1. Understand and Avoid Eczema Triggers
The vast majority of childhood eczemas are atopic in nature, meaning that they're the result of allergic hypersensitivity to skin irritants. By their very nature, they affect skin that is not in direct contact with the allergens that trigger them. While childhood eczema can never be cured completely through allergen avoidance, outbreaks can be minimized by identifying and avoiding the substances that irritate your child's skin. Avoidance, in combination with over-the-counter antihistamines approved for consumption by children, is an effective way of controlling the condition.
2. Use Topical Corticosteroids
As with adults, the application of topical ointments containing corticosteroids is usually the first prescription treatment your doctor will recommend. These ointments work to reduce the skin irritation caused by eczema through the delivery of drugs that open up inhibited blood vessels, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the affected site and speed healing. In some cases, your pediatrician or dermatologist might recommend that your child supplement corticosteroid treatments with UV phototherapy. This treatment attacks the blistering and skin blockages caused by more serious outbreaks of atopic eczema.
3. Control Infections with Antimicrobial Drugs
Sometimes childhood eczemas can become infected. Kids often pick at and scratch the blisters and dry patches that form on their skin, introducing bacteria to the site. To combat this, your child's doctor may give you an antimicrobial ointment or lotion that you can apply to your child's skin as directed. This will fight off bacterial intruders and speed the healing process, providing faster and more complete relief from an outbreak.
4. Discover Calcineurin Inhibitors
Calcineurin is a natural protein manufactured by your body that affects T-cell growth and differentiation. Overproduction of calcineurin in eczema patients can worsen the skin irritation that is a hallmark of the condition, and drugs that inhibit its production are rapidly becoming a reliable and effective alternative to corticosteroids.
Although this treatment may not be available in your area yet, some doctors theorize that it represents the future of eczema treatment. Many adult patients who have used it have enjoyed excellent results, and it's expected that it will become a standard therapy for both childhood and adulthood eczema in the coming years.
