Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is a condition that causes a person to develop patches of dry, red, scaly and itchy skin on their face or body, and affects not only adults but babies as well.
What is baby/child eczema?
Babies may suffer from eczema within the first few months of being born – with 90% of children developing the condition before the age of five (Source: Allergy Centre Malaysia). Eczema will usually appear on their cheeks, neck, behind the ears and joints between the arms and legs.
Eczema affects nearly 20% of children in Malaysia
If not treated properly, eczema can turn into blisters and leave scars. Besides that, babies with eczema may also develop similar symptoms with other allergic conditions such as asthma. This is because a baby’s immunity is not fully developed to withstand infections and allergies.
Eczema triggers
It is important to note that eczema affects everyone differently. As such, the triggers may not be the same from one person to another.
Listed below are some possible triggers:-
- Genetics : If your family has eczema, chances are your child will get it too.
- Food : Certain foods such as nuts, wheat, soy, shellfish, eggs and dairy products can cause inflammation of the skin. These types of food should also be avoided in a mother’s diet especially if you are a breastfeeding mum.
- Environmental : Eczema triggers emanating from environmental factors include animals, pollen and smoke.
- Irritants : Fabrics like wool and polyester, as well as, dyes used for clothing, and chemical irritants found in soaps, shampoos, detergents and certain fragrances can cause eczema to flare-up.
Tips to treat eczema
Let’s get one thing straight: There is NO cure for eczema BUT it can be managed to prevent it from flaring up or getting worse. Thus, adopting a proper skin care routine for your child can help keep their skin looking healthy.
Good news is most babies will eventually grow out of eczema. However, there are some who may continue to suffer well into their adulthood.
Well then, here are 6 tips to help relieve your child’s eczema flare-ups:-
Miracles of breastfeeding & breast milk
Studies show that children who were exclusively breastfed for the first three months of their life were less likely to experience eczema flare-ups. Just a reminder if you are a breastfeeding mum : Avoid certain foods in your diet such as nuts, wheat, soy, eggs and dairy products as these can cause inflammation of your baby’s skin.
Anti-inflammatory food diet
As mentioned above, certain types of food can trigger your child’s eczema to flare-up. Hence, it is advisable to avoid those foods. Instead, add into your breastfeeding diet or feed your child anti-inflammatory foods including:-
Give them a warm bath
Sometimes the simplest things work. In this case, give your baby a warm bath using lukewarm water – not too hot and not too cold – for 10 to 15 minutes. After their bath, remember to gently pat the skin dry and do not rub.
Use mild or unscented fragrance soap and shampoo
Some soaps and shampoos contain chemical irritants that can trigger eczema flare-ups. Chemicals to avoid include:-
Choose the right clothing and laundry detergents
Avoid putting on clothes that are made of wool or synthetic fabric materials, such as nylon and polyester, on your child as these can cause them to feel hot, sweaty and itchy.
Furthermore, take note that some textile dyes for clothing can trigger eczema flare-ups as these may bleed onto the skin and cause an allergic reaction.
The solution is getting them to wear clothing made of cotton (preferably 100% cotton) as it is soft and gentle on the skin, cool and breathable, and great at absorbing sweat, as well as, light coloured clothes as these generally contain less dye.
As for laundry detergents, chemicals to avoid are similar to that of soap and shampoo. Hence, use mild or unscented fragrance laundry detergents and softeners.
Moisturise regularly
Fortunately, there are over-the-counter (OTC) medications, creams and lotions that help control the itching and repair the skin.
It is recommended to apply moisturiser on the affected area daily after their bath or even if they do not show any signs of eczema. This helps to keep the skin hydrated throughout the day.
As a suggestion, create a moisturising routine by following these simple steps:-
Step 1 : Cleanse
Cleanse your child’s skin from redness and irritation with an extra gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip away the skin’s natural moisture levels like Ezerra Extra Gentle Cleanser, which is SLS/SLES-free, non-steroidal and suitable for extended use on babies as young as 2 weeks old.
Directions : Apply a small amount directly on skin or apply with a wet washcloth and smooth all over the skin gently. Do not use vigorous rubbing motions. Rinse off with clean water.
Step 2 : Relieve
Relieve your baby’s skin with moisturising creams that are designed to reduce itch, calm skin and provide deep hydration like Ezerra Cream, which is formulated with natural key ingredients including water-based and plant-derived active ingredients such as Stimutex-AS to relieve skin of itchiness and redness, as well as, Saccharide Isomerate to restore skin barrier.
Directions : Apply 2-3 times a day on the affected areas after cleansing your child’s skin. Lightly dab and spread the cream with your fingers. Use regularly for optimum results.
Step 3 : Maintain
When there is insufficient moisture to the skin cells, irritation is prone to occur. Ezerra Lotion is specially formulated to maintain intensive hydration to the skin by sealing in essential moisture for all-day comfort. Ideal for after-bath application to maintain moisture over large areas of the body.
Directions : Apply on clean skin after bath. Use gentle sweeping motions to spread the lotion all over the body. Apply 2-3 times a day or more as and when needed. Use regularly for optimum results.
Important Notice: These suggestions are suitable for baby/child with low to mild symptoms of eczema. In severe cases of eczema, it is best to seek medical attention.
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