Sadly, chronic eczema can cause stress to a lot of families since the cause of eczema and flare-ups is often unknown. It can feel like you are in a maze searching for answers while your little one struggles with painful, dry, itchy eczema flare ups. Let’s face it. It’s not fun to have eczema – for kiddos or their parents. Luckily, the more you know, the easier it is to reduce flare ups and improve the outcome of your child’s chronic eczema condition.

Currently, researchers believe that those who develop severe eczema do so because of a combination of genes, environmental factors, and stress. In this blog, we will dive into some of the common environmental factors that lead to chronic or severe eczema.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

This refers to anything outside of your little one’s body that might trigger an eczema flare-up. For example, weather, mold, pet dander, clothing material, laundry detergent, artificial fragrances, and harsh skincare products. In some cases, everyday products may cause your child’s sensitive skin to itch or become dry.

For this reason, it is important to read product labels and understand the ingredients you are putting on your child’s skin. Unfortunately, some ingredients may do more harm than good, and it is helpful to opt for more natural, hypoallergenic products that are gentle, safe and soothing to your child’s skin.

We suggest that you keep a log of recent flare ups. Take a look at what you applied to your child’s skin, the clothing they wore, any allergenic foods they may have consumed, any household products you may have used that day and make a quick note of these. The more you track, the easier it will be to pinpoint what may have lead to your child’s recent eczema flareup.

As a pediatrician and a mom, I understand how important it is to provide the best care for your kids. When it comes to dealing with chronic conditions such as childhood eczema, it can feel scary and frustrating to find answers. Please follow along our Dr. Sylma social media pages to learn more about childhood eczema and receive our best tips on how to treat and manage this painful skin condition naturally.

Here's to your little one's good health + happy skin!

Photo: (Unsplash: Sarah Brown)