Share your tips for how to manage children’s eczema with La Roche-Posay

[EmmaMumsnet]

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Eczema is a common skin condition amongst children and at times can be very tricky to manage and keep your child’s skin from being dry, sore, and itchy. It can be especially difficult to keep in check at night and can affect your DCs sleep. La Roche-Posay would like you to share your tips for how you handle your child’s eczema or what has helped you manage your child’s eczema in the past.

Here’s what La Roche-Posay has to say: “Here at La Roche-Posay we understand how eczema can impact quality of life for your child and the whole family. We ran a clinical study which showed that 9 out of 10 children with eczema suffer with sleep issues, spending up to ¼ of the night scratching, which can easily take its toll on day-to-day life. As we are committed to a better life for sensitive skin, we are encouraging Mumsnetters to share their top tips on looking after their children’s dry, itchy or eczema-prone skin, including bedtime hacks to reduce itchiness during the night.”

So what things have helped manage your child’s eczema? Are there any particular creams, lotions, or balms that have worked particularly well at soothing the itch? Do you keep the window open at night and make sure your child is wearing light, loose pajamas to keep them cool and stop them scratching while they sleep? Perhaps you avoid scented washing detergent to prevent your child’s skin from flaring up?

Please share your tips for coping with your child’s eczema below and you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of your choice (from a list).

Thanks

MNHQ

Terms and conditions apply

[Dominiquemy17]

My daughter had eczema from a very young age and we tried all sorts, everything I heard we tried. things worked for her but only for a short time and then started to cause the eczema to get worse. I tried everything, lavender oil, all sorts of creams prescribed by the GP. the thing that helps her is dove. She can use dove and uses this all the time. She is now 22 and can use scented toiletries occasionally but dove is her go to and keeps her skin in beautiful condition.

[MegBusset]

Keep trying emollients until you find one that works - we got through loads with baby DS1 and eventually found Doublebase the best.

And don't be afraid to use steroids - much better to use them when needed than not and end up with a severe infection.

[QueenOfPharts]

I havent found a wonder cure for ds eczema but due to his sensitive skin I find oatmeal baths and Vaseline jelly work yo sooth and make eczema less angry/itchy

[ButterflyBitch]

Both my kids had eczema as young children and still have sensitive skin. Moisturise religiously and use steroids if you have to. Find the right toiletries/washing powder as well so skin doesn’t get irritated. Ignore the doctors when they say ‘don’t worry he’ll grow out of it’ when they can’t be arsed to help you anymore. I had to go back with photos of my son with blood all over his face and cot where he’d scratched in his sleep.
Get a referral to dermatology. They know their stuff.

[voyager50]

I don't have a child with eczema but but nephew has it and my sister says she never lets him wear fleece as that really irritates it. Natural cotton fibres are best.

[DarkDarkNight]

Oatmeal baths used to work for my Nephew, along with natural (unrefined) shea butter. He used to be prescribed Aqueous Cream and the advice was to slather that on then cover in wet bandages. It was horrendous. I hope the NHS has moved on a bit since then.

[ineedtostopbeingsolazy]

I haven't found anything that has cured it but Aveeno moisturising cream is a good one and it doesn't sting his skin.
Sometimes I mix in a bit of hydrocortisone if it's needed.

I have in the past used Eurax cream to stop the itch.
The GP prescribed it for him when he about 3 months old it was only after I'd been using it that i noticed it says it's only for children aged over 3 yrs.
It did stop the itching though...

[Bouchie]

Two of my children had eczema. The things that work for us were cutting out dairy, weekly baths using oats tied in tights and using emoluient. We also can only use surcare.

[KittyKat88]

I try to use organic creams if possible, and definitely fragrance-free to avoid reactions or skin inflammations. I only use a fragrance-free hard soap for cleansing too as some products do cause reactions in sensitive areas! Same with the laundry liquid I use - organic is the best option!

[kiwielite]

Our 20 month old daughter only seems to suffer with it in the winter - so we try and keep the radiator off in her bedroom at night if it’s not too cold. Lots of emollient is necessary to stop her scratching until she bleeds - we try and apply it four times a day - they do it a couple of times at nursery for us on the days that she’s there. Emollient ointment is more effective than the creams, although less pleasant to apply. We use hydrocortisone for bad flare ups

[presentcontinuous]

My DD developed weepy eczema on her face and upper body when she was a few weeks old. This is going to sound like an advert but we were living in France at the time so knew about La Roche Posay! I used LRP water spray to clean the weepy bits, the Lipikar wash in the bath and the balm to moisturise. The eczema disappeared after a few months. She's grown up now, and it's rarely been a problem since. She just gets the occasional patch on her face when she's tired or stressed, which she still treats with LRP balm

[Boulardii]

Dark night, viscopaste bandages are still very much on the NHS menu.
They are not prescribing non-pharma stuff.

My tip is that if your child has eczema on their face, it’s possibly from environmental irritants, so it’s worth following the guidance for dust time sensitivity.
If it’s on the hands, it’s probably from the soap/ water that gets used for hand washing, so look at that.

For young children, if they have it on their torso, and then there is a line where it stops where there nappy is, it’s worth checking the washing products for things like optical brighteners, biological agents and perfumes. I recommend liquid soap flakes from Wilkinson as a very neutral washing product.

[Byrdie]

I have three kids but only my eldest suffers from eczema. I've had to be really strict with the school and tell them that she cannot wash with the soap that they provide in their toilets which have caused her to flareup really badly before. Generally the best thing that helps her is moisturising but also salt in the bath can relieve some of the symptoms. We have tried a few creams but none of them really clear up brilliantly. It's better to avoid things that cause it to flareup

[torthecatlady]

For ds lots of moisturiser (unscented), no bath foam, sensitive shampoo, sensitive laundry detergent, cotton clothing.

For myself, I try to cut out dairy or reduce my intake as it brings out my eczema.

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

We avoid the following:
Fabric softener/ conditioner
Biodegradable washing powder
Fragrances soaps / bodywash
Anything that is to be used on skin that is not described as for sensitive skin

[coffeeforone]

Lush Dream Cream has been the answer for our 5 month old. Recommended by a friend who has coped with two little ones eczema (though for her Hydromol works best). Nothing we've tried or been prescribed clears his skin as well as the one from Lush, it's been our saviour.

[Mossiebonbon]

Childs farm and ditch the dairy!

[TOADally]

We swore by cardiospermum gel. It stopped my toddler from being a walking scab (seriously, both cheeks were brown, sticky crusts and his chin and neck were red raw) and got it under control within a week of use. Nine years later, he now only flares up when the weather gets cold and that's the odd patch on his legs.

[anothermansmother]

Both my dc have eczema, but what worked for one didn't for the other. My ds (12) finds bath emollient works best. Leaving a coating on his skin and then applying a moisturiser in the morning. We've tried shower emollient creams but they just don't seem to work. Cotton clothing or lose clothes especially at night, and more moisturiser at the first sign of an itch.
Dd needs to have moisturiser on constantly, but the bath emollient has no effect, but the lush shea butter massage bar works brilliantly, as her skin is so dry. However once she's in the sun her eczema seems to disappear. It's getting better as she gets older, but still the same rule of natural material for clothing especially pjs.
Were redness free for both dc atm so it seems to be working.

[trendytoddler]

My DD2 has ezcema since she was little and is now 4. I use non-bio detergent and no fabric conditioner to wash her clothes. I am constantly looking at clothes labels to make sure I purchase 100% cotton. We moistures 3 times daily if not more and I feel aveeno works best. Some days it's in control and then she can have a flare up. I think it would be a good idea to do a food diary to see what might cause it because sometimes it can be food.

[Marmite83]

Regular moisturising, teaching her to stroke her skin when it itches rather than scratch (easier said than done) and not bathing her too often.

Swimming can be a bit of a nightmare but it's such an important life skill for her to learn. We cover her in emulsifying ointment before getting in the pool and she wears a sunsafe swimsuit that covers her arms and legs so she isn't slippery to hold. When we get her out we wash her straight away with a very gentle wash, we've found the Dove baby wash to be the best for her so far, then we apply lots of moisturiser before getting her dressed. It definitely helps.

[snoozetastic]

Use non-bio liquid
Extra rinse in washing machine
Not using fabric conditioner
Bathing in not too hot water
Bathing infrequently
Lots & lots of moisturising
Steroid creams on prescription to stop a flare
Keeping dust at bay in bedroom

[snoozetastic]

My bedtime hack for older children is a silk duvet for breathability and/or cotton cellular blankets depending on temperature

[scarfattack]

My dd doesn't have it bad but does get patches on her face which seem persistent at times. Diprobase was always what worked but the last time they appeared diprobase didn't work. I tried all sorts and pharmacist had no more suggestions. I tried lansinoh (as it'd been so wonderful on my sore, cracked nipples with baby ds) and it cleared it up in days.

[jitterbugintomybrain]

Non bio washing oowder, no fabric conditioner. Suncream makes it flare up so avoid if possible.
Cotton sheets.