Itching can occur at any time, but it always seems worse at night.  It is also more difficult to control – especially in young children.

Night itching can be minimized!

To help minimize the damage caused by excessive night itching keep your child’s fingernails well trimmed and cover as much of their skin in clothing as possible.  Be careful not to overheat your child so select clothing that is a lightweight cotton.  Cotton mitts may need to be applied and in some cases the arms may need to be splinted to stop intractable scratching.

The skin should always be well moisturized before a child goes to bed and emollients to treat the eczema should be applied at the same time.  This will at least enable the child to go to bed with their skin as comfortable as possible and hopefully enable them to go off to sleep before their skin becomes itchy and irritated.

Do not overheat the bedroom or allow the air to dry out.  A well ventilated room (with out drafts) is optimal.  Minimizing dust mite will also be beneficial.  Select cotton bedding and avoid woolen or synthetic bed covers.  It is also best to not allow pets to sleep on your child’s bed either during the day or of a night with them.

If night itching persists discuss the problem with your doctor.  He may prescribe an antihistamine to minimize night itching and aid in sleep.

Night-time itches summary

Although itching is the main problem associated with eczema the itching often feels worse of a night.   Keep the skin well moisturized and covered in cotton clothing, and do not allow the skin to over heat.  This should help to keep the night-time itches at bay.

Christmas time is here once again, and if you are like me it’s hard to believe a year has passed since last Christmas. The rounds of Christmas parties and drinks would have most probably started for most. Although it is a time of happiness and festive fun, it can be a daunting time of year for sufferers of skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

All that rich food, alcohol, sun and often stress play havoc on your skin, and getting through the Christmas period without a flare up is often a difficult task.

Following is a list of useful tips and hints that will help you get through the ‘madness’ with out aggravating your skin! And remember there is no need to deprive yourself. Just don’t go overboard!

1. Stick to your skin care routine. Although you might be on the go more than usual, be committed to keeping your skin moisturized at all times. Take your cream with you if you are going to the beach or a BBQ and always reapply your cream after swimming in salt or chlorine.
2. Relax! Christmas time can be very hectic, but take time out of your day to relax. Stress management and relaxation techniques may help decrease the likelihood of flare ups due to emotional stress.
3. Keep your skin cool as much as possible. Here in Australia our summers can be very hot. Although a little bit of sun may help some people’s eczema and psoriasis, too much can be very damaging and very painful. Stay out of the sun between 10am and 2pm. Wear a good quality, low irritant sunscreen and cover up.
4. Watch what you eat! This can be a hard one with all of the yummy food around, and endless rounds of parties, but too much of a good thing can play havoc on your skin. Know what foods irritate you. If you are going to a party – eat something before hand. This will make you less likely to nibble at snacks or drink too much alcohol, which will only give you grief the next day.
5. Drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated. This will help to cleanse your body and also your skin.
6. Wear loose fitting cotton clothing, and use cotton bed sheets to help keep you cool when sleeping.

Young children just want to play outside, and why not it’s the best place for them.

Fresh air and exercise

That’s what my mother always told me every young child needs and I believe she was right.

It is all too easy to wrap the young eczema sufferer in cotton wool in an attempt to protect them from a flare up.  Better for their skin perhaps, but not necessarily better for their overall health.

Letting children run and play outside with their friends is important for their physical and emotional development.  This development is vital even for the child with eczema.  Taking a few extra precautions will help minimize the risk of a flare up whilst your child is outside doing what children do best – having fun.

Water play

Children love water play but having their hands exposed to water for a prolonged period of time is drying to their delicate skin.  Add a few drops of bath oil to the water and swirl it through before they start to play.

This way their hands will be moisturized whilst they play.  Hours of fun and good for sore eczema hands aswell.

Sandpits

Small children love to play in the sand but sandpits tend to be harbor germs leaving children more at risk of developing an infection than at the beach. For the safest option keep sand play to the beach where the sand is cleaner and less likely to irritate their delicate skin.

In the garden

The garden is a world full of mystery and adventure.  Unfortunately it is also full of pollen and potential allergens.  If your child is allergy prone avoid outdoor play when lawns are being mowed and on windy days.

Restricting play to paved areas away from allergy filled garden beds and lawns will reduce allergies and eczema flare ups.  If children are to sit on the lawn place a blanket out for them to sit on so the grass will not irritate their skin.

Trying to plant a garden that does not have plants most prone to causing allergies will also help.

Shade and sun protection

Whilst playing outside is desirable care in the sun is of the utmost importance.  Avoid outdoor play during the hottest part of the day.
Encourage children to play in shaded areas during hot weather.

Sunburn is not only painful but it damages the skin and places it under stress thereby increasing the risk of an eczema outbreak.

Sweating in the heat

Once outdoors, children can’t help themselves they just have to run at one hundred miles an hour.  They are prone to becoming very hot and sweaty.  A state that will irritate their skin and may lead to an eczema flare up.

Wearing cotton clothing will help to reduce the sweating as cotton is a natural fiber that breathes, enabling good airflow to the skin.  Loose fitting clothing that is not restricting will also help to reduce sweating and increase comfort.

Remember sweating is fluid lost from the body that needs to be replaced.  Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids whilst playing outside, especially if it is a hot day.

Slip Slop Slap

This well-known Australian slogan is a must for children playing outdoors. Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat.  Keep as much of the skin covered as possible with light, loose cotton clothing.

I do not know of a sunscreen designed specifically for children with eczema but as a general rule PABA free sunscreen is less likely to irritate the skin.  PABA free sunscreens tent to be thicker than most sunscreens as they sit on the skin rather than soaking in.  However they do not contain the additives that generally irritate sensitive skin.

But what if it’s cold

Children with eczema can still play outside if it is cold.  They will obviously need extra layers to keep them warm but try to keep cotton against their skin.

Remember cotton socks are less likely to irritate the feet or cause sweating.  And cotton gloves under woolen mittens will protect their hands from irritation.  Avoid outdoor play on windy days as the wind will irritate their dry skin.

General Skin Care

Above all, good skin care is vital when your child has eczema.  By allowing your child to play outside you are exposing them to a huge array of potential allergens that will trigger an eczema flare up.  Being vigilant with skin care will help to reduce the risk of a flare up.

• Moisturize the skin regularly
• Wash and re-moisturize the skin if your child becomes dirty or sweaty whilst playing outside
• Remove wet clothing (especially socks) as soon as your child comes inside

Distraction decreases scratching

We all know that trying to stop a child with eczema from scratching is an endless (almost impossible) task.  Distraction is one of the best ways to stop the scratching.  And what better way to distract your child than by keeping them busy playing in the great outdoors.
They will be so busy exploring, creating, running and playing that they won’t have time to worry or even think about their itch.

Playing in the outdoors has a tendency to tire a child more so than playing indoors. Cover their hands with cotton mitts or socks to stop the scratching in their sleep and send them off to bed.  Hopefully they will sleep more soundly from the exertion of a busy day outdoors.

Remember outdoors doesn’t have to be a special place that you visit once and a while.  Simply walking outside your home is taking your child into the magical world of outside.  Visit your local park, beach or playground or simply your own back yard.

There is fun to be had for any adventurous young child and your child is just waiting to make some fun of his own.

I remember when my children were young, places that I thought weren’t that exciting were often their favorite places.  All they needed was a patch of lawn, an old tree or my washing basket and they would play for hours.  Many a voyage has been traveled to my clothesline in the great washing basket sailing ship.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of the sun.  Their outdoor habits and lack of understanding about the sun tends to increase their risk of skin damage in later life.  Most people receive 80% of their lifetime exposure to the sun by 18 years of age. It is therefore up to us to protect them from the sun and teach them how to protect themselves for the future.

Babies should not be exposed to the sun at all.  Even dark skinned babies are vulnerable when in the sun.  Remember babies can even burn in the shade on sunny days.

Encourage young children to wear a sunscreen and teach them to apply it themselves.

Select products which offer a high level of protection (SPF  30+ with a broad spectrum cover).

Encourage children to wear a hat when out of doors.  Preferably a hat with a broad rim and neck protection.  Remember a sun visor will not stop the top of their head from getting burnt.

Encourage children to wear sun protective clothing.  These will offer protection especially to the back and shoulders whether wet or dry.

Set a good example.  Use common sense yourself when in the sun and explain to your children the caution they need to take.

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It is a popular belief that a good suntan is a sign of good health.

In fact, a suntan is visible evidence of having received enough sunlight to damage the skin.  Our views and knowledge of the sun and a suntan have changed considerably over the years.

One hundred years ago the Europeans considered a pale complexion to be a social and fashion asset.  Large hats were worn and sunshades were carried to protect their skin from the sun.  The rich and fashionable avoided the sunlight.

It was in the 1930’s that attitudes began to change.  People started to enjoy outdoor activities such as walking, camping and cycling.  A suntan gradually became more acceptable and even desirable.

In the 1940’s, after World War II had ended, cheap holidays enabled people around the world to enjoy the pleasures of travel.  A most popular holiday destination was the beach.  And so the outdoor lifestyle was established and, along with it, the suntan.  To have a good suntan was considered to have a healthy glow.

Australians made aware of sun’s dangers

It was however, around this time that Australians were being informed of the potential dangers of the sun.  There was a high rate of skin cancer being reported amongst white-skinned people.

Public health campaigns were introduced to warn people of the dangers and to educate them about the use of sunscreen and the early detection of skin cancers.  But still people persisted in sunbaking and not protecting their skin.

There are more than 200,000 new cases of skin cancer reported each year in Australia alone.  About 8,000 of these are malignant melanomas which are responsible for about 1,600 deaths each year.  Doctors estimate that 90% are potentially preventable by taking care in the sun.

The positive effects of sunlight are also considerable.  The warmth and light offered by the sun after a long, dark winter will hugely lift the spirits.  The aim is therefore to enjoy the psychological benefits of the sun without suffering from its hidden harmful effects.