how to deal with baby eczema flare up how to deal with baby eczema flare up

When your little one has an eczema flare-up, life can be pretty miserable. They can come out of nowhere and results in lots of tears and sad faces. It’s a problem that affects 10-20% of young children worldwide, resulting in Mums and Dads scouring the market for the most effective eczema flare up treatments.

In this article, we offer some useful eczema flare up tips  to help you navigate these tricky waters, providing some insight into the causes and symptoms you should be looking out for. So, let’s start by looking at the causes of these flare-ups that cause so much irritation.

What Might Cause an Eczema Flare Up in Babies ?

To begin with, a baby’s skin is fragile – much more fragile than those of adults. As a consequence, it’s more susceptible to becoming irritated and losing hydration. As such, there are a number of reasons why atopic dermatitis occurs in children, with around 30% of cases being caused by food allergies.

In children, a range of things can cause a flare up:

  • Bubble bath soaps – a common cause of eczema issues
  • Temperature change – flare ups are commonly caused by baby overheating
  • Pollen – particularly prevalent during tree pollen season (February-June) & grass pollen season (June-Augusts)
  • Dryness in the air – common in Summer & when heating/air conditioning is used
  • Food allergies – nuts, wheat & dairy
  • Pets – some tips of pet hair & dander can lead to problems
  • Clothing – some wools & synthetic fibres can cause inflammation
  • Chlorine – something to think about when visiting the swimming baths

Stress – caused by vaccinations, teething or even Mummy/Daddy stress

If you’ve not got a clear idea of what’s triggering your baby’s eczema flare ups, it’s often a good idea to start keeping an eczema diary.

Track Your Child’s Flareups With an Eczema Diary Here

What Does a Baby Eczema Flare Up Look Like?

As a parent, it’s important that you know exactly how an atopic dermatitis flare up presents in young children. In truth, it’s pretty easy to spot. Commonly found on the face, scalp, torso, arms, legs and feet (so, basically everywhere), it’s characterised by skin that’s a darker red than their natural skin tone.

Usually occurring during the first six months of life, symptoms include:

  • Mild to severe itchiness
  • Bumpiness of texture
  • Possible oozing & weeping
  • Dry, scaly skin

A flare up can also be accompanied by a change in the mood of your child. Naturally, an eczema flare up in kids  can be quite painful and uncomfortable, so you should keep a watchful eye on unexplained changes in your baby’s state of mind.

So, Which Eczema Flare Up Treatments Exist?

We’ve looked at the causes and symptoms of eczema flare ups in children, so now we look at the best eczema flare up treatments  available.

Treatment #1 –  Bathing & Moisturising

Perhaps the most common way parents react when an eczema flare up occurs is to bathe their children with a mild cleanser and warm water. You need to be 100% sure that you avoid using hot water, as it can have a dehydrating effect – which is the last thing you need.

Some parents choose to treat infant eczema with petroleum jelly (a.k.a Vaseline) to lock in the post-bath moisture or use a GP-prescribed emollient cream. Used at least twice a day, this method can provide temporary relief from the problem.

The problem:While this kind of treatment can soothe the tears a flare up brings, it does little to treat the causes behind it. As such, it’s something you’ll need to do again and again just to keep the symptoms under control.

Treatment #2 – Hydrocortisone Creams

 

The next of our infant eczema flare up treatments  is available over the counter in its weaker forms. Visit your local pharmacy, and you can get hydrocortisone creams up to a 1% strength, although anything stronger than that will require a visit to the GP.

You have to be very careful when using steroid creams on the skin of young children. This kind of option can significantly reduce inflammation but should be used for no longer than 7 days or it can end up permanently damaging the epidermis.

The problem: This is very much a short-term solution, so it often results in flare ups coming back shortly after the 7-day period. Again, just treating the symptoms means that the issue is simply lurking under the surface, waiting to return.

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Treatment #3 – Eczema Clothing

Our last option is HappySkin polymer coated eczema clothing – a solution to your baby eczema flare up  problems that actually deal with the condition of atopic dermatitis rather than simply managing the symptoms. One of the major drivers of eczema is dryness caused by the skin’s inability to manage its own moisture levels and temperature.

HappySkin garments are manufactured from super-soft TENCEL/cotton fabric and coated with revolutionary DreamSkin technology. Proven to stimulate the skin’s subdermal sensors and restore the sweating process, the epidermis is once again able to control its temperature by sweating when it’s hot and retaining moisture when it’s cold.

The difference: Worn next to your baby’s skin on a daily basis, HappySkin garments slowly but surely allow the skin to heal. In truth, this cutting-edge clothing represents the only long-term solution to your child’s eczema.

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Say Goodbye to Irritating Infant Eczema Flare Ups

Now you’ve come to the end of our baby eczema flare up tips , one thing should be extremely apparent – most treatments on the market simply hide the issue without really getting to the heart of the problem. Sure, the regular creams people use can temporarily stop the irritation, but must be repeated – sometimes 2 or 3 times every day.

HappySkin eczema body suits and sleepsuits gently relieve the problem, providing a catalyst for healing. They’re so effective that our garments are Made for Mums-Approved, as well as being Mother & Baby Tried and Tested! Providing the gentlest eczema treatment available, our garments allow parents to look forward to a future where their child’s skin is happy!

If you’d like to know more about this revolution in infant eczema treatment, you should visit us today at www.happyskin.com. There you’ll see the full range of products, as well as many stories of how our products have changed people’s lives. Alternatively, call 01707 260 505 to have one of our experts answer any questions you might have.

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