Eczema is a common skin condition that affects nearly a fifth of all Canadians, including children. Although there is no cure, a daily treatment can help to protect and alleviate skin irritation.
For years, one of our struggles has been keeping our son’s eczema under control. Now with the Winter upon us, he has been having more flare-ups on his chest and legs. Because the itchiness drives him crazy we have started to change a few things about his routine to see if we can alleviate some of the discomfort.
One of the first changes I made was switching our laundry detergent. I think the chemicals and fragrance were causing some of his issues and we’ve noticed this has helped. We also don’t use any additives in our laundry like fabric softener or the beads that have been popular lately to add a fresh smell to your clothes while in the washer.
When he takes a bath we make sure it’s warm and not hot. Higher temperatures can cause the condition to get worse and become more painful. In the past we found he complained more after a bath, which caused him to be restless during the night.
Because he is on the spectrum he is more sensitive to synthetic fabrics and only wears cotton. This is good as wool and polyester have been found to irritate the skin and further amplify eczema discomfort.
About a month ago we started using Aveeno’s Baby Eczema Care products both in the bath and on his skin to soothe it. Free of steroids, fragrances, and dyes, the Aveeno Baby Eczema Care line carries the Eczema Society of Canada Seal of Acceptance, a patient empowerment program that helps individuals with eczema identify products that are made for their specific condition.
When he’s in the bath we use the Eczema Care Shampoo and Body Wash followed by the Eczema Care Moisturizing Cream which is specially formulated with essential lipids to increase hydration in the skin. The triple oat formula contains oat oil, oat extract, and colloidal oatmeal as well as ceramides to provide daily relief of itchy, red skin for children suffering from eczema.
Having no fragrance was a big bonus because he’s very sensitive to anything with a scent. He even hates it when I wear perfume.
Before bed, using the Eczema Care Nighttime Balm ensures that he stays moisturized and comfortable through the night. We also love that it isn’t greasy, which is an issue we’ve had with products in the past. My husband and I both use it before bed as well. It works wonders on worn hands and feet!
We’ve had good luck with many of Aveeno’s products in the past so using the Aveeno Baby Eczema Care products was a natural fit for us. It goes on easily, calms my son’s skin and there are products for both day and nighttime so we are always covered.
Mom Tip: If you are in a pinch the Eczema Care Body Wash works perfectly as shaving cream!
*Thank you to Aveeno for sending these products for review!*
