The American Academy of Dermatology is offering tips to help children with eczema, an itchy, dry skin condition that often has no clear cause.
Especially when doctors can’t pinpoint an allergy causing a child’s skin irritation, good skin care is the best option, dermatologists said.
Here are the academy’s best tips to reduce the severity and frequency of eczema flare-ups:
— Bathe your child in warm – not hot – water, and limit the bath time to five or 10 minutes.
— Use mild cleanser, minimally, and never bubble bath.
— Consider twice-per-week baths with bleach, but ask your child’s dermatologist.
— Choose a thick cream or ointment for moisturizer, with no fragance. Consider petroleum jelly.
— Apply moisturizer twice a day, at least.
— Talk to your child’s dermatologist about wrap therapy to reduce swelling and decrease the desire to scratch.
— Keep your child’s fingernails short and smooth.
— Use a laundry detergent for sensitive skin.
— Buy clothes without tags.
The academy also posted a video called “Tips to Help Your Child Feel Better.”