According to the National Eczema Association, about 10 percent of all children suffer from eczema. Eczema is a red, itchy rash that often starts early in life and lasts through adolescence. It usually comes and goes throughout the child’s life and can affect different parts of the skin from the face to the bottom. It can be very uncomfortable for the child to deal with so it’s important for parents to pay attention to their child’s skin so that they can help keep them comfortable.

* Avoiding Flare-Ups 

Super hot or super cold air along with repetitive contact with potential areas of infection can cause flare-ups. That’s why children often get eczema on their knees and their face. These are the areas that are most at risk of eczema. Keep that in mind and keep these areas clean and moisturized. 

* Check Your Child’s Diet 

Some food can react for children with eczema and cause a flare-up. Ask your child’s doctor if this could be the cause. Your child’s doctor might choose to conduct an allergy test to help eliminate any food issues.

* Treating Flare-Ups 

When, in spite of your best efforts, your child still has a flare-up, the best way to treat it is to keep the area clean, dry and moisturized. Also using some antibacterial ointment can help too.

* Treatment Choices 

Ointments such as bacitracin or steroid ointments are often prescribed by doctors to help treat eczema, especially if it’s very bad in children. Following your doctor’s recommendations is usually best when it comes to your child’s skin. Some doctors will recommend bleach baths to help cut down on the potential of staph infection.

* Short Daily Baths 

You want to avoid drying out the child’s skin too much, but you will need to give your child a daily bath of at least five to ten minutes. Keep the bath water warm instead of hot, and dry the skin thoroughly before applying ointments.

* Use Gentle Cleansers and Moisturizers 

The best cleansers and moisturizers to use have fewer ingredients and do not have perfumes included. The fewer ingredients, the less likely your child is to have an unintended reaction to the treatment. 

* Risks of Infection and Staph 

If your child has a lot of eczema there is a risk of infection, including staph and even MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) which can be life threatening. 

Treating your child’s eczema can be frustrating because you want to protect your child from discomfort, but it will sometimes seem that whatever you do isn’t good enough. The important thing is to, as much as possible, protect against further infection and reduce any discomfort your child might experience due to the skin condition. With regular treatment and avoiding triggers that might set off a reaction, you can make your child as comfortable as possible.