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Baby eczema. It's the worst. How could something so seemingly-innocuous as irritated skin cause so much discomfort? It's heartbreaking to watch our helpless little ones suffer from this condition, which affects so many babies. We give them oatmeal baths. We put humidifiers in their rooms. We load them up with lotion 900 times a day. But still. They're uncomfy. And they want to scratch. And scratching only makes things worse.
If your poor little sweetie is suffering from eczema, and wants to scratch, scratch, scratch, here are five clever ways to prevent it.
1. Mittens. Yep, you know those teeny-tiny mittens your precious one wore when they were first born? Might be time to break them out again. He or she, understandably, may not want wear the mittens during the day when there's so much to grab and touch, but try slipping them on before they go to bed to curtail nighttime scratching.
2. Be sure to clip their nails. Scratching eczema patches, as you know, only irritates them and makes them worse. You may not be able to completely prevent your child from touching their dry patches, but the damage will be a lot less if they don't have sharp nails that can puncture skin and make it bleed.
3. Distraction. Mind over matter, right? When you see your baby pawing at their eczema, try diverting their attention. Play peek-a-boo; give them a snack; introduce them to a new book or toy. Anything to make them forget that they're itchy.
4. Keep itchy skin covered. Not easy if the eczema is on your baby's face, but can work for legs, arms, and other body parts. Your baby may still scratch, but it at least will be over a layer of clothing and won't irritate the skin as much.
5. Try eczema clothing. Sounds strange, but this actually does exist. Some of the anti-itch clothing has mittens that are easy to take on and off, and the silky outer layer supposedly is gentler on the skin if babies do get the urge to scratch. Might be worth a shot.
How do you prevent your baby from scratching during eczema flare-ups?
Image via Johnny Valley/cultura/Corbis
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