Five Tips for Dealing with Your Child's Eczema Skin Condition

From the time she was three weeks old, it was apparent that there was something wrong with my daughter Larkin's skin. She had constant rashes, a terrible case of cradle cap, and developed yeast infections in her neck folds easily. The eventual diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (eczema) with food allergies started a confusing, sometimes hopeful, always challenging quest to find ways to manage her condition, and the plethora of problems it caused, on a day to day basis.

Atopic dermatitis, more commonly called eczema, is not life threatening (neither are her food allergies, thank goodness), and it can range from moderate to severe cases. Larkin's case has been called one of the most severe cases by several of the many doctors she has seen. Now, after nearly five years dealing with this frustrating condition, there are some things that I wish I had done, or known, from the beginning, to make dealing with it easier.

1. Keep a journal.
This first tip is particularly important because eczema is subject to "fits" or flare ups. Even if you don't have time to keep a daily journal detailing every minute of your precious one's life, there are certain things that you should try to note during or after a flare up.

Jot down the date, time, and location, either of when the flare up started, or at least at the point you noticed it. Were you at a certain relatives' or friends' house? Inside or outside? In a warm or cold environment?

Take note of any specific activities that your child was engaged in when the flare up occurred. Did it happen after swimming lessons, or soccer practice? Did it seem to appear after he/she helped to give the dog a bath?

Did your child eat a certain food or consume a certain drink prior to or during the flare up that seemed to make it worse? Think beyond the food itself, and include in your notes artificial sweeteners, food dyes, particular flavorings, or brands of food.