My son was off from nursery last week with a viral infection, temperature, rash, swollen glands etc. and then followed on by an outbreak of eczema all over his body.

So I thought I might give you my tips about children’s skincare.
Especially at this time of year with the cold weather, children do tend to suffer more with dry, itchy skin.

Use warm water & avoid bubble bath or soap - they are extremely drying and potentially irritating.
Use a bubble bath which is hypoallergenic, soap-free and contains no added fragrances or colourings and is PH balanced.

Use a soap-free wash - soap is alkaline which has a drying effect on the skin.
A soap substitute should be used instead like Aqueous cream, E45 wash or oilatum bath.

With eczema, it is a good idea to apply emollient before having a bath to prevent the skin from drying even further
(for example Diprobase cream, oilatum cream, E45 cream)

Over-washing can dry or irritate the skin, so less time in the bath and less often is preferable.

Gently pat your child's skin dry - avoid vigorous rubbing after bathing.

Hydrate the skin using an emollient cream or lotion within a few minutes of bathing while water is still trapped in the skin for extra hydration, and reapply as necessary. For example use Diprobase cream, E45 cream etc.
Apply in a downward motion in the direction of hair growth.

Dress your child in breathable clothing like cotton and avoid harsh or irritating clothing like wool.

Andrea

Cosmetic Nurse Practitioner