Having a child with eczema can be very stressful. Studies have shown parents of children with atopic dermatitis (also known as eczema) experience significantly higher stress and anxiety (National Institutes of Health). Eczema can start as early as a baby is born and can disrupt their sleep, resulting in higher stress and fatigue for mothers.
There are many skincare products on the market that claim to help babies with eczema. However, many do not treat the underlying symptom. Unfortunately, eczema is a chronic condition and there is no cure all for eczema. The best thing you can do is be proactive in keeping their skin moisturized throughout the day and when needed, apply topical corticosteroids in the areas that persistently flare up.
What is Eczema?
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is an inflammatory skin condition that causes dry skin, itchy skin, rashes, scaly patches, blisters and skin infections as defined by the National Eczema Association. The main cause is genetics, usually a family history of eczema, or environmental triggers. In babies and children, eczema tends to show up in folds of elbows and knees. Signs of eczema include redness, itchy patches and bumpy rashes.
The Best Skincare Routine for Children with Eczema
While there is no cure-all for eczema, there are steps you can take to minimize and reduce the flare-ups so your child is as comfortable as possible and can sleep better throughout the night, which means you can start getting better sleep too!
When our son was six months, he started to have flare-ups in the back of his neck, elbows and knees. We tried every skin product out on the market that claimed to help with eczema but those trouble areas still persisted. We finally decided to consult a pediatric dermatologist when he was close to 12 months, hoping that there would be a better solution. She prescribed a low strength topical steroid and suggested that we keep his skin moist after bath and apply vaseline all over his body. It’s important to avoid any skincare products with fragrances and harsh chemicals that can trigger or worsen the conditions of eczema. So sticking to pure petroleum jelly is best. Applying it consistently is key to preventing itchy dry skin, which causes the itchiness for babies and toddlers.
After experimenting with a few different products and daily skincare routines, we have found the best skincare routine that works for us in keeping those flare-ups away. Every child may be different so it is recommended to experiment and do what works best for your child. For example, some parents say their kid’s skin does better when they skip their bath every couple days as baths may lead to dryer skin. We have found that skipping baths makes no difference with our son so we have decided to keep it as part of our child’s nighttime routine.
Morning Skincare
In the morning, your child’s skin will likely be fresh if they were sleeping through the night which means there will be less rashes and itchy patches. If your child is having trouble sleeping due to their eczema, it’s important to have a good evening skincare routine to alleviate any itchiness throughout the night. Your child’s morning skincare routine is important because it will set their skin up for the rest of their day.
During our son’s morning diaper change, we make sure to apply his skincare products. This skincare routine is super quick and simple.
1. Apply steroid (if applicable). In the mornings, we perform a quick scan of his skin to spot any trouble areas. If there are places that we know has been stubborn and bothering him the night before, we will apply his prescribed topical steroid on those areas to prevent flare-ups throughout the day.
2. Apply skincare product. After applying the steroid, we apply Vaseline all over his body to keep his skin moist and protected throughout the day.
Evening Skincare
The evening skincare routine is very important in keeping your child comfortable throughout the night to prevent them from scratching and waking up during the middle of the night.
1. Bath time. The first step is bath time. We typically keep bath time to about 10 minutes. It’s important to keep the water at lukewarm temperature as warmer water can be harsh on their skin and leader to dryer skin. Aim for 90 to 95 degree Fahrenheit.
2. Gently dab skin with towel. After bath time, you want to dry your child using a soft towel, making sure to dab their skin rather than wiping or rubbing the skin with the towel. This is really important to avoid completely drying their skin out and irritating it. After gently dabbing the skin, apply your skincare product.
3. Apply steroid (if applicable). If your child was prescribed a topical steroid, apply that first. We initially used the Walgreens hydrocortizone ointment before we were prescribed a higher strength topical steroid. We use a Q-tip to apply the steroid for those stubborn areas. We were prescribed the triamcinolone acetonide ointment at 0.025% strength.
4. Apply Vaseline or other natural skin product. After trying out so many different skincare products, we finally landed on Vaseline because it has the least amount of ingredients and is free of artificial dyes, fragrances and chemicals. It seems to work the best for our son and is the most cost-effective. Vaseline helps seal in the moisture from the bath and protects it from getting dry. Vaseline isn’t the easier product to apply because of its stickiness. Other great natural products you may consider are Aquaphor or Aveeno Ezcema Therapy.
5. Put on jammies. Once you apply your child’s skincare products, it’s time to put on their pajamas. We have found that onesies work best for our son because it prevents him from scratching his back during the night. It’s important to avoid pajamas made with material that may irritate your child’s skin such as fleece or polyester, which tend to overheat your child and trigger the itch. Stick to pajamas made out of bamboo or cotton such as Little Sleepies or Kyte Baby.
6. Check temperature and humidity level of your child’s bedroom. Keeping a slightly cool room temperature and optimal humidity level is important for a child with eczema. You want to aim for 30-50 percent humidity level and 68-72 degree Fahrenheit. During the winter months, it can get awfully dry due to the cold so it is recommended to keep a humidifier like this Pure Enrichment Ultrasonic Mist Humidifier in their room and a space heater like an oil filled radiator.
Other Important Habits for Children with Eczema
Having an established skincare routine for your child is essential in reducing those flareups and itchy patches caused by eczema. In addition to your child’s skincare routine, there are other important habits that you may consider.
Here are few other best practices to consider:
Make sure nails are always trimmed. If your child has a problem with itchy skin and constantly scratching, make sure their nails are always trimmed short.
Be mindful of troubled areas when choosing your child’s outfit. If your child has a particular stubborn spot, consider covering that area with their clothing. For example, if their arms or elbows are constantly flaring up, make sure they are wearing long sleeves. If their back is bothering them, consider putting on a onesie. This helps prevent them from scratching their skin directly.
Maintain a groomed haircut. Sometimes, their hair may be causing the itchiness. We didn’t realize this until our son was constantly scratching around his ears and neck. After giving him a haircut, we noticed he was less irritated in that area.
Keep skin clean. It’s hard keeping an active toddler clean, but establishing good habits like washing their hands before and after their meals is so important. Food can spill on their bodies and cause irritation or stickiness. Keeping their skin clean throughout the day will help relieve the itch.
For babies, consider putting mittens on to prevent scratching. When our son was a baby, we always put on mittens during his sleep because he would constantly scratch and wake himself up. If your baby is also scratching during their sleep, you may consider using mittens.
Regularly apply skincare product throughout the day. Don’t just apply skincare products in the morning and evening. If you notice your child’s skin drying out during the day or if they start to show signs of itchiness, feel free to reapply as needed. We typically reapply Vaseline in the afternoon right before our son’s naptime to ensure that he’s well moisturized.
Having a child with eczema can be very stressful for parents. While there’s no cure for eczema, there are steps you can take to help prevent and relieve the symptoms of eczema, and it starts with establishing a healthy skincare routine. We hope this post has provided you with a few ideas for alleviating eczema symptoms for your child.
I would love to hear what has worked or not worked for your child in the comments below!
