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Eczema Kids

Living With Eczema

Eczema Kids

Whether it’s you or your child that has it

Dry, uncomfortable skin can be a constant annoyance. For others, dry, red, irritated skin can be so severe that it’s hard to function. Welcome to the world of eczema.

What Is Eczema?

Healthy skin contain substances that help keep in moisture. In some people, those substances are lacking, or just found in lower amounts. This means your skin barrier is impaired, meaning things can more easily irritate the skin. Skin may become dry and patchy, and red in color as a result.

In worse cases, eczema can become infected, making it more difficult to treat. Bacteria, fungus and virus can cause infection in eczema. Staphylococcus aureus, which thrives on the type of skin eczema produces, is very common in eczema. If you or your child’s eczema suddenly becomes much worse, with redness and itchiness, contact us. Other signs of infection include weepy skin, with clear or yellow fluid. You may also experience flu-like symptoms.

How Can I Reduce Severity of Eczema?

Simple measures can reduce the severity and frequency of eczema flare-ups.

Bathing Tips

  • Use warm, not hot, water
  • Don’t bathe or shower as long. In and out.
  • For kids: avoid bubble bath

Drying Tips

  • Pat dry, don’t rub
  • Apply moisturizer or medicine when your skin is nearly dry, right after bathing, to trap moisture in.

Moisturizer

  • Apply moisturizer at least twice a day
  • Ask Dr. Myers about wet wrap therapy

Washing Clothes

Be careful with how much detergent you use
Make sure you use enough water to rinse out the detergent completely

Extra Tips For Kids

Eczema is common among children. In fact, if a person has eczema, it usually starts showing up in the first year of a person’s life. All of the above tips apply for children as well as adults. But for you parents out there, here are some other things to consider.

Fingernails: Eczema can be itchy. Keep your child’s fingernails short and smooth so he or she doesn’t accidentally scratch the skin.

Watch For Triggers: With eczema, a child’s skin is very sensitive, and susceptible to allergic reaction, and reaction to exposure to things in the environments. Common triggers for eczema flare ups include dry air (especially during change in seasons), and genetics, meaning your family’s and child’s personal history of eczema. Sweat and stress can be triggers as well. Beware, these triggers can actually change over time for children.

Watch for Related Issues: Eczema increases the risk of developing other health conditions like asthma and hay fever. Watch for signs of these other issues, and get the right medical help if needed.

Want to learn more about eczema in children? Here is a good resource:
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/eczema/eczema-resource-center