Eczema Cases on the Rise in U.S. Children

Nearly 31 million Americans experience some degree of atopic dermatitis or what’s commonly known as ‘eczema.’ In 2017, more and more children are being diagnosed with the skin condition. As you may know, eczema causes patches of skin to become dry, inflamed, and intensely itchy. Everyday Health cites an interesting household survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Basically, it confirms that the number of children under 18 with eczema increased between 2000 and 2010. Why exactly? Skin care experts aren’t quite sure. What’s certain, though, is that dermatologists nationwide are paying more attention to this nagging condition. Keep reading to learn more about eczema and how you can manage your child’s symptoms.

Who Gets Eczema?

Approximately 20 percent of children around the world have symptoms of atopic dermatitis. Dermatologists haven’t found a reason why, but eczema is more common today than it was 30 years ago. Family history, where a child lives, mother’s age when the child was born, and social class all play a role in increasing the chances of developing eczema. Let’s focus on family history for now. If one or both parents have a history of asthma, hay fever, or eczema, the child is more likely to get AD. Unfortunately, some children get all three diseases and often times before the age of 30.

Trigger Factors of Eczema

Not all cases of eczema are the same. It’s important to know that trigger factors may be different in children. For example, some kids can’t stand the sweating during hot summers while others experience more difficulty with symptoms in the winter. We’ve done our best to narrow down the most common triggers factors that affect the majority of children with eczema:

1. Dry skin - Think of skin as a barrier against dirt, germs, and chemicals from the outside. When skin becomes dry, it’s scaly, rough, and tight. Children with eczema have a defect in their skin in that it won’t stay moist. We’ll touch on this later, but regular moisturizing is key to prevent dry skin.
2. Irritants - There are countless substances outside the body that cause burning, redness, itching, or dryness of the skin. Granted, it’s a challenge to prevent your child from coming in contact with irritants. With a proper game plan, though, it can be done.
3. Stress - Is your child stressed on a regular basis? If so, chances are their eczema symptoms are only worsening. Those with eczema react to stress by having red flushing and itching. On top of that, there’s also frustration, anger, confusion, and fear. As with irritants, get ahead of your child’s stress as much as possible.
4. Heat and sweating - It’s common that when a child with eczema gets hot, they itch. Note that it doesn’t just stem from being out in the heat for too long. The urge to itch also happens from exercise or wearing too many warm clothes at bedtime.   
5. Allergens - Pollen, pet dander, foods, and dust can cause allergic responses for those with eczema. Do what you can at home to create the most comfortable space possible for your child. This means cleaning regularly, avoiding certain foods, and keeping any family pets away from your child’s bedroom.

Eczema Treatment and Therapy

Though there is no cure for eczema, there are ways to effectively manage the symptoms and prevent flare-ups. Before trying anything on your own, make an appointment with your child’s dermatologist to discuss next steps. Expect them to create a treatment plan tailored to your son or daughter’s needs. The dermatologist will likely prescribe medicine and other therapies to:

• Control itching
• Reduce skin inflammation
• Clear infection
• Loosen and remove scaly lesions
• Prevent new lesions from forming

Eczema Clothing from Soothems

At Soothems, we understand how frustrating your child’s eczema can be. That’s why we established our garments in the first place. Soothems was formed to improve the quality of life for those dealing with challenging skin conditions, including eczema. We are proud to say that we’ve developed sun protection fabrics and clothing such as athletic wear, swimwear, and accessories.  

Take our footed leggings, for example. Ideal for children with eczema, these leggings feature “no slip” footies that are perfect for relaxing around the house. As a parent, you can feel confident knowing that our smart fabric protects moisture levels on the skin and can significantly reduce itching. Not to mention, this eczema sleepwear is super soft, bacteria controlling, lightweight, and thermoregulating.

What makes our eczema clothing different? Our team believes in the therapeutic power of an imaginative story that entertains, empathizes, and normalizes life with eczema and other skin conditions. Our solution is to have your child put on their garment and then read them one of our special storybooks. The combination of the garment with the magic disappearing print and our storybooks will delight and comfort your child to a more restful sleep. When your child gets more rest, you and the rest of your family do the same!  

Shop Soothems today and help your child feel more comfortable in their own skin.