Kids Health – Eczema: What You Need To Know About Dermatitis

As parents, one of our top priorities is to ensure that our kids health is always in a good state. Perhaps it is an understatement to say that we are going to do anything and everything that we can just to make sure our children stay healthy and happy — like fighting off common diseases such as eczema.

From the moment we find out we are pregnant, the very first thing that every parent hope for is to have a happy and healthy baby. That’s what most of us is really concerned about – that our babies will be the healthiest baby possible.

Upon giving birth, our first question would normally be, “How’s our baby? Is he/she healthy?” It’s like it is innate for us, parents, to always look after our children’s health.

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Well, as the saying goes – health is wealth.

So, imagine if your baby develops sickness like eczema. It’s terrifying, right? Eczema may not be life-threatening, but the thought that it may be permanent or life-long is totally unacceptable.

Eczema refers to a group of “medical conditions that cause dry, discolored, itchy and inflamed skin,” according to the National Eczema Association. It’s a very common skin condition among babies and kids.

In fact, according to a data presented by the National Eczema Association, 31.6 million people (10.1%) in the United States are suffering from a certain form of eczema. As we have said, it is very common that one in every 10 individuals have the tendency to develop eczema during their lifetime. Usually, its prevalence peaks during early childhood.

Dealing with eczema is no easy feat. But having the right information, and with the help of experts in the medical field, there is a way to make things better. We mean, to deal with it better.

Having said that, we are going to talk about kids health, specifically, eczema. In particular, we are going to answer the following questions:

What is eczema?
What are the different types of eczema?
What are the symptoms of eczema?
What causes eczema in children?
How to treat eczema on children?

By the way, apart from answering questions, we are also going to share with you resources that are helpful if you want to know more about this condition.

WHAT IS ECZEMA?

As earlier mentioned, according to the National Eczema Association, eczema is being referred to as the “name for a group of conditions that cause the skin to become red, itchy and inflamed“.

The word eczema (also known as dermatitis) was derived from a Greek word, which means “to boil over,” which is an ideal description given the symptoms of eczema.

Eczema has several types. There’s atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, nummular eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and stasis dermatitis. Later on, I will share with you what exactly these types refer to.

Anyway, eczema is a very common skin condition — whether it be children or adults. In fact, there are over 30 million people in the US who have a certain form of eczema.

Normally, eczema is manageable, and not life-threatening. However, flare-ups can get really irritating and uncomfortable.

Usually, babies and children develop eczema on their face. However, it can also appear anywhere else in the body as every child, after all, is different. It’s common among children to outgrow eczema especially if they developed it at such a young age. However, in some children, it may continue up into adulthood.

KIDS HEALTH – ECZEMA: GENERAL INFORMATION

If you want to widen your knowledge about eczema, we recommend checking the following resources:

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECZEMA?

As mentioned, there are several types of eczema. Here are some of the most common types of this skin condition according to NEA:

Atopic dermatitis – Of all the types of eczema, this atopic dermatitis is the most popular one. It is a condition that is caused by a malfunction in the immune system. Also, it has something to do with problems with the skin barrier.
Contact dermatitis – Contact dermatitis refers to a result of skin touching a known irritant and/or allergen.
Dyshidrotic eczema – This type of eczema transpires on a person’s feet and hands. It looks like itchy blisters, usually triggered by exposure to allergens.
Neurodermatitis (also known as lichen simplex chronicus) – Neurodermatitis results in thick, scaly patches on the skin. It is normally caused by too much scratching and rubbing of the skin.
Nummular eczema (also known as discoid eczema) – Nummular eczema is commonly triggered by allergens or very dry skin. It appears as round lesions that can weep fluid, particularly in older populations.
Seborrheic dermatitis – Seborrheic dermatitis refers to white or yellow flaky, greasy patches in places with more oil-producing glands. It is usually caused by a combination of genetics, hormones, and microorganisms on the skin.
Stasis dermatitis – Stasis dermatitis occurs when poor circulation to the legs causes the veins to swell and leak fluid, which then causes swelling and skin redness and itch. It happens mostly in older populations.

KIDS HEALTH – ECZEMA: TYPES OF ECZEMA

Know more about the different types of eczema, by reading the following blog posts:

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ECZEMA?

One thing that is very important to remember when it comes to eczema is that the symptoms differ from one person to another. How eczema looks in your child’s skin may not be the same on another child or adult. More so, eczema symptoms may even appear in different parts of the body at different times.

Normally, eczema tends to be very itchy. For most people, the itch is generally mild or moderate. However, in some cases, it can be worse than it may even develop inflamed skin. There are also instances when the itch gets really bad that people tend to scratch it until it bleeds, which is not good as it might even worsen your eczema.

Now, the question is, how do you know it’s eczema? What are the symptoms?

In the video below, Dr. Lewis of The University of Vermont Medical Center discusses children and eczema. He shares how parents can determine whether or not their child’s itchy skin is eczema or something else. Watch the full video by hitting the play button.

As we have said, symptoms vary from one person to another. However, some of the common ones according to NEA include:

Red, inflamed skin
Very bad itching
Dry, sensitive skin
Dark-colored patches of skin
Rough, leathery or scaly patches of skin
Oozing or crusting
Areas of swelling

When it comes to eczema symptoms, keep in mind that it’s either your kid develop all of the symptoms or just a few. Sometimes, these symptoms may lead to some flare-ups, or they could just go away entirely.

The best thing to do to know if it’s really eczema is of course to consult a doctor. He or she can look and assess the condition of the skin or may ask to have more tests done to be sure.

WHAT CAUSES ECZEMA ON CHILDREN?

Kids health is honestly a crucial topic. As parents, we need to be aware of the different possibilities when it comes to sickness that our children may acquire. For health cases like eczema, it’s important that we know what causes or what triggers its symptoms to make management easier.

Unfortunately, the main cause of eczema is still unknown. Yes, even in this digital age, medical and health experts still have not found the real cause of eczema. However, experts believe that the combination of genetic and environmental factors have a huge part in it.

Setting facts straight — eczema is not contagious. It does not pass from one person to another.

When it comes to babies and children though, they are more likely to develop eczema if one of their parents has the said condition or another atopic disease.

All the more that the risk is greater if both parents have an atopic disease.

Meanwhile, here are some environmental factors that have been found to bring out symptoms of eczema according to Medical News Today:

Irritants – Irritants include soaps, detergents, shampoos, and disinfectants, as well as juices from fresh fruits, meats, or vegetables.
Allergens – This refers to dust mites, pets, pollens, mold, and dandruff that can lead to eczema.
Microbes – Microbes include bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, viruses, and certain fungi.
Hot and cold temperatures – Yes, temperature also triggers eczema. Being exposed to very hot or cold weather, high and low humidity, and perspiration from exercise can bring out eczema symptoms.
Foods – There are certain types of foods that trigger eczema symptoms, which include dairy products, eggs, nuts and seeds, soy products, and wheat.
Stress – This is not a direct cause of eczema, however, it has been found to make symptoms worse. Oh, and yes, even babies get stressed, too!

HOW TO TREAT ECZEMA ON CHILDREN?

Since we are talking about kids health specifically eczema, we’ll focus on treatments of eczema that are done on children.

Before anything, please keep in mind that these treatment’s result varies from one child to another. What works for your child may or may not work for another child. To be honest, there really is no such thing as “right” eczema treatment in children. It will all depend on how your child’s skin will react to the treatment.

Now, here are some recommended eczema treatments for children:

1. Bleach Bath

A bleach bath is found to be an effective tool in reducing inflammation as well as bacteria on the skin of kids with eczema. NEA says that the concentration of bleach in the bath is about that of a chlorinated swimming pool.

Furthermore, the American Academy of Dermatology encourages parents to practice the following whenever they give bleach bath to their kids with eczema:

Use a measuring cup to be able to get the exact amount of bleach needed. Add it to the water. Please note that having too much bleach may irritate the child’s skin, while too little of it may not help ease eczema symptoms.
Do NOT apply bleach directly to the child’s eczema.
Make sure to talk to your dermatologist about starting bleach bath therapy including how long your child should soak to be sure. However, according to AAD, most dermatologists recommend 5 to 10 minutes per bathing session.

2. Wet Wrap Therapy

At times when your kid is going through an intense flare with severe itching or pain, experts recommend doing the wet wrap therapy. This helps rehydrate and calm the skin, at the same time, boost the efficiency of topical medications applied to the skin.

Ideally, wet wraps must be done in the evening particularly after taking a bath, moisturizing, and then applying the medication.

3. Over-the-Counter Treatments

Yes, there are over-the-counter eczema treatments available. You can purchase them at your local pharmacies. These OTC treatments include mild corticosteroids, moisturizers, gentle cleansers, mineral oil, petroleum jelly, or tar-based products.

These treatments may help prevent as well as control eczema symptoms in your child.

4. Prescription Treatments

As the term suggests, these treatments are prescribed by a doctor. There are three types of prescription treatments for eczema, which include:

Topical Medications — These are applied directly to the skin.
Phototherapy — This is also known as light therapy, wherein it exposes the skin to a special type of light called ultraviolet B (UVB) using a walk-in machine.
Immunosuppressant Medications — This particularly prescription treatment is used on children with severe cases of eczema. The immunosuppressants help control or suppress the immune system.

5. Moisturizers

Drying of the skin is the number one trigger for eczema. Thus, keeping your child’s skin moisturized is the best way to prevent the skin from drying up.

When choosing a moisturizer, make sure to opt for products that are gentle on your baby’s skin. There are a lot of moisturizers that are specifically intended for eczema patients though, so we highly recommend you choose those. Better yet, you ask your child’s doctor for his or her recommendation.

6. Alternative Treatments

There are plenty of natural treatments that have been shown to be effective in managing eczema — treating and preventing the symptoms. Although, most of the studies conducted have focused on the effects on adults. So, to be sure, consult your child’s doctor first before starting any natural remedies for your child’s eczema.

KIDS HEALTH – ECZEMA: TREATMENTS

If you want to learn more about eczema treatments, check these resources out:

KIDS HEALTH – ECZEMA: MANAGEMENT

Meanwhile, if you want to know more about how to manage eczema, you may check the following resources:

FINAL THOUGHTS ON KIDS HEALTH

As we have said earlier, our kids health is always our top priority as parents – from the moment of conception up until they’re old. We always want to ensure that they are healthy and happy.

However, sometimes, no matter how much we try to keep them away from any diseases or sickness, they still get infected or so. In this case of eczema, it’s either our children inherit them from us or simply because of environmental factors. Thus the need to be educated to be able to respond and act on it the right way.

As a parent how do you respond to children’s diseases like eczema? How do you protect your kids health?

Again, at the end of the day, we will do our best and we will do anything and everything – whether it be fighting off eczema or something else – to ensure our kids health is at its best.