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Parent’s Guide

Parent’s Guide: Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

Eczema is a chronic skin condition, common in children, that causes dry, sensitive skin and recurrent itchy rashes. While there is no "cure," you can manage it effectively to keep your child comfortable.

1

🔎Identifying Eczema

  • The Main Symptom: Itching. The general rule is: “If it doesn’t itch, it’s not eczema.”
  • The Rash: Red, dry patches. During flare-ups, they may become raw or weepy.
  • Location:
    • Babies: Cheeks, scalp, outer arms, and legs.
    • Older Kids: Creases of elbows, wrists, and knees.

2

🚨 When to Get Help

Call 911 Now

  • You suspect a life-threatening emergency.

Call Doctor Now or Go to ER

  • Infection: The rash has spreading redness, pus, soft oozing scabs, or yellow crusts.
  • Blisters: Many small blisters or “punched-out” sores appear.
  • Fever: Your child has a fever along with an infected-looking rash.
  • Newborns: Any fever in a baby under 12 weeks.

Contact in 24hrs

  • The eczema is very painful to touch.
  • Itching is still severe after using steroid cream for 24-48 hours.
3

✅Daily Maintenance (Prevention)

Since Eczema is chronic, daily skin care is the key to preventing flare-ups.

 Bathing

  • Frequency: One daily bath (10 minutes) in lukewarm water.
  • Soaps: Avoid soaps. Use warm water only, or a non-soap cleanser. Never use bubble bath.
  • The “3-Minute Rule”: Apply moisturizer within 2-3 minutes of getting out of the bath while the skin is still damp. This traps the moisture in.

Moisturizing

  • Product: Use thick creams (like Aveeno or Eucerin) or ointments (like Vaseline). Lotions are often too thin.
  • Routine: Apply 2-3 times daily, every single day. Do not stop even when the skin looks clear.

Avoiding Triggers

  • Fabrics: Stick to cotton. Avoid wool and scratchy materials.
  • Environment: Dry air makes it worse (use a humidifier).
  • Irritants: Chlorine, harsh chemicals, and grass/pollen can trigger itching.
  • Herpes Virus: Keep your child away from anyone with a cold sore (fever blister). This virus can cause a severe infection in eczema skin.
4

🧴Treating Flare-Ups

When the skin gets red and itchy, moisturizer alone isn’t enough.

Step 1: Steroid Creams

  • Mild Flares: Use 1% Hydrocortisone cream (OTC).
  • Application: Put the steroid cream only on the itchy/red spots. Put the moisturizing cream on top (or on the rest of the body).
  • Timeline: Use 2 times per day until the rash quiets down, then taper off.

Step 2: Stop the Itch

  • Bedtime: Itching often gets worse at night. If your doctor approves, you can use an antihistamine (like Benadryl or Zyrtec) to help them sleep and stop scratching.
  • Protection: Keep fingernails short. For babies, use socks or mittens on their hands to prevent damage from scratching.
5

🥜Is it a Food Allergy?

  • Connection: About 30%-40% of babies with severe eczema have food allergies (usually cow’s milk or eggs).
  • Signs: The skin gets red and itchy within 2 hours of eating a specific food.
  • Action: Talk to your doctor before cutting out foods. They may suggest a 2-week elimination test.

Medically Reviewed by Dr Michael Villadelgado
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you use it. If you are unsure, always call your doctor.