Many children get atopic eczema nowadays.
If your child has eczema, then you are likely to be worried over his condition especially if it affects his appearance.
There is good news, though, because many times, children will outgrow this condition before they become teenagers.
In the meantime, it is important that you find ways to deal with the child eczema on a day-to-day basis.
You may also wish to reduce the dependence of your child on steroids for his condition as prolonged use of drugs can produce other side effects.
Children usually find their itchy symptoms hard to live with and it is up do you, as a parent, to help.
You can first detect child eczema by observing him if he finds that he is unable to stop scratching or rubbing an area of skin.
Even though you ask him to stop scratching, he will not be able to control himself.
This rubbing and scratching makes the affected area red, swollen, sore, and warm to the touch.
It also makes the eczema symptoms worse, because it makes the skin become even drier and itchier, which causes your child to scratch even harder.
This inflammation and itchiness for child eczema causes damage to the outer layer of skin, also called the epidermis.
When the outer layer of skin is damaged, it can become more vulnerable to infections and it also becomes super-sensitive to allergens and irritants that are in the environment.
Then the cycle continues.
The easiest and simplest way for child eczema care is to keep his skin moisturized.
Warm to lukewarm baths are great for your child, but do not keep your child in the bath for longer than five minutes.
Use a mild soap or cleanser like Dove, Neutrogena, or Cetaphil.
After your child has finished their bath, be sure that you pat them dry, rather than rub, because rubbing can irritate the skin further.
Apply a moisturizer to your child's body while it is still damp and steer clear of any soap, moisturizer, or cleaner that contains alcohol or added scent.
Children can get stressed just like adults, so it is important to remember that stress can set off an eczema flare-up.
Give your child an environment that is generally relaxed and that will help keep him calm.
Encourage him to open up to you.
One excellent way to learn more about eczema care is to find a support group for your child and for you to learn more about this skin condition.
One of the best support groups is the National Eczema Association for Science and Education (NEASE).
Another way for eczema care for your child is to try to keep him from overheating or sweating profusely.
Overheating makes the skin irritated and worsen the symptoms of child ezema.
Also, for child eczema, you need to try to help him cope with extremes in temperature, either high or low.
Try to keep your home cool during the summer and warm in the winter.
A humidifier is a great tool for adding moisture into the air and can help keep your child from having an eczema flare-up.
There is no cure for eczema, but it can be controlled by using these helpful hints.