Natural Remedies for Childhood Eczema
If dry, cracked, and generally irritated skin has adults in pain periodically due to an allergic reaction, stress, or weather, imagine the pain children and infants who have developed eczema go through. There have been supposed "miracle cures" for decades hoping to be the end to eczema but without expensive and dangerous prescription drugs; people searching a more natural approach have been silently suffering.
As a form of dermatitis (inflammation of the epidermis/skin), eczema is a broad term for a whole range of various skin conditions. The common denominator in all of these problems is that they are all consistent in the patient with symptoms like edema/swelling, dryness, itching, crusting, oozing, and blistering. Infantile eczema, for example, is a common case called atopic eczema which is a skin disease revolving around allergens. Believed to be hereditary, infantile eczema is often transmitted to babies through families who have a history of asthma and hay fever. Usually associated with red blotchy rashes on sensitive areas such as the head, neck, bottom, and inside the joints like between the fingers, under the knees, and inside the elbows, eczema can occur anywhere on the skin.
While searching for natural, healthy, and alternative soothers for childhood (or infantile) eczema, there are several different products that claim to be better than the scores of lotions, gels, creams, oatmeal baths, and powders aimed at "severely dry skin," and are supposedly great for kids because of their highly sensitive skin. Because there is temptation to scratch an itch, it is important for parents to be able to control eczema, not only to prevent it from worsening in the present but also to ward off unsightly scars on their child's skin.
Until recently, the most commonly recommended creams and salves happen to contain steroids which, while helpful, often cause more problems later on for the child. Steroids are powerful and full of dangerous chemicals which can cause thinning of the skin, and skin infections.
There are so many easy and inexpensive ways to ensure your child's comfort for example using a humidifier in his or her room at night to release more moisture into the air so the skin will retain more moisture than usual. Another tip is to make sure your child wears clothing that allows his or her skin to breathe, such as 100 percent cotton, so the condition doesn't worsen. Avoid harsh soaps and hot baths to lessen the inflammation. Some people claim that aloe vera lotion or gel helps ease the discomfort that comes with eczema but the results have yet to be substantiated in any medical trials and some say that although aloe does in fact have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it should still be used sparingly and with caution. Probiotics is another product in trial that is said to have a calming effect on the skin of suffering patients. By preventing the spread of "bad bacteria" throughout the body, eating live cultures in yogurt or by supplement capsules are supposed to be active in helping flare ups of inflammation.
A popular Australian product is making its way around the world as a remedy against the harsh symptoms of eczema and is approved for use in kids: XMA Skin Therapy. Developed by a Brisbane woman who was looking for a cure for her sister, she whipped up a natural treatment using some common and some not-so-familiar ingredients and started marketing it to the public five years ago. The mixture is a compilation 15 main ingredients represented on the international website as: Vitamin E, Vitamin C/Orange citrus oil, grape seed oil, Vitamin A, Aloe Vera, European Lavender oil, Wild Chamomile oil, Jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, Witch Hazel, sesame oil, shea nut butter, Ascorbyl Palmitate (a source of Vitamin C and antioxidant food additive), and organic olive oil. With a one-year money back guarantee, plenty of rave reviews by consumers, and a reasonable price tag-ranging from 25 to 50 American dollars plus shipping-it may be worth the try!
An old product is made new again for eczema patients due to a new study. At less than ten dollars per jar, this make-up remover and moisturizing Vaseline-type product is non-toxic and safe for use on children. A study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology in March 2009 showed that using Abolene Moisturizing Cleanser is now clinically-proven to treat eczema cases ranging from mild to moderate. Dermatologist Dr. David Bank says that with 10 percent of infants and children with the disease, they need a safe way to treat the cycle of itching and scratching that tends to further aggravate the skin, "The parents of the millions of children suffering from mild eczema will see results with drug-free Albolene, which provides superior skin moisturization by trapping moisture, especially in areas that are prone to chafing, dryness and irritation."
If mom knows best, natural cures may be safer and more effective than doctor-prescribed steroid treatments, but because every child is different and every type of skin can be affected more sensitively than others, please consult with your pediatrician before altering your child's treatment.
SOURCE: http://www.healthnews.com/health-beauty/skin-care/natural-remedies-childhood-eczema-3250.html