Supporting Your Child with Eczema

Seeing a rash on your child’s skin can be alarming, especially if it bleeds or oozes. You might assume it’s something harmful, but oftentimes these are signs of eczema. Eczema may be itchy or painful, but you can take steps to reduce or stop flare-ups.

Experienced dermatologist Vitaly Blatnoy, MD, and his team at Orlando Dermatology Center routinely treat eczema in babies and children. At offices in Oviedo, Orlando, Lake Mary, and Casselberry, Florida, Dr. Blatnoy and the team can confirm if the recurrent rash you see is eczema. 

In this article, we describe what eczema looks like and how you can support your child if they have it. 

Recognizing eczema

A rash on a baby's skin will almost always raise concern, even if it turns out to be something that will disappear on its own, like a heat rash. Your dermatologist can examine it to confirm what it is and rule out other possibilities.

Eczema causes dry and itchy rashes across the skin. Babies and small children often get symptoms on their cheeks or scalp, but it’s possible to develop eczema almost anywhere on the body. 

An eczema flare-up might cause:

• Severe itching
• Dry skin
• Bumps
• Swelling
• Oozing and crusting
• Disrupted sleep

Eczema rashes can range in color according to the child’s skin tone. Eczema rashes tend to appear red on lighter skin tones and brown or purple on darker skin tones. 

How eczema develops

Eczema stems from a combination of genetic (inherited) factors and environmental triggers. If a baby or child has eczema, their skin’s moisture barrier doesn’t work properly. 

Environmental triggers of eczema vary from child to child, and it can take time to notice what triggers your child’s rash. Some common examples are:

• Pet dander
• Plant pollen
• Laundry detergents
• Soaps
• Clothing fibers
• Wipes
• Lotions
• Temperatures, like high heat
• Allergies
• Smoke or other air pollutants

Avoiding known triggers is usually one of the most effective ways to help manage a child’s eczema. 

Supportive steps to take

Not all eczema flare-ups are avoidable, so your child may get a rash even if you’ve taken every possible step to avoid the triggers that cause them. Other ways to support your child with eczema include:

Choose unscented products

Scented products like lotions and detergents can irritate your child’s skin. While shopping, make sure to buy fragrance-free moisturizers, laundry detergents, and other products that will directly or indirectly contact your child’s skin. 

Applying moisturizer regularly can help soothe your child’s skin and support the healing of the moisture barrier. Apply the moisturizer to your child’s skin after baths and several times throughout the day. 

Pat dry with a towel

You might be used to rubbing your child’s skin with a towel after they spend time in the water, even if it’s just a bath at home. Rubbing a towel on skin with eczema can worsen the irritation, so it’s best to pat your child’s skin dry instead. 

Choose cotton clothing

Breathable fabrics like cotton can allow your child’s skin to breathe without triggering more irritation. Choose 100% cotton clothes for your child when possible. 

Stop smoking

For many people, smoking is a habit that comes without thinking. If your child has eczema, secondhand smoke can trigger their eczema. You can support your child by stopping smoking or keeping all smoke away from your child. 

Prevent scratching

It’s your child’s instinct to scratch their skin when it feels itchy, but doing so can worsen eczema, cause bleeding, and lead to infections. Preventing scratching can be a challenge, but you should take every opportunity. Try these tips:

• Have them sleep in gloves
• Distract them with activities
• Find other ways to soothe the itch, like applying a cool washcloth to the skin
• Dress them in long clothing that’s hard to reach under

Eczema treatment can improve the itching, too, so the best thing you can do is help your child follow their eczema treatment plan. 

Get in touch 

If your child has a rash that needs evaluation, don’t hesitate to call Orlando Dermatology Center to book an appointment or schedule your visit online.