More and more children suffer from sensitive or atopic skin, and the causes are still unclear. It is a very sensitive skin that must be cared for in a special wayas it is a very important part of our body. It is our natural barrier against the outside, which protects our body from cold, pollution, heat, wind ... And children's skin is already more delicate than that of adults, so it requires special care. Let's see what the care is for atopic dermatitis in children.
What is atopic dermatitis in children?
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, in this case of children, characterized by dryness. It manifests with eczema flare-ups (areas of irritation and scaling) that cause itching and that come out periodically. It's like a hypersensitive skin reaction as if I had an allergy, causing inflammation.
They usually appear on the face and in flexion areas of the arms and legs, on the scalp, buttocks or on the inside of the wrist. Infants suffer from it on the face, extremities, and back of the feet. Atopic skin is sensitive to changes in temperature and changes over time, so the spring is usually the worst time of year for those suffering from atopic dermatitis. The best time of year would be summer, when you have to use specific sun protection for atopic skin.
The main cause of atopic dermatitis is genetic predisposition, although there are external factors (environmental, food, clothing, allergens, pollution, lifestyle ...) that may be responsible for this skin disorder or may aggravate it. First the itch appears, and then the rash on the skin from scratching.
Atopic dermatitis mostly affects children, already a 20% of children and 60% of cases appear between the first three years of life. Of these children between 1-5% will have it in adulthood. The trend continues to rise, so external factors are being the main causes.
What is the care for atopic dermatitis in children?
We can follow these tips for children who suffer from atopic skin, in order to reduce the itchiness and thus less breakouts. Let's see what they are:
- Keep the child's nails short. It's hard enough to keep kids from scratching. Having short nails will prevent them from doing so much damage to the skin. To sleep you can put thin gloves so that he does not scratch in his sleep.
- Explain not to scratch. When they are very young, we will hardly achieve it, since they will not understand what we explain to them. But if he is older, we will explain that if he scratches then it will be worse because the skin will swell.
- Teach him to towel dry without rubbing. Their skin is extremely delicate, so you have to pat yourself dry with the towel to avoid friction.
- Short baths. That it is not soaked too long, you can take daily baths but that do not last long and with the water not very hot. The baths relax them and calm the itchiness. Uses mild soaps.
- Hydrates your skin well. Especially when you leave the bathroom with your skin still damp. Do it with gels and creams that are specific for atopic skin, these products that are free of perfumes, aromas, dyes, alcohol and chemicals. The more hydrated the skin, the better.
- Dress him in soft, comfortable clothing. Preferably cotton to be as comfortable as possible and not rub against the skin.
- Good hydration also inside. It is good for the child to drink a lot of water to maintain hydration and moisture in the skin.
- Avoid extreme temperatures. Changes in temperature complicate eczema.
Because remember ... ask your doctor about the drug treatment you should follow for atopic dermatitis.