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Eczema in little ones

Hi everyone, ive read a few things on various threads about Eczema in children, i have a website that sells natural organic clothes, on it i have an article on eczema and some possible products that may help. I posted it on netmums and it had very positive feedback so im going to put it here for all to see.

Eczema can be an uncomfortable, irritating and debilitating condition that can have a severe effect on the quality of life for those who suffer from it. Severe eczema can cause sleep loss, stress and depression. For parents of babies and children with eczema, it can also be distressing to see their children in pain or discomfort and constantly scratching an itch that doesn’t stop.

What is Eczema?
Eczema is the name given to the condition where the skin becomes irritated, cracked and inflamed. People who suffer from Eczema may have less fats and oils in their skin than those who do not. This means that the skin does not retain moisture as well and gaps may open up between the skin cells as they are not plumped up with water. The gaps allow more water to be lost from deeper layers of the skin and allow bacteria and irritants to pass into the deeper layers of the skin. Certain substances are known to aggravate eczema. For example soaps and detergents which remove the oils and fats from the skin. Healthy skin that has plumped up skin cells and a fats and oils is more able to repel allergens.

What Causes Eczema?
There are a number of different types of eczema.The most common is Atopic eczema which although not completely understood is thought to be due to a combination of a tendency passed from generation to generation and environmental factors. Triggers vary from person to person but some common triggers include soaps and detergents, dust mites and their droppings, animal fur, hair and saliva, pollen, overheating and rough clothing.

Eczema in babies and children
Although atopic eczema can affect people of any age but it primarily affects children with between 5 and 15% of children being affected by the age of seven. It is also a problem for many babies with it beginning in the first year of life for 60% of those children suffering from it.

The condition can also be aggravated in babies and children due to the itch scratch cycle. It can be very difficult to stop children from scratching as the itch will give them an intense urge to scratch.

Treatment of Eczema
There is currently no cure for eczema but it can be treated. Doctors and nurses can prescribe creams to moisturise and reduce inflammation. The avoidance of known triggers can also help to manage the condition.

How can bamboo and organic cotton help?
As rough clothing, chemicals, infection, being too warm and damp can all be triggers of atopic eczema, organic cotton and bamboo clothing are both though to help. Bamboo is very soft with sweat wicking, thermo regulating and anti bacterial properties, helping to reduce a number of the triggers of eczema. Organic cotton is also cool to wear and allows the skin to ‘breathe’. Both Bamboo and organic cotton clothes are free of chemical residues. The National Eczema Society provides a fact sheet with details of stockists of organic cotton, silk and bamboo clothing that may help sufferers of eczema.

There are plenty of parents who have found bamboo clothing to reduce eczema and the discomfort associated with it in their babies and children.

If this only helps one person then its been worthwhile, if you want to read the original or one of the others then please vist my website, www.my-organicbaby.co.uk

id love to hear any feedback x

Replies

  • hi cath,

    both of my kids have eczema. i had asked the heath visitors and dermatogist nurse regarding clothing, washing powder....., they always said that there is no link in it. Just put cream and it should help the eczema. So who should I trust?

    I wont mind to try bamboo clothing if it works but the professionals are discouraging me. What should I do?

    eileen

  • Hi Eileen,

    My son never suffered but both my daughters did, unfortunatly bamboo clothing wasnt around when they were babies so i cant give you a completely personal opinion with regards the clothing. one of my main suppliers bamboo baby are adamant that it helps. My youngest daughter is now 6 and she has not "grown" out of it but she deffinatly has less irritation when using Traverno skin products, again i cant say that its going to be any better than a topical cream like E45 would be, some things work for some people and others for others. The bamboo clothing is increadibly soft and light and i would of thought it would be nice at bedtimes. I'm sorry its a bit vague and that i cant offer any more advice than that but id hate to say this will work for every little ones eczema and then for people to be dissapointed if it didnt work for theirs. Its an alternative that could maybe be used if you have no joy with other methods. if you do decide to try it, where ever you get it from, could you give me any feedback you have, positve or negative and ill set up a tetimonial page.

    regards,

    cath

  • Hiimage Thanks for your post I will check out your range. My son has very bad eczema,he has seen a private dermatologist,who has given us a regime to follow,which includes soap substitute,and countless creams for how severe it is at resent. Pure cotton clothing has had a positive effect for him,but there is only 1 major factor for poor Tom-central heating. And sadly we have to have it on at least an hour per day as it has been bitter recently.

    Hate the condition. When he first had it bless him he scratched his skin to bleeding,I constantly worried about septacemia,as I'd researched it so much. Luckily after we paid for treatment it all sems to be under control. But I will have  a browse,ta!image

  • My youngest daughter suffers more when the heating is on too but it is much improved on when she was little so Im very lucky. I was prescribed many things by the doctors but none of them seemed to worked. The creams were extremely greasy and she also didnt get on very well with those tight bandage style pjs they used to give out... not sure if they still use them? I have found that making sure she doesnt get hot at bedtime and also making sure she washes with a non perfumed shower cream and then the Trevarno moisturising cream afterwards is really having a positive effect on her skin as she was starting to wake up in the morning looking like she had had a fight with a cat where she was scratching herself all over and making it bleed. Moisturing is so important and making sure you dont skip on doing it too.  I also believe that using natural products with no chemicals and all natural ingredients has to have a positive effect on delicate skin. Please do have a look at the site and let me know what you think. I know the experts are probably against it but having had a young child suffering myself I was always prepared to try anything in the hope it had a positive effect

    Cath xx

  • seen ur website. it is great.

    shamed, u dun have clothing for bigger kids. will u add in the future?

  • Very good website image

    Would need much bigger clothes too I'm afraid! But I love your site,will pass on to a few mums at playgroup

  • Hi Eileen,

    Thanks so much for the feedback I really appreciate it. I am planning on adding in clothing for older children and am currently looking for clothing ranges.   Its also something that has been mentioned to me by other mums so I will definately be doing it now you have suggested it too.

    Also I have to say with regard to your post saying that the nurses say washing powder and clothing have nothing to do with eczema... I disagree with this my daughters eczema is irritated alot by wearing non breathable clothes when she gets  too hot and also by putting on perfumed lotions, shampoos, bubble bath  and shower gel everything has to be natural and washing powders non bio

    x   

  • Hi Mammabe,

    Thank you so much for going and having a look sorry nothing is big enough at the moment. I really appreciate your offer of passing it onto mums in the playground. image

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