczema here.
Heat & Bedtime
Your child will most likely itch more at night as they get hot under the covers and most will get into the habit of waking up. It is best if your child sleeps in their own bed to avoid overheating. Cotton or bamboo bed linen and at most one thin cotton blanket is the best bedding for your child. Woollen blankets, plastic mattress protectors and doonas should not be used. Constant waking and scratching at night and the sign of blood on the sheets the next morning are signs your child’s skin is too dry and more moisturising or oiling needs to be applied. Keeping your child cool helps reduce the itch.
Heat & Bath time
As heat can aggravate your child’s condition we recommend you bath your child once a day in warm (not hot) water adding a capful of Grahams body & bath oil to the bath (using this as a soap substitute). Soaps can dry out the skin. Try and bath your child at least two hours before bedtime.
Dryness & the skin
Keep your child’s skin moisturised as much as possible during the day, this will help with the dryness. Water, air-blowing heaters, cleaning agents, soap, swimming and the environment can all be drying to your child’s skin..
Can my child go swimming?
Yes, but if they are having flare ups your doctor may suggest the swimming stops until the eczema gets better. Before swimming we recommend you apply moisturiser to the skin. After swimming wash the chorine/salt water with cool fresh water apply bath oil, and then apply a moisturiser before dressing.
Is my child allergic to foods?
10% of children with eczema have food allergies. Children who have food allergies may have extremely itchy skin without the redness. Other children may develop a hives reaction to foods straight away or within a couple of hours after food. These reactions generally start in the early months and often your child will grow out of them. If you are worried your child might have food allergies, keep a diary and your child’s skin reaction to these foods to show to your doctor. Foods that cause allergies are; egg, dairy, seafood, nuts, beef, chicken, wheat, acidic fruit and junk food. When you introduce a new food it is best to only give a small amount of each new food. Don’t restrict your child's diet without consulting a doctor.
How will I know if my child's eczema is infected and what should I do if it is?
When eczema gets infected it will crust (normally yellow in colour), it might weep, and is normally a sudden change in the eczema. It might be itchier than normal painful to touch. In severe cases your child might find it hard to extend their elbows or knees. It is common for children with uncontrollable eczema to get secondary infections. The reasons behind eczema becoming infected is usually because the child scratches and breaks the skin. One small infected area can flare other areas of eczema. If you believe the eczema to be infected go to your family doctor and have the infected areas swabbed and treated.
How to Guide
Here is our how to guide which is packed full of information on using the Baby Eczema Cream and Baby Eczema Body & Bath Oil. This is an essential guide for controlling eczema, dry and irritated skin.
