Eczema is a skin condition that results in extremely dry and irritated skin. This means that the person suffering from it feels a very strong urge to itch themselves continuously. The more they itch, the stronger the desire to itch again. It’s quite a viscous cycle, and obviously a lot of itching would lead to scabs and wounds. This if not treated properly, can become infected. Eczema doesn’t really have a cure, but its symptoms can be treated and controlled.
By just reading about this, one can understand what a frustrating disease it is. It becomes quite a hard disease to battle, even for adults. So one can just about imagine how irritating and annoying it must be for children, who can hardly understand and rationalize this disease. Obviously children are not capable of fully understanding why their skin is so dry and why they feel the need to itch so much. They feel helpless and do not know what to do.
Children with eczema genetically are prone to have dry skin. Thus it is very important to moisturize their skin as it prevents dry skin and keeps it healthy. It speeds up healing. Moisture essentially helps our skin function better. With eczema, the skin does not retain moisture very well, thus giving it a dry, slightly rough texture and making it prone to irritation. To further complicate matters, this dry, irritated skin is itchy, causing children to scratch frequently. This further irritates and damages the skin, which leads to worse itching and scratching, and so on.
Kids who have this condition also have allergies which can flare up and cause various other problems. As if itchy skin wasn`t enough to deal with, kids also have to suffer from allergic reactions. When they are exposed to certain allergens their skin reacts to it and it results in rashes. The already dry and slightly irritated skin is less able to handle this allergic rash, and less able to heal itself quickly.
Parents should ensure that the child`s skin is properly moisturized regularly so that the skin is not prone to dryness. Children should also frequently take lukewarm baths. But the water should not be too hot, as this would dry the skin further. Children should be allowed to soak in water which is not soapy. Moisturizing soap with no perfume should be used as opposed to normal soap, as that too can dry the skin.
Patients who suffer from eczema, at times need emotional support from their family and might even need psychological help since it’s a frustrating disease which has the tendency to take over a person’s life. So it is quite important for children as well that there is someone who they can talk to about their condition. Imagine yourself as a child, in the playground or school, the only one itching away. This must make them feel odd and different from the rest of the kids. It is imperative that parents and care givers talk to them frequently and ensure that they feel comfortable!
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