Soothing Eczema in Children: How to Stop the Scratching

11th May 2016

When a child has a bad eczema flare-up, they can be in great discomfort. Scratching and grizzling, the longer they stay irritated, the worse the eczema is likely to become as they further inflame the skin.

Here are some practical things you can do to alleviate their pain and help sooth your child’s eczema.

Cut their nails short

We all know that scratching at eczema – a condition caused by damaged, irritated skin – will only make it worse. It’s very hard for children to resist the strong urge to scratch, however. So the best thing you can do is to cut their nails often, reducing the amount of damage they can do to their dry skin.

Keep them cool

If your child is going through a bout of discomfort, try and keep them cool. As they become frustrated, they will exhibit agitation and stress, making them heat up and sweat. Both these things irritate the skin further. Removing clothes and moving to a cooler place will help soothe the itching.

Use emollients

Emollient creams hydrate and sooth eczema-prone skin, reducing itchiness. FREZYDERM has developed a range of eczema-relieving products specifically to help with eczema symptoms in children. Atoprel Emollient Cream (Medical device, CE 2803) can be applied 1-2 times a day and not more than 30 days or according to the doctor’s instructions to relieve the symptoms of atopic and eczematoid dermatitis.

Moisturise after bathing

Hydrating products are best used after bathing. The skin absorbs water when bathing, and applying hydrating emollients helps keep hydration locked into the skin, making it less irritable and less prone to damage.

Form a barrier to irritation

Keeping skin moisturised helps, but preventing the skin from contacting the substances that trigger eczema can also be a very effective way to sooth your child’s discomfort. Atoprel Barrier Cream is best applied to infants’ worst affected areas. Try applying to your child’s skin while changing their nappy. By applying to clean, dry skin, the cream helps form a lipid barrier to irritants.