Child Eczema Treatments
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, affects children as young as 2 months old. Their skin becomes reddened and dry, while itchy bumps may appear on their face and travel to their stomach and the elbows and knees. While there is no cure for eczema, you can make your child feel more comfortable by using moisturizers and creams, buying special soaps and avoiding triggers.
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Bathing
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A quick 15-minute daily bath can often help lubricate your child's skin and lessen some of the itchiness and discomfort. Use a nonscented, mild cleanser like Dove or Neutrogena, and wash your child's skin gently, not roughly. If you find your child cannot tolerate daily baths, try every other day and use a gentler cleanser like Cetaphil, which is designed specifically for dry skin (see Resources).
Steroid Creams
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Use steroid creams when your child's eczema flares up and apply them each night after bath time before finishing with a moisturizing lotion. You may also apply it to the affected areas, throughout the day, as directed. As your child's rash improves, decrease the amount times you administer the cream until you see another outbreak. Some common steroid creams include Westcort and Elocon. Do not apply steroid creams to sensitive areas like the face or the bottom. It is recommended to use a 1 percent hydrocortisone cream for those areas instead.
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Moisturizers
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Within three minutes after your child's bath, apply a lubricating moisturizer every night to heal dryness, even if the eczema is not visible. Apply it after you have administered the steroid cream, if necessary. Some non-greasy and effective moisturizers include Eucerin and Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream.
Itching Relief
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Keep your child's fingernails trimmed short to prevent scratching as that just fuels the itching cycle of eczema. If the itching is severe, dress your child in damp pajamas, then another pair of dry pajamas, as the damp layer decreases itching. You may also give your child an oral antihistamine like Benadryl to relieve itchiness and restlessness at night and help make your child more comfortable.
Know Triggers
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To prevent future flare-ups, pay attention to your child's eczema triggers, be it food allergies, sensitivity to soaps or detergents, tight clothes or stress. Try to avoid those things in the future. If your child enjoys swimming, she can swim but she must shower immediately after with a mild cleanser, and you must apply moisturizer to prevent her skin from becoming drier.
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