Eczema is skin rashes that appear as thickened, itchy, scaly skin, red bumps with ooze and can appear anywhere on the body. Eczema usually occurs in children before they’re five years old.

About 10-15% of babies develop eczema and when this happens, it can be frustrating for mothers and caregivers.

Why do babies and children get eczema? The exact cause is unknown. It could likely be due to a combination of dry, irritable skin with a malfunction of the body’s immune system, and stress. Other causes are:

• Hormonal imbalance (e.g hypothyroidism) – a drop in the thyroid level causing blood circulation to drop and, hence, not delivering enough oxygen and nutrients to the skin.

• Unhealthy gut – allergies to food trigger a reaction, or the intestinal tract is not functioning.

• Infection – immune system overreacts to environmental stimulus.

Here are five ways to manage eczema in babies and children:

1. Chlorophyll Water Bath

Soak the baby in a bath of chlorophyll water to help sooth the itch. Chlorophyll is a natural disinfectant, as the antioxidant and oxygen-rich nature helps sores and wounds to heal.

Patting dry instead of rubbing with a towel is better to prevent irritating the sore skin. It is commonly advised by dermatologists to apply moisturizer on the baby when the skin is still moist to allow the moisturizer to penetrate into the skin. This is, however, misplaced advice. When the skin is moist and the pores are open, it is allowing chlorine in the water to also penetrate alongside the moisturizer. Chlorine present in the water is an irritant to the skin. So, by doing this, it will increase the itchiness.

2. Shampoo And Soap

Most commercial shampoos and soaps contain ingredients that are irritating to baby’s skin. Look out for ingredients that are mild, gentle and non-irritants. Examples are vegetable-based coconut oil, palm oil, acetyl-glucosamine and cocoaminobetaine.

3. Diet

A baby’s diet is quite simple. Breast milk is the best for babies. Cow’s milk contains casein, which is a milk protein that could be an allergen. When babies and children are on solid food, you should avoid processed food, gluten and sugar as they are allergens and cause inflammation in the body.

4. Moisturizer

Eczema skin is usually dry and scaly and, therefore, a good, natural moisturizer is necessary to keep the skin moist and soft. Look out for ingredients such as aloe vera, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and others which contain no irritants, such as fragrance, colorings and harmful preservatives. Aloe vera is anti-inflammatory. Cocoa-butter is rich in vitamin E, which helps to soften the skin. Sweet almond oil contains ursolic acid and oleic acid, which are anti-inflammatory.

5. Nutrients

Besides managing the external skin condition, good nutrition is important in helping the baby fight the inflammation raging in the body.

Good quality Omega-3 supplementation is necessary. While you can get Omega-3 naturally from oily fish such as salmon, most commercial fish are contaminated with heavy metal, hormones and antibiotics.

Vitamins C, E and D are vital antioxidants that support the body’s defense system against the free radicals which attack during inflammation.

Steroid creams are normally prescribed to apply on the skin to alleviate the condition. Please do note that you risk the child developing addiction to the steroid cream and suffering from withdrawal from the addiction.

Try out these five ways to manage and alleviate your babies’ and children’s discomfort. This period will pass as most of them grow out of their eczema conditions.

Do you have any other ways to manage eczema in babies and children? If you do, share them with me in the comments box below!

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