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Eczema is fairly common in young children who tend to react to environmental allergens. Eczema is a kind of skin rash, which causes itching, redness, pain and inflammation of the skin. Too much heat and sweat can make the skin irritated and itchy. Rashes may spread to the arms, legs and trunk region though they typically occur on the face and the forehead.
The two common kinds of eczemas are contact dermatitis, which occurs when the child’s skin comes into contact with some chemical. Atopic dermatitis occurs due to an allergic reaction to environmental pollutants like dust, pollen or pet dander. Here are some natural cures to treat and prevent eczemas in children.
It is crucial to give the child a regular hot bath once every day. During summers, you can increase the frequency to twice a day. The water should not be too hot otherwise; it will dehydrate the skin and make it more prone to eczema. A hot bath will keep the skin dust free and pollen free and reduce irritation and allergies to environmental pollutants.
Keep the child’s skin well moisturized and hydrated if he/she is susceptible to eczemas. This you can do by applying a soothing lotion to the child’s skin as soon as he/she finishes a bath.
Applying lacto calamine is the best thing as it not only hydrates the skin but also soothes the irritated skin and gives relief from redness and itching.
A number of childhood eczemas are known to occur due to allergies to dairy and milk products. Milk gives important nutrition and should not be eliminated from the child’s diet. However, in case of a severe allergy, it is best to look for alternatives to dairy. Speak to your child’s paediatrician when you do come across an outbreak of eczema. In most cases, children outgrow eczema by the time they hit puberty and adolescence.
Young babies should not be exposed to bubble baths as these can severely dry out the skin. The soaps used to prepare the bubble bath may also prove to be potentially dehydrating and irritating to the baby’s skin so it best to skip the bubble baths altogether.
If the child or baby is allergic to dust mites, keep the room humid by using an artificial humidifier. This will enable the dust particles to settle down and prevent contact with the child’s skin. You can also place a pot of boiling water to humidify the room. Just ensure that the pot is out of the child’s reach.
The detergents you use to wash your baby’s clothes may cause eczemas or skin rashes on his/her skin.Use detergents and soaps that are very mild or hypoallergenic.
Hand wash your child’s clothes or wash them in the machine using a gentle rinse cycle. This will not irritate the baby or child’s super sensitive skin.
Some babies are allergic to their own spit up. Make sure you wipe away any spittle that the baby has taken out. If it froths or pools around his/her mouth, it can lead to an eczema breakout.
Atopic dermatitis often occurs due the fabric used in the garments, which may irritate the child’s skin. Switch to mild cotton and never make your child wear synthetic garments. Avoid nylon, rayon, silk and any other harsh fabrics.
A cool, wet compress can soothe the child’s irritated skin in case of a very severe skin rash. Use ice cubes as these are better substitutes to wet compresses.
Whenever the child feels itchy, put a couple of ice cubes on his/her skin. This will immediately subside the itching and give him/her some much-needed relief.
A little bit of healthy sunrays can do wonders for your baby’s skin. The ultra violet rays are said to subside the swelling and inflammation that occurs on the baby’s skin. Bring the baby indoors before he/she becomes severely sunburnt.
Dilute some baking soda in water and apply the paste on your child’s skin. This is said to be an effective remedy for eczema as it heals and soothes the irritated skin.
An oatmeal bath is a great natural cure for dealing with eczema in children. You can add a few bowlfuls of oatmeal to your child’s bath. This will help to reduce the itching and the inflammation on the skin that occurs with eczema.
If the weather outside fluctuates between warm and cold, dress the child in layers and remove the clothes one after the other in case things get a little toasty. Sweat and heat can aggravate the eczema and exacerbate the skin rashes.
You can use mild formulas of shea butter on your child’s skin. This is a good remedy for the treatment of eczema. Shea butter has moisturizing and soothing properties that helps to prevent the occurrence of eczemas on the baby’s skin. Do check with your doctor first if it is ok to use shea butter on your child’s skin.
If the child has developed eczema on his/her hands and legs, soak them in a bucket of tepid water. To this water, add some white vinegar. Vinegar is an excellent natural cure for treatment of wide variety of skin conditions. Its potent acidic effect helps to reduce the swelling and the redness caused by skin eczemas.
While babies may be too small to receive acupuncture, a slightly older child can use acupuncture, which is said to be rather effective in the treatment of eczema. A prominent acupuncture specialist will apply the acupuncture to the right points in the body and this will help to subside the rashes and the irritation. As stated earlier, make sure you check with your doctor before you use these alternative remedies to treat the eczema.
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