Five Tips for Dealing with Your Child's Eczema Skin Condition

From the time she was three weeks old, it was apparent that there was something wrong with my daughter Larkin's skin. She had constant rashes, a terrible case of cradle cap, and developed yeast infections in her neck folds easily. The eventual diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (eczema) with food allergies started a confusing, sometimes hopeful, always challenging quest to find ways to manage her condition, and the plethora of problems it caused, on a day to day basis.

Atopic dermatitis, more commonly called eczema, is not life threatening (neither are her food allergies, thank goodness), and it can range from moderate to severe cases. Larkin's case has been called one of the most severe cases by several of the many doctors she has seen. Now, after nearly five years dealing with this frustrating condition, there are some things that I wish I had done, or known, from the beginning, to make dealing with it easier.

1. Keep a journal.
This first tip is particularly important because eczema is subject to "fits" or flare ups. Even if you don't have time to keep a daily journal detailing every minute of your precious one's life, there are certain things that you should try to note during or after a flare up.

Jot down the date, time, and location, either of when the flare up started, or at least at the point you noticed it. Were you at a certain relatives' or friends' house? Inside or outside? In a warm or cold environment?

Take note of any specific activities that your child was engaged in when the flare up occurred. Did it happen after swimming lessons, or soccer practice? Did it seem to appear after he/she helped to give the dog a bath?

Did your child eat a certain food or consume a certain drink prior to or during the flare up that seemed to make it worse? Think beyond the food itself, and include in your notes artificial sweeteners, food dyes, particular flavorings, or brands of food.

Depending on the severity of the atopic dermatitis and the number of triggers, you may find that you need to add or modify what you take notes on. The important part of taking the notes is to write down enough information that patterns, previously unrecognized triggers, or suspicious recurring circumstances can be identified.

2. Keep a running list of medications prescribed to your child.
Include with the list exactly what the medication was prescribed for, whether or not it worked for the problem it was prescribed for, and if it caused any reactions. If you can, try to note dates, including how long the medicine was taken, and dosage instructions. This may seem like information you could never forget, but finding the specific regimen that successfully treats your child's eczema can take months, and in our case, years, so knowing what was tried before and what effect it had is crucial.

3. Get an understanding of the full scope of the problem, and how many doctors/specialists you may need to help deal with the many facets of the problem.

While some people may think a dermatologist is sufficient to deal with a skin problem, Larkin also has an allergist, and has seen a pediatric endocrinologist, pediatric infectious disease doctor, and an alternative medical practitioner in an effort to deal with her eczema and some of the side effects of her various treatments. Ideally, it would be best to have one doctor handle the full scope of the problem, but it may not be practical. If you do have a list of doctors as long as a baseball roster, do your best to keep everyone informed of everyone else's activities regarding your child, and encourage the doctors to do the same among themselves.

4. Research, research, research.
Patients and patients' parents alike are, thanks to the Internet, able to access a multitude of websites with information on almost any condition or disease you can think of. You can also find information on support groups, products that may be helpful, and current research being done for the specific problem. Use this wealth of information in conjunction with your doctor, and don't be afraid to ask your child's doctor about something you read or heard. You have only one patient and problem to research. Your doctor may have dozens. He or she won't mind the help!

5. Do not shun support groups.
One of the first packets of information my husband and I received regarding eczema included a brochure about a support group. My husband and I laughed and threw the brochure out. A support group for a bad rash? Please, that seemed ridiculous! How wrong we were. Had we known then what we know now about the daily impact this would have on our lives, we would not have been so quick to dismiss the idea of talking to other people who are going through the same thing.

Even if you are not dealing with what may be considered a dangerous or life-threatening condition or disease, it does not mean that it will not have profound effects on the way you live and the decisions that you make regarding your child. In our case, we can't even plan a simple trip to a fast food restaurant without looking up menus and ingredients on the Internet first. Support groups will surround you with people who truly understand what you go through on a day to day basis, something it may be hard to make even your child's doctors understand, and that can help alleviate some of the stress you feel. Also, support groups can be another great source of up to date medical information and research for the skin condition you're dealing with.

Dealing with skin conditions such as eczema can be difficult in ways the initial diagnosis does not even begin to allude to, but using these tips may prove helpful for the day to day frustrations, and the long term care.