Eczema and babies is actually more common then some might think. There’s not a lot written on the treatment of it, so new parents can be a little dumbfounded by the sight of the skin condition on their little bundle of joy. But there is hope, it’s not that hard to treat. You realize it yet, but in the next two minutes you’re going to feel a breath of relief come over you when you realize how simple the treatment is.

Bathing

When it comes bathing babies with eczema there are two schools of thought. Either bathe the child very often or very little. The common theme in both is to keep the skin from drying out. Dry skin is the most common trigger to eczema flareups.

The first one we’ll talk about is bathing 3 times per day. This was actually recommended to us by our son’s allergist. This way seems to work the best in most cases. But there are specific guidelines in using this method.

First, each bath has to be a “soak” for at least 15 minutes long. And do not use soap. Soaps can dry the skin. If you absolutely have to use soap, opt for the moisturizing kind like dove or ivory.

Second, you have to put on some sort of petroleum based lubricant, like Vaseline or it’s generic equivalents, all over his/her entire body immediately after getting out of the water. This will keep the baby from drying out.

The second method of bathing deals with restricting your baby’s baths to 2 or 3 times per week. Some doctors recommend this because water is known to dry out the skin. When water evaporates it actually leaves the skin drier than it was before it got wet. Also, no soap is to be used. And if you must, use a moisturizing one. Towel dry after baths and use Vaseline as needed.

Hydrocortisone 1%

Talk to your child’s pediatrician about using hydrocortisone 1%. They will be able to prescribe this very mild steroid. Follow your doctor’s suggestions for use. But it is most likely that he or she they will tell you to use it 2 to 3 times per day. Be careful with it’s use because, as with any drug, it can be overused and can have harmful side effects.

Keep Them From Scratching

And lastly, as much as possible keep them from scratching. A good way to do that is to put mittens on your baby’s hands. Or if your baby is very active and has a tendency to slip them off, you can put socks on their arms.

It is very important to keep them from scratching because it can cause the skin to break, which can lead to infection.

Having a baby with eczema can be very nerve wracking. But following these simple guidelines & methods will help keep flareups away. Take comfort in the fact that eczema in babies typically go away after the age of five or so.