Lots of babies, older children and adults suffer from eczema during their lives. It can be mild or more severe, come and go or stick around for longer. There can be some common triggers that make it worse, and there are lots of treatments, but mostly eczema needs to be managed. It can be difficult if your little one has eczema. Their dry skin can be itchy, and even painful, and they might be too young to understand it. One of the harder things to deal with is the itching. Even if they know they shouldn’t scratch, children can easily forget and do it without thinking. If you need help stopping your little one from scratching, try some of these solutions.
Get Treatment Recommendations
If you think your child has eczema, make sure you get a diagnosis first. It’s not a good idea to try to treat eczema without one since there are lots of different treatments to try. Every child needs different treatments, and your best chance of getting it right is with professional advice. Your doctor can help you find the right combination of creams and moisturisers, identify triggers and develop a routine.
Control Triggers and Irritants
There are lots of things that can make your little one’s eczema worse and so make them even itchier. To help reduce the itching, look for triggers and irritants that could be having an effect on their eczema. There are lots of things that could make it worse, from food to laundry detergent or even being too hot. At bedtime, try to keep their bed cool, with light sheets, and apply moisturiser before bed. Avoid any harsh soaps or other toiletries, and try to work out if any foods could be a trigger.
Use Distraction
When you’re spending time with your child, distraction can be a good technique to get them to stop scratching. You can use it with children of lots of different ages, whether they’re babies or older. Direct them towards another activity they can do with their hands and to occupy their mind. They can pay attention to something else instead of wanting to scratch.
Protect Their Skin
Some children are too young to understand that they shouldn’t scratch or why they shouldn’t. For little ones, it can be a good idea to use scratch mits, so that if they do scratch it won’t damage their skin. They’re good for older children too, especially at night, when they might scratch unconsciously. They cover their arms with a light material but leave plenty of breathing room so they can still keep cool.
Teach Alternatives to Scratching
You can also show your children alternatives to scratching that might help to relieve the frustration of itching. These practices will help them satisfy the urge but without hurting them. For example, you can teach them to hold their arm or even lightly smack the area that’s itching.
Itchy eczema can be incredibly frustrating for both children and parents. But you can find ways to make it easier and deal with it, so you have a happier child.
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