How Can I Treat Eczema in My Child at Home? Lifestyle Changes to Treat Eczema at Home.

How Can I Treat Eczema in My Child at Home? Lifestyle Changes to Treat Eczema at Home.

Let's talk eczema.I'm sure you've heard of it, even if you haven't personally experienced it. 

Eczema is a condition that seems synonymous with childhood, though all ages can be affected. Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is characterized by dry, itchy patches of skin. 

In children, eczema patches are common in the elbow creases as pictured, and behind the knees. Eczema is common, affecting 10-20% of infants according to Cleveland Clinic.

There is no cure for eczema, but symptom control is possible, and those affected tend to "outgrow" the condition. Once you identify and remove allergens, irritants and triggers, eczema often becomes a thing of the past. 

My daughter and I both have eczema, and I've treated many clients with it during my career. Eczema symptoms can be uncomfortable and lead to cuts in the skin that are prone to secondary infection. Let's look at lifestyle changes to treat eczema at home. 

1. Reduce bathing and limit soap

Exposure to water (especially hot water) and soap are drying to the skin, stripping it of its natural hydrating oils. I realize that baths are often part of the bedtime routine, but having dry, irritated skin can certainly be a sleep disruptor. I reduced the frequency of baths from daily to every other day. Once symptoms abate, you may be able to reintroduce daily baths if desired and tolerated.

2. Moisturize daily

Moisturizer should follow any water exposure. You can pat a damp washcloth onto the skin to reintroduce moisture on no bath days, as we tend to lose moisture throughout the day. When it comes to choosing products for eczema, less is more. The problem with products marketed for babies is that they're often scented, and scents can be a huge irritant. 

Find a product line that your family tolerates and stick to products from the same brand if you can. I like Aveeno, but we also recommended Cetaphil and Cerave products quite a bit when I worked in Dermatology. The specific products I used were Aveeno soothing bath treatment, Aveeno baby eczema therapy nighttime balm and Aveeno skin relief moisturizing lotion (commissions earned). 

Creams and ointments are better at repairing the skin barrier that is disrupted from eczema patches, and locking in moisture. I've also heard wonderful things about Tubby Todd All Over Ointment.

3. Avoid Irritants

I already mentioned limiting soap and fragrances, but I noticed my daughter was also sensitive to diaper rash creams. There's nothing worse than trying to alleviate your child's irritated bottom and unintentionally making it worse. Though many people tolerate these products just fine, my daughter reacted to Boudreaux's Butt Paste and Desitin (commissions earned). 

If your child is prone to eczema and gets diaper rash, then change their diaper more frequently ensuring the skin is dry before diapering again. The carcinogen talc has been removed from baby powder and replaced with cornstarch. But still use caution if applying powder as it can be a respiratory irritant. Apply Aquaphor or Vaseline as needed for barrier protection as the skin recovers (commissions earned). Once again, less is more. 

4. Change laundry detergents 

Dreft seems to have a chokehold on the baby laundry market (commissions earned). Indeed, "baby smell" is a thing, but many brands of laundry detergent now offer fragrance free varieties. I switched to Biokleen laundry detergent, and many people use all free and clear for sensitive skin. I also stopped using dryer sheets in favor of wool dryer balls (commissions earned). Dryer sheets are also loaded with chemicals and fragrances that can be irritating for eczema prone skin.

5. Change clothing blends

My daughter seemed to "run hot" even in cotton blends and especially overnight. This is absolutely not a necessity, but it is something I did around the time my daughter's symptoms were at their worst, and I believe it helped in conjunction with the other lifestyle changes to get symptoms under control. I switched to bamboo blends for pajamas and nursery items. 

The bamboo fabric is breathable, lightweight, stretchy and thin. There are many brands that make bamboo pajamas. Here are just a few you may have heard of: Kickee Pants, Kyte Baby, Little Sleepies and Posh Peanut. I also gave bamboo a shoutout in my post about improving sleep. Consider no scratch mitts for infants if you must to avoid scratching already inflamed skin (commissions earned). 

6. Use topical steroids sparingly

Topical steroids are great to reduce inflammation (redness, dryness, itching) of particularly irritated and itchy skin. In general, a thin barrier should be applied to the affected skin twice daily as needed until symptoms improve. I hate to sound like a broken record, but again less is more when it comes to applying topical steroids. Please do not think that slathering on more is better, and will improve symptoms faster, or that continued use will keep symptoms away. 

The best treatment for eczema at home is avoidance of triggers. And I truly believe that once you make lifestyle changes, targeted treatment will likely be unnecessary or only needed intermittently. There are risks to prolonged topical steroid usage, such as thinning of the skin. You can use over the counter hydrocortisone cream or hydrocortisone ointment (commissions earned). Or have your healthcare provider prescribe a prescription strength topical steroid to use as needed for acute exacerbations of eczema symptoms. 

7. Prevent secondary bacterial infection if needed

If the skin barrier is broken, then any cut is at risk for secondary bacterial infection. As mentioned earlier, do your best to prevent scratching affected areas. If cuts develop, then keep them clean. Soap and water should be adequate as alcohol and hydrogen peroxide can be counterproductive, further irritating already inflamed skin and impeding the healing process (commissions earned). 

After cleaning and drying the wound(s), apply a thin layer of topical antibiotic ointment in addition to the moisturizing agent(s) you’re using (commissions earned). Please note: topical antibiotics are used to prevent secondary bacterial infection, but aren’t great at treating them. If an infection develops, then it’s best to see a healthcare provider as prescription strength topical or oral antibiotic treatment may be indicated. 

What else might be helpful? 

Looking at diet. Consider keeping a food diary (commissions earned). Record all foods consumed as well as eczema or other symptoms. See if you can find a pattern to consuming certain foods and experiencing eczema symptom flares. You may be able to eliminate certain foods to control eczema symptoms. This level of intervention will likely require seeing your healthcare provider if you haven't already. You may even need to see an allergist and/or have allergy testing. 

Conclusion

Eczema is a common condition. While there is no cure, control of symptoms is the norm. I believe many people "outgrow" the condition, because they learn to make lifestyle changes to treat eczema at home by avoiding allergens, irritants and triggers. To get eczema under control and keep it at bay, limit water and soap exposure, moisturize often, avoid irritants and switch to hypoallergenic products. Prioritize these changes in behavior, but treat inflammation as needed with topical steroids. As mentioned in the post about dry skin, our skin is our largest organ that provides an interface with the environment and protects our internal organs. We want to ensure our skin is intact and hydrated to function at its absolute best.

Do you or one or more of your family members experience eczema symptoms? If so, how do you keep symptoms under control? Let me know in the comments!

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