Eczema is often known as Atopic Dermatitis. It is a very common skin problem that is mostly seen in adults. But sometimes, this extremely irritating skin condition makes some children their easy prey. Even a grown up gets tremendously annoyed if he or she is suffering from eczema and if we talk about these little angels, the situation becomes more pathetic as they are unable to take care of themselves and follow the rules of self discipline to get rid of these itchy rashes.

When kids suffer from eczema, the condition becomes really bothersome for them as well their parents. As they have no maturity to understand how to maintain their skin, they end up scratching these rashes, unknowingly, when they are completely busy with their homework or their favorite game. When they accidentally scratch these rashes, they end up increasing the problem to another step.

The dermatologists often refer eczema as a vicious circle in case of children. This is because children often rub the particular spot and scratch it continuously when it itches. When they do this regularly, the irritation hardly gets any chance to heal and it adds to the irritation, redness and inflammation. In several cases, it has been detected that the problems never end and the child bears this irritation throughout their life.

It is very difficult for a child to live with eczema, much more than adults. Often they are bullied and hated by other kids of their age for the damaged texture of the skin. So, it may lead to mental trauma as well. Therefore, it is highly necessary for all the parents to take their child to dermatologists and teach the kid properly about the ways to deal with it.

What are the common signs of this problem?

The signs of eczema in children are similar to that of adults. In the initial stages, some itchy rashes may appear on this skin. After sometime, on repeated scratching, these will become red and desiccated. Slowly the skin will become scaly, rough and pink. Sometimes these rashes even get infected and start discharging some liquids, making the whole skin look nasty and disgusting.

If the case is severe and the infection has spread to other parts of the body, then the skin appears raw, scaly and it even bleeds at times! In children, these rashes start appearing very early. Sometimes when these rashes get infected by bacteria or virus, the skin may become more prone to superinfections, which are highly irritating and dangerous as well.

Childhood eczema rashes mostly appear on cheeks, legs, and arms, if your kid is very young. By the time he/she is 10, these rashes may show up on forehead, knees, inner elbows and ankles of the foot. If properly treated, their occurrence may be reduced, but sadly, there is no permanent cure. These are more likely to reappear on the skin. The only thing is, sometimes the kids’ parents mistake these to be normal skin rashes and leave those untreated for long.

What causes childhood eczema?

The good news is- it’s not a communicable skin disorder. So, don’t think that this skin disorder has got transmitted from someone in your child’s school or friend circle. The surprising part is, someone from your family may be responsible for this. Yes, most of the time, the skin experts say that this problem is hereditary. Other than this, if your child is overeating or is obese, then he/she is more prone to this skin disorder.

If you live in a place where the climate is always dry then it is advised to keep your kid’s skin safe from the sun, dust and excessive smoke. Higher consumption of milk products and foods made of wheat can result into childhood eczema. Last but not the least; if your child is stressed, then it can give birth to skin problems and eczema is one of them.

How can childhood eczema be treated?

It can be treated well if you consult an experienced dermatologist. However, there is no permanent solution to this problem but, it has been noticed that in some children, this problem gets reduced by the time they reach their teens. But, one thing should be remembered, even if the rashes are gone after the treatment, these have the propensity to come back and attack the same place, hence utmost care should be taken.

Treatment via medicines

Treatment of childhood eczema is done through topical steroids or with other medicines that do not contain any steroids at all. Medicines like Protopic and Elidel are often used but, if your child is under 2 years, then continuous use of these medicines for a long time should be avoided.

Mild and over the counter creams like hydrocortisone creams can easily be used on your baby’s delicate skin. But if the rashes are infected, then strong steroids are used. However, doctors don’t recommend these strong steroids for treating very young kids; instead they prescribe mid-potency steroids (such as Dermatop, Elocon, and hydrocortisone butyrate). Prolonged use of these medicines cause thinning of the skin and makes it look stretchy. Moreover, they are also not for using in delicate areas like the face and buttocks.

Non-steroidal medicines like Elidel and Protopic are recommended for kids who are more than 2 years old. You have to apply them on the affected areas, twice a day. These can be effectively applied on the face. They help to get rid of the burning sensation if they are used from the initial stages.

Antihistamines can provide huge relief from disturbed sleep due to itching and burning of eczema. If your kid has the tendency to wake up in the middle of the night due to the irritation caused by the rashes, then medicines like Benadryl will works great for him.

Things that parents should keep in mind!

When the eczema rashes on your child’s body get shoddier, it is advisable to stop using beauty soaps on them. Dust and over exposure to the sun can make the case, out of control; so it’s better to keep your child away from these too. Foods that cause allergy should be avoided. Heavy sweating can increase the irritation; hence make your kid wear comfortable clothes.

Make sure that your child takes a bath regularly in warm water with a mild, medicated and moisturizer based soap. Soon after giving him a bath, use a mild and greasy moisturizer to keep the skin away from dryness, but don’t use any oil on the skin.