One in five children will experience eczema

Central heating, carpets, pollutants, household chemicals, pets, fast foods, heredity – whatever the reason, there’s no doubt that childhood eczema is a growing problem.

There’s some good news, however: it’s not contagious and 60–70% of childhood sufferers will be clear by their early teens.

If eczema persists into the teenage years, it can create self-esteem problems and interfere with studying and exams. Managing teenage eczema can minimise these problems (see Tubifast™ Garments Patch Wrap).

Itching and scratching

Younger children can find it difficult to resist the urge to scratch – it’s a natural reaction, after all. But scratching an itch creates a vicious circle – the more you scratch, the more you itch – which worsens the condition and, in some cases, leads to bleeding, skin infection and thickening of the skin.

Avoiding the triggers

Managing eczema is about trying to avoid the things that set it off while, at the same time, using emollients and wraps to keep the skin moist.

It’s a good idea to keep a diary of what places, fabrics, foods and occurrences seem to make the condition worse and plan to avoid them.

Try to minimise scratching (see Tubifast Gloves) with distraction games and establish routines, such as emollient therapy and wet or dry wrapping*, to soothe and moisturise the child’s skin.

*Wet wrapping should only be done if a healthcare practitioner advises it.