Living With Eczema

'ECZEMA affects one in five children. It causes patches of dry, itchy red and flaking skin which can flare up and affect large areas of the body.
The condition hits each sufferer differently, but the key to success in all treatment is vigorous skin care.
The first step is to reduce contact with irritants.
Avoid soaps, including bubble bath and shampoos even if they say "baby, simple or low-allergen" on the label.
Anything can be an irritant so test new products on a clear bit of skin before using regularly.
Use cotton clothes and bedding that have been well rinsed after washing.
Moisturising is extremely important to restore the skin barrier. Find a moisturiser you are happy with and use it many times a day.
Scratching and rubbing releases an irritant chemical called histamine under the skin which makes the eczema much worse.
Keep nails short and put on long sleeves and mitts or medicated bandages to reduce the damage from scratching.
Steroid ointments are used on the worst patches to counteract inflammation.
Your doctor will choose a strength of cream, depending on the severity and where it is to be applied.
Antihistamines like Piriton reduce the itch and cause drowsiness to help your child sleep at night without scratching.
Antibiotics are used on weepy, infected skin.
Specialist clinics may treat severe cases with ultraviolet light, steroid tablets and immuno-suppressant medicines.
Thankfully, two thirds of children will grow out of the problem by their teens.
There is no cure for eczema yet, but scientists at Dundee University have recently discovered a malfunctioning gene present in many sufferers that causes a breakdown of the normal skin barrier.