Eczema:Helping kids cope with eczema

According to the National Institute of Health, ten to twenty percent of all babies develop eczema, but in over half of these infants, the skin disorder will get better and/or go away when they are somewhere between the ages of five and fifteen years old. An estimated one in nine children under the age of five will develop eczema. It is more difficult to get children to understand their skin disorder than it is for adults. Often children suffer more in terms of cruel comments and remarks from other children that can cut deep. Children have not mastered the ability to “go with the flow” as easily as adults have. What their peers think of them means a great deal to all children and no one wants to be shunned by others because of their appearance or the fact that they itch a lot. There are ways to help a child deal with his or her eczema.

Thoughtless, unkind remarks are likely to hurt your child from time to time, whether they come from other kids or adults, so talk to your child about these hurtful moments and reassure him or her in every way that you can. Let your child know that eczema does not make him or her strange, weird or in any way, less normal than other people. Assure your child that her skin condition cannot be “caught” by others and that it is likely to improve and perhaps even go away all together as she ages. If your child has a regular babysitter or attends a daycare center, make sure the caregivers are made aware of your child’s specific bathing, moisturizing and medicinal requirements. Contact a support group for information on the skin disorder and for help for you as a parent to better understand your child’s unique condition. A well-known and worthwhile group to try is the National Eczema Association for Science and Education (NEASE).