Living and Loving – August 2019

baby & toddler

L&L | AUGUST 2019 | 43

WORDS

EMILY THORPE/BAUER SYNDICATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK

STROKE IT ON

When applying

moisturiser, you might think

rubbing it in will help it absorb better,

but this could make your little one more

uncomfortable. “Stroke on the cream,

rather than rubbing, which can irritate the

nerves in the skin,” says Sarah. “Gently run

your hand down her arm or leg in one

or two stroking motions, and avoid

rubbing repeatedly. Apply in the

direction of hair growth to avoid

blocking the pores.”

KEEP A DIARY

Note down her

symptoms, as well as what her

skin has come into contact with. Once

you’ve started weaning her, keep a record

of what she’s had to eat and drink too. If

you notice her skin flares up when she’s had

a certain food, let your GP know. However,

don’t make dietary changes before you

know for sure that food is the culprit.

“There isn’t always a trigger,” says

Sarah. “Sometimes, it’s simply

down to her DNA.”

GIVE HER SKIN

TIME TO HEAL

Eczema is seriously itchy, so you’ll

need to do everything you can to stop

your youngster scratching and give her

skin a chance to heal. Forget scratch mitts

and opt for clothing with integrated mitts that

she won’t be able to pull off when the urge to

stop the itch hits. As she gets older, you can

help her understand why she might want

to resist that urge to scratch. Emmy’s

Eczema (R159, loot.co.za), a story

of a rather itchy dinosaur, will

help enormously.

TRY WET WRAPPING

When moisturiser is

applied, the itch can get worse

before it gets better. “Stopping your

little one from scratching her skin is

easier said than done,” says Sarah, “but

wet wrapping will help.” Soak a bandage

in the moisturiser and wrap around the

affected area, with a dry bandage on

top. This will help ensure the cream is

absorbed more deeply, helping

to rehydrate and calm

your baby’s skin.

Click on Baby, then General Articles for

tips on how to tell if you child has eczema.

LIVING

AND

LOVING

.CO.ZA

IS IT

ECZEMA?

The very

first sign

of eczema

is intense

itching, with

a dry red rash

appearing

later. It can

occur all over

the body,

but is most

commonly

found on

hands, the

insides of

elbows,

backs of

knees, face

and scalp. LL

GET TO

GRIPS WITH IT

BEFORE SHE’S WEANED

Visit your doctor as soon as you notice

any signs of eczema or irritation on your

little one’s skin − especially if you haven’t

started weaning her onto solid foods yet. “It’s

helpful to start investigating skin sensitivities

as early as possible in children, because the

older your baby gets, and the more food and

general substances she comes into daily

contact with, the harder it becomes to

pinpoint if there is a trigger to her

skin reaction, and what that

trigger may be.”