Avoiding the
Eczema-Winter Blues
By Jennifer Roberge
Cold little fingers, runny noses…and eczema?
For many children, winter means dryer skin
and often eczema. The most common type
of eczema can leave kids with red, inflamed,
itchy, dry patches of skin. While eczema can
affect children any time during the year, it is
often worse when the temperatures drop and
the indoor heaters start pumping out warm,
dry air.
How can you help manage your child’s eczema?
Identifying your child’s specific eczema triggers helps you control - and in many cases
- eliminate it. With winter in full swing, we’ll
concentrate on cold, dry air as a trigger.
Here are some ways to help manage eczema
during the winter:
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Use a humidifier to beat the dry air. While
multiple units around the house are ideal, one
unit in the child’s bedroom is effective. Don’t
forget to change the water every day. Stale
water is a breeding ground for mold and bacteria, which can further aggravate eczema.
Just add oil. Let the skin soak up some extra
oil as often as possible. Add it to the bath,
just after a bath, and mixed with your favorite
non-toxic creams as a daily full body moisturizer.
First try a small patch test to check for any
possible skin re actions. Some beneficial oils
for eczema are: virgin coconut, jojoba, hemp
seed, emu, and olive oils. Raw, unrefined,
shea butter, while not technically an oil, can
be melted down easily in warm bath water.
Go beyond topical application and consider
fish, flax, and borage oil as supplements for
added moisture and omega fatty acids all year
long. Oil does a body good!
Wrap them up. For extra nighttime moisture,