The best way to manage a child’s eczema is to:
Gain their cooperation
Distract the child to prevent them from scratching
Become familiar with the child’s response to different environmental conditions
Educate yourself and others about the condition and learn to be sympathetic
Reduce stress for both yourself and the child
See your doctor if the eczema continues to flare
How do you avoid an eczema outbreak?
Many things can be done to avoid an eczema outbreak.
Most importantly, the skin should be kept moist by using a daily moisturiser.
Other ways to prevent an outbreak include:
Wearing 100% cotton or soft fabrics – avoiding rough, scratchy fibres and tight clothing
Using rubber gloves with cotton liners
Having lukewarm baths and showers using a non-soap cleanser or hypoallergenic bath oil
Avoiding extremely hot water
Gently patting, not rubbing, the skin dry with a soft towel
Applying a moisturiser within 3 minutes after bathing to “lock in” the moisture
When possible, avoiding rapid changes of temperature and activities that raise a sweat
Removing carpets and rugs from houses (if possible) and giving your pets a dander treatment
Ventilating the house as often as possible
Avoiding stuffed toys that harbour dust mites
Changing bed linen regularly, vacuuming mattresses regularly for dust mites and avoiding feather-filled pillows
Reducing daily stress
Learning what triggers eczema and how to avoid these triggers
