Eczema can show up as crusty, flaky patches on your baby’s skin, often during their first few months. It’s common and treatable. Many infants outgrow it.
Give your little one’s skin some TLC. That’s the first step in treating their eczema. Try:
Moisturizers
One with ceramides is the best option. These are available over the counter and by prescription. Otherwise, a good moisturizer, fragrance-free cream, or ointment such as petroleum jelly, when used several times daily, will help your baby’s skin retain its natural moisture. Apply immediately after a bath.
A Lukewarm Bath
This hydrates and cools the skin. It may also ease itching. Make sure the water isn’t too hot! Keep the bath short — no more than 10 minutes. To soothe itchiness even more, try adding oatmeal soaking products to your baby’s tub.
Use Mild, Unscented Body and Laundry Soaps
Perfumed, deodorant, and antibacterial soaps can be rough on a baby’s sensitive skin.
Clean Carefully
Use soap only where your baby may be dirty, such as the genitals, hands, and feet. Simply rinse off the rest of your child’s body.
Dry Off
Pat skin dry. Don’t rub.
Dress for Comfy Days
To avoid the irritation of clothing rubbing on the skin, your child should wear loose clothes made of cotton.
Always wash new clothes before you put them on your baby. Use a mild, fragrance-free detergent.
To keep your little one comfy, don’t overdress them or use too many blankets. If they get hot and sweaty, that can trigger an eczema flare.
What to Do About Itching
Try to keep your baby from scratching their itchy skin. Scratching can make the rash worse, lead to an infection, and cause the irritated skin to get thicker and more leathery.
Trim their nails often, and then take the edge off of them with a file if you can. Some parents also slip “scratch mittens” onto their little one’s hands. Others try long socks, tucked in under a long-sleeved shirt, so they’re harder for a baby to remove.
