Is your child constantly scratching or rubbing their skin and has itchy, red patches and bumps? Chances are, they have a skin condition, called eczema. This inflammatory skin condition is non-contagious and can be of different types, namely, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and seborrhoeic dermatitis. Among these skin conditions, atopic dermatitis is the most common type of eczema that affects children between the ages of six months and five years.
Eczema can cause some level of discomfort and annoyance in children, as the rashes that appear due to this condition are often itchy and irritated. While there is no treatment that cures this skin condition completely, the available remedies and medications may help soothe your little one’s skin and ease discomfort.
3 Possible Causes Of Eczema In Children
The exact cause of eczema, particularly atopic dermatitis that affects children predominantly, remains unknown. However, there are certain factors that are believed to contribute to the development of this skin condition in children. These factors include:
- Lack of protective barrier: Children with eczema, usually lack a protein called filaggrin in their skin. Filaggrin is present in the epidermis and provides a protective barrier between the skin and external factors such as pollutants. A lack of this protein in their skin may make children prone to developing rashes in response to the irritants.
- Hereditary: Atopic eczema can also occur due to genetic factors. An infant may inherit this condition from the parents if they are carrying the condition or disease in the spectrum of allergies.
- Low immunity: If your child has a highly sensitive immune system, then they may easily develop allergic responses to even the slightest external factors such as dry, hot, or cold weather, certain food items, pollen, and house dust mites.
Common Symptoms Of Eczema In Children
You may notice the development of eczema in your child’s elbow creases and feet. In some cases, these rashes may also develop around your child’s mouth, neck, ankle, wrists, and the crease of the buttocks. Besides rashes that develop due to continuous scratching of the red and itchy patches, you may also notice some other symptoms that are likely to appear with the progress of the skin condition. These symptoms include:
- Darkening or lightening of the patches
- Hardening of the patches or the affected area
- Formation of blisters due to constant scratches
- Increased itchiness of the hardened patches
- Inflammation in the area, giving the appearance of goosebumps
Diagnosis Of Eczema In Children
In order to administer an appropriate treatment method, a diagnosis of eczema is required. As the first step of diagnosis, the doctor may enquire about any history of atopic eczema in your family. After ruling out the possibility of hereditary factors, the following tests will be conducted to diagnose your child’s condition:
- Prick test: The doctor will prick your child’s skin (mostly their back) in different parts with diluted allergens. They will then observe the area for 15 minutes, and in case inflammation and redness occur, the doctor will announce it as a positive result.
- Blood test: The doctor may also carry out a blood test to determine your child’s IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibody level. If IgE levels are high, then it may indicate that your child has an ongoing allergic reaction or atopic eczema.
Treatment Of Eczema In Children
After determining your child’s skin condition, the doctor may recommend certain medications to lessen the redness, itching, and inflammation of the skin. The medications include:
- Steroid creams: Topical steroid creams can help reduce inflammation and itchiness. However, overuse of these creams may lead to skin damage. Hence, only use a limited amount, as prescribed by your child’s doctor.
- Antihistamine: This medicine helps reduce itching and redness. Certain antihistamines may cause sleepiness in your child. Therefore, consult your doctor about the side effects and then administer the medication to your child.
- Immunomodulators: Applying topical immunomodulators to the affected areas may help your child’s immune system to fight against the skin condition, thereby, controlling itching and inflammation.
7 Remedies For Treating Eczema In Children
Apart from medications prescribed by your child’s doctor, you may also try some remedial methods to soothe your little one’s eczema and its associated symptoms.
- Give your child a bleach bath: Prepare a tub filled with lukewarm water and mix half a cup of household bleach into it. Let your child relax in the bleach water for about 10 minutes and then pat them dry with a soft towel. Regular bleach water baths will help reduce your child’s eczema flare-ups and also reduce itching.
- Use moisturising skincare products: Dry skin can lead to severe itching in your child. Hence, pay special attention to their skincare products and choose body wash and creams that have nourishing and hydrating ingredients. For instance, you may opt for a moisturising baby wash with organic actives such as moringa seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, rose oil, and strawberry oil, all of which deeply moisturise your child’s skin without clogging pores, strengthen their skin barrier, and soothe and prevent dry skin conditions.
- Trim their fingernails frequently: Constant scratching can cause further damage to your child’s skin and produce blisters. Therefore, cut your child’s fingernails short to prevent infection or the development of a wound that may result from severe scratching.
- Give them a body massage with coconut oil: Coconut oil is antioxidant-rich and has emollient properties that are beneficial in treating dry skin conditions and soothing inflammations. Choose an organic oil containing cold-pressed and extra-virgin coconut oil to give your child a nourishing body massage. Regular massage will nourish and moisturise your child’s skin, help soothe itching and also reduce eczema flare-ups.
- Dress them in proper clothing: Wearing harsh or rough fabrics may further irritate your child’s skin. Therefore, dress them up in smooth, airy, yet fully-covered clothing to keep them cool and protected from exposure to allergens and other dust particles.
- Avoid triggers: If your child has an allergic reaction to their skin, you should make sure they stay away from any allergens or external factors that might trigger their eczema.
- Use wet wraps: Wrapping the affected area with a wet cloth or towel after applying the steroid cream can help increase the potency of the medicine. It may also help the medicine absorb deeper into your child’s skin.
Eczema is fairly common in children and its symptoms usually fade as your child grows older. Try the remedies mentioned in the post to help soothe your child’s skin, and only administer the medications when prescribed by your child’s doctor. If you notice no significant improvement in your child’s symptoms even after implementing the treatment methods, consult the doctor immediately. This will help prevent the worsening of the skin condition.
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Remedies to treat dry skin in babies: Check out this post to know helpful home remedies for soothing dry skin in babies.