When your child has atopic dermatitis, a flare is bound to happen from time to time. For any parent or caregiver, helping children deal with a moderate or severe atopic dermatitis flare can be a challenge. But while there’s no cure for the condition, there are ways to help your child manage the symptoms and thrive.
Rebuild the Moisture Barrier
Following a simple skin care routine can help keep your child’s skin barrier strong to keep in moisture and ease the symptoms of an atopic dermatitis flare. It can also go a long way toward keeping them away:
Bathe. The first step in easing your child’s atopic dermatitis flare is to put moisture back into their dry skin. They should have a bath or shower every day in lukewarm – not hot – water, using a gentle, soap-free cleanser that’s free of dyes and perfumes. Check with your doctor to see if oatmeal soaking products can be used in the bath. Don’t scrub or use anything rough like a sponge or loofah. Pat the skin dry afterward with a soft towel that’s been laundered with detergent made for sensitive skin.
If your doctor recommends it, a half-cup of plain household bleach in a full tub of water two to three times a week can head off skin infections. For an infant, use 2 tablespoons in an infant tub. Soak the skin for 10-15 minutes and then rinse off with plain, lukewarm water. Follow up with medication and moisturizer and pat dry.
Medicate. If your child uses prescription or over-the-counter topical medications, pat these gently onto the affected areas right after the bath or shower.
Moisturize. Apply a gentle, fragrance- and dye-free moisturizer for sensitive skin to the entire body. Creams or ointments tend to work better than lotions, because their thickness holds moisture in the skin better. Pat moisturizer on while skin is still damp from the bath and again throughout the day.
Dress. Dress your child in soft, loose-fitting clothes made of fabrics like cotton, rayon, or silk. Stay away from fabrics like wool, which can itch, or polyester, which can trap moisture and lead to irritation. Wash all clothes in a detergent made for sensitive skin.
Hydrate. Staying hydrated will help keep up the moisture levels in your child’s skin. Make sure they get plenty of fluids during the day. Water is the best source, but hydration or sports drinks that taste good can help kids drink more.
Wet Wrap Therapy
If your child has a serious flare with severe itching and pain, wet wrap therapy can help put badly needed moisture back into the skin. Besides easing the symptoms, it helps to make topical atopic dermatitis treatments work better. Talk to your doctor before trying this treatment to make sure it’s safe for your child. If done too often, wet wrap treatments can further damage the skin and leave it open to infection.
To do wet wrap therapy, you’ll wrap moistened dressings over the affected areas of your child’s skin, with a dry layer of comfortable clothing, such as pajamas or sweats, on top. A roll of medical gauze or cotton wound dressing is easiest to work with, or you can use clean items of clothing such as a soft T-shirt (white or undyed if possible).
The best time to do wet wrap therapy is right after your child’s bath or shower. When you’re ready, follow these steps:
- Moisten the dressing in warm water until it is slightly damp.
- Wrap the most dressing around the affected area (for hands and feet, use cotton gloves or socks as the wet layer).
- Wrap a dry dressing over the wet one – food-grade plastic wrap will help contain the moisture.
- Help your child carefully put on their pajamas without disturbing the bandages.
- Leave the bandages on for several hours or overnight.
Stop the Scratch
The urge to scratch the itch of atopic dermatitis can be overwhelming. But scratching damages the skin barrier that holds moisture in and sets up the itch-scratch cycle all over again. To cut a flare short, you need ways to break that cycle.
Set up a barrier. The easiest way to stop the scratch response is to block it. Clothes like long pants, arm sleeves, and gloves help buffer the need to scratch.
The link between the mind and the body is a strong one – and it can play a role in keeping your child from scratching the affected areas so their delicate skin can heal.
Swap sensations. One way to block “itchy” messages going from the nerves in your child’s skin to their brain is to create a sensation that competes with it. That could mean having them take a cool shower or put a cool washcloth or an ice pack on the affected area. The cool feeling will cancel out the ones signaling to your child to scratch.
It may help for your child to learn a different response, like squeezing a stress ball or spinning a fidget toy until the urge passes.
Create a distraction. Keeping your child focused on something other than the itch can lessen scratching as well, especially if it keeps their hands busy along with their mind. Books, toys, and creative hobbies like drawing or painting can all help refocus the brain’s attention.
Guided imagery. This is a relaxation technique you can use to help your child visualize something positive when they have the urge to scratch. For example, help them imagine a day at the amusement park using all their senses: the smell of popcorn, the sights and sounds of a roller coaster, the taste of cotton candy.
Managing stress. Researchers have long noted a link between stress and eczema flare-ups. By helping your child learn some relaxation techniques, they can lessen the impact of stress for themselves as a trigger.
Relaxation techniques can allow them to refocus their attention on something calming and increase awareness of their body. Common ones include:
- Deep breathing (taking slow, even breaths through the nose and out through the mouth)
- Progressive muscle relaxation (slowly tensing then relaxing muscle groups)
In addition, activities like journaling, making art, or listening to music can help your child relax and express their feelings.
There are many good relaxation techniques to choose from. Help your child find the one that works best for them, and make sure they practice it regularly to reap its benefits.
Stay With Your Program
Managing atopic dermatitis is a lifestyle. It can affect your whole family, not just the child who has it. That’s why it’s important to come up with strategies to manage it. Be a resource for your child – let them know you’re there with options to help soothe their condition and ease their frustration. Remember: Atopic dermatitis is an ongoing skin issue. Effective care means staying consistent and being persistent, and it takes a healthy dose of patience.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images
SOURCES:
Nemours KidsHelp: “Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis).”
Sutter Health: “Soothing your child’s eczema.”
National Eczema Association: “Wet Wrap Therapy,” “Wet Wraps: What They Are and How to Use Them,” “Helping your child cope with eczema at school,” “Helping Your Child Cope With Eczema,” “Science Has Spoken: Stress Relief Techniques Help Eczema.”
HealthyChildren.org: “How to Treat & Control Eczema Rashes in Children.”
