What is Normal?

Infants can often have dry skin.

Eczema occurs when patches of dry skin is causing itching and areas of red raised scales or bumps.

Eczema will come and go.

It will get worse and better, and it can be very frustrating because it can last for months.

But most infants outgrow eczema.

Eczema can cause the skin pigment to lighten (white patches). This is not permanent and your child’s skin colour will eventually even out.

Eczema or dry skin is NOT caused by allergy to foods.

When to Treat

Recurrent itchy dry red raised scaly patches or bumps on face, body, hands, behind knees and elbows.

How to Treat

Moisturize:
Apply a cream or ointment (Vaseline, Aquaphor, Aveeno, Lipikar, Cetaphil, CeraVe) over the entire face and body once or twice daily. Don’t use products that are plant based, have fragrance or dyes. (these products can irritate eczema). Do not use oils to moisturize the skin (oils evaporate and cause more dryness).

Clothing:
100 % cotton.
NO wool or polyester directly against the skin.
Don’t overheat your infant or child by dressing them in multiple layers of clothing. Don’t keep your house too hot. Use a cool mist humidifier.
Do NOT use fabric softener in your laundry and use a mild detergent.
Consider double rinsing your child’s clothes.

Bathing:
No soap or mild Aveeno soap. One capful of oil (Oilatum, Alpha Keri or Aveeno oil) can be put in the bath water.

Prescribed Medication:
Steroid creams are safe if used properly. They can be used on the face (avoid the eyes)

Apply a light layer of the prescribed steroid cream on the patches of eczema 3 times a day consecutively for 3-5 days. This “burst of steroid cream” treats the eczema flare up.

DO not apply the steroid cream as a daily moisturizer or on the unaffected skin.

Steroid creams manage the symptoms of itching and irritation until the eczema naturally improves and goes away.

You will likely need to repeat the steroid cream again in a short intensive burst when the eczema returns. The steroid cream does NOT prevent eczema from coming back.