Let’s face it, giving bath to a toddler is not as pretty as it looks in pictures, a laughing kid with some foam on his nose and perfectly arranged bath toys all around, at times it is like wrestling a wild animal. Adding three kids into the picture and two that has eczema is even worse. Hot water to a kid with eczema can be like holy water to a demon. It’s important to follow certain rules to keep bath time exciting and pain-free.
Chlorine!
Chlorine is a common chemical found in tap water that is used by municipal water supplies to reduce the pathogens in water. Depending on where you’re from the levels of chlorine changes in the water. Chlorine can irritate their already compromised skin causing more breakout or drying out their skin further. I use a carbon-based filler system at home that helps eliminate the chemicals from drinking water, but using that for bath water is a day’s job. But have no fear, there are ways to get rid of these chemicals from tap water. A popular method is adding a teaspoon of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) to a tub of water and letting it sit for at least 4 minutes for the reaction to take place. This method is one of the best, since it doesn’t have any effect on the pH of the water. Another popular go-to product is the bath ball de-chlorinator to add to the tube.
EczeMOM Tip: Keep an eye out for flavored vitamin C tables, which might convert your bathtub into a giant bowl of sugary juice and your kids will never want to get out.
Bird Bath!
Ever noticed how every time you take their clothes off its like you have released the Ich-Demon? The moment the dry air hits their body their first instinct is the start scratching. Their desire to scratch is so strong that they don’t realize that they are hurting themselves in the process. The key is to make it quick because the longer they are in the water the drier their skin gets. Our allergist recommended giving a small bath every day, but let’s be honest, when you have more than one child this is not an easy task.
EczeMOM Tip: I apply oil to their body and scalp to keep it moisturized before getting them into the bath, this way they lose less of their own moisture.
Wet Moisturization! (try saying that 10x)
As soon as their bath is done take them out of the water and without drying them with a towel apply a generous amount of their ointment all over their body. This method locks in the moisture into their skin and is more effective than just plainly applying it to their body as their pores are open at this time. Be mindful that this method also as its challenges during winter.
EczeMOM Safety Tip: Ointments are very thick so be sure to wipe your hands thoroughly before you grab your now very slippery child.
Hypoallergenic label!
Beware of the products that claim they are hypoallergenic. Just because they are hypoallergenic does not mean they are eczema friendly as these products can still contain fragrance. Any product with fragrance can exacerbate eczema, look for products that are fragrance free and focused towards extra dry skin.
EczeMOM Tip: If you have more than one child be sure to wash your hands and keep the products between kids separate as its very easy to make mistakes during bath-time chaos.
Aquaphor-Steroid cocktail!
This was a recommendation by our allergist, as a daily use, he suggested that we mix a small amount of steroid into the ointment/cream that we used on our child (1:5 ratio). In doing so he said we are technically reducing the strength of the steroid to a very low dose and is appropriate for daily usage. The days they got bathed we noticed those nights they would be extra itchy. When we applied this cocktail right after bath-time as a Wet Moisturizer we noticed a big improvement that night.
Cotton clothing!
Cotton clothing is always the better of the choice than any other material for kids with eczema. Polyester and wool are some of the worse materials for kids with eczema, and polyester is almost impossible to avoid when it come to cute outfits. The days when you give your kids a bath try to use 100% cotton clothing rather than polyester.
EczeMOM Tip: Old navy sells 100% cotton body suits that go up to 5T, keep a lookout for sales when you can buy them for less than $10.
