A Comprehensive and Natural Approach to Treating Eczema in Children
There is nothing better than soft, smooth baby skin…until suddenly it’s not so soft or smooth.
It’s heartbreaking to see your little one struggle with itchy, inflamed, or red skin. But if your baby is struggling with eczema, know you’re not alone! The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that as many as 20% of children in the U.S. suffer from eczema. (1)
Sadly, many conventional eczema treatments are filled with harmful steroids and only address skin deep concerns. They do not help address the underlying causes of eczema nor help you to effectively manage this skin condition.
The good news is that several natural approaches to treating eczema in children will help address the root cause and find long-lasting relief.
What is Eczema?
Eczema, or Atopic Dermatitis, is an itchy, red, and persistent chronic skin condition. Symptoms can begin in infants as young as 3-4 weeks, with many children developing eczema by their 5th birthday. (2)
For some children, eczema symptoms will dissipate by the time they are 12 years old. But, around 10% of kids will experience eczema symptoms well into adulthood. Usually, eczema will not resolve on its own.
What is the Cause of Eczema?
While the exact cause of eczema is unknown, research has shown that it is an inflammatory condition triggered by genetics, environmental factors, and internal health issues. (3)
In some children, exposure to certain irritants or allergens can activate the immune system to produce inflammation inside the body leading to flare-ups on the skin’s surface. For others, genetics may play a role in how the body maintains the skin’s moisture.
Common causes of eczema in children include:
Food allergies and sensitivities.
Innately low Natural Moistening Factors (NMF’s) in infants.
Underlying leaky gut or gut dysbiosis.
Genetic mutations that code for a specific protein called filaggrin.
Low microbial diversity.
Environmental exposure.
Low nutrient stores.
Household and personal care products with chemical additives.
Scented products.
Stimulation of the immune system from vaccinations.
Investigating even minor details of your child’s eczema will help us pinpoint their particular triggers, allowing us to treat their eczema from the inside out.
How to Treat Eczema in Children
Conventional eczema treatments treat eczema at the surface to remove symptoms-not the underlying cause. And while these methods have their place, treating eczema goes beyond skin-deep care.
Here at Young Medicine we treat both the outside (the skin) and the inside. We believe that you cannot treat just one component.
As parents and doctors, we must play detective to understand what’s causing your child’s eczema. Our detective skills (and some testing) allow us to identify and treat the root cause of eczema.
Here are three steps that will help start to address the root cause of your child’s eczema.
1. Address Your Environment
One of the most accessible places to start when investigating the root cause of your child’s eczema is right at home.
Start cleaning up your environment with these simple changes:
Limit fragrances in personal care, laundry, or cleaning products and replace them with unscented options for all household members.
Replace products with irritating ingredients such as sodium Laureth sulfate and parabens. These are prevalent ingredients in bath soap, shampoo, personal care products, and laundry detergents.
Add a bathwater or shower filter to help remove potential irritants from your water.
Wet mop your home at least weekly to reduce the levels of dust and irritants within the home.
Change your child’s sheets and towels at least weekly.
2. Support the Skin’s pH
The skin’s natural pH is mildly acidic. But due to centuries-worth of changes in our environment – basically, because we’re no longer living in caves – skin pH has become more alkaline than it should be. This can disrupt the skin’s integrity and lead to infection.
Top Remedies and Tips
To avoid and treat skin-related infections, I recommend developing daily rhythms that support healthy skin pH levels.
Apple Cider Vinegar - Add a splash of ACV to all of your child’s baths.
Hydrosol - Spray the skin with an herbal hydrosol (Code: drmichelle for $ off at checkout). This Rosemary & Bay hydrosol helps with itch and hydrating the skin.
Trace Minerals Colloidal Silver Spray 30PPM - Spray troubled areas with colloidal silver hydrosol. Colloidal silver is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and an antihistamine, making it effective for combating eczema.
Use a Barrier Cream - Barrier creams containing lipids and ceramides help form a protective layer on the skin to lock in moisture while keeping out impurities.
My top recommendations for creams and ointments include:
Honeybee Hippie Honey Hydrate whipped tallow butter (Code: dr.young10 for 10% off)
Era Organics Elixir Anti Itch Skin Rash Cream
3. Consider using a medical grade red light therapy device
Red light therapy is an incredibly effective eczema supportive therapy. RLT activated mitochondria, our energy centers of the cell. Which makes more energy so our cells can work better. This means, faster healing and decreased inflammation on the area it is used.
The Lumebox is the best red light therapy device on the market. It is registered with the FDA, is a class II medical device, is third party tested showing it does what it says it does (!), and low EMF.
How to use:
Turn on both red light and NIR
Use stand or hold device about 6 inches away from skin. Use on areas where eczema is present.
Start at 2 minutes daily and work up to 6-12 minutes, depending on age.
Use goggles if using on the face. If you' aren’t using it on the face, no need to wear the goggles.
4. Healing Your Skin from the Inside Out
To treat your child’s eczema, we must treat the inflammation – effectively healing their skin from the inside out.
Nutrition
It’s not uncommon for children struggling with eczema to experience food allergies or sensitivities. Try removing common irritants like dairy and gluten and decreasing processed foods to help reduce inflammation.
Instead, fill their plates with anti-inflammatory foods like pasture raised meats, bone broth or stock, cooked leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds, fish, and fruit. It is extra important in children with eczema that they are getting enough protein in their diet.
Gut Health
The gut is the home of our immune system and a common source of inflammation. Sources of inflammation in the gut can include yeast overgrowth, dysbiosis, gastrointestinal infections, and leaky gut. Together, we can work to repair the gut microbiome to reduce inflammation. This is where a comprehensive stool analysis is incredibly helpful!
Water
Drink up!
Staying hydrated helps our entire body function optimally. Make sure your kids are drinking half of their body weight in ounces of water each day. Hydration from the inside out is so important.
Support Optimal Elimination
Pooping! It’s so important!
Incorporate fiber-rich foods such as hummus, beans, broccoli, berries, apples, pears, and avocados into your child’s diet to help ensure that they are pooping at least once per day. Goal for 1-5 year olds is 20grams of fiber and >5years old is 25grams daily!
Reduce Toxin Exposure
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances in the air, soil, water, food, and products that interfere with our body’s endocrine system.
Even though we can’t avoid EDCs altogether, we can reduce our toxic burden by making small, sustainable changes. Try to support your child’s natural detoxification processes by incorporating more whole foods into their diet and getting them moving each day. I also recommend swapping your child’s plastic water bottle for a metal one.
Vitamin and Nutrient Supplements
Supplements can be very beneficial when working to strengthen the body’s immune system and decrease inflammation. After identifying where your child may be deficient, vitamin and nutrient supplements can help relieve symptoms and improve overall health.
My favorite supplements for treating eczema include:
Vitamins A, C, D, and Fish oil to help decrease inflammation (4)
L-Glutamine to help soothe and repair leaky gut
*Visit my online supplement dispensary and “eczema support” under my “favorite” products.
Decrease the Itch
Sometimes, we just need to stop the itch so that the body has a chance to heal. And of course, you don’t want to watch your kiddo live in discomfort.
Two of my favorite supplements to help stop the itch are:
D-Hist Jr. - A chewable tablet great for kids that can support immune balance and diminish histamine response.
Quercetin - Quercetin acts as an anti-inflammatory and antihistamine by stabilizing the cells that release histamine in the body.
When Should You See a Naturopathic Provider?
The best time to see a naturopathic provider is at the first onset of symptoms, so we can treat your child’s eczema before it escalates!
Or, maybe you’ve tried all the home remedies, creams, lotions, and over-the-counter methods listed in this article, and you aren’t seeing any improvement in your child’s eczema, it’s time to see a naturopathic doctor.
Working with a naturopathic provider helps ensure your child gets the individualized care they need to treat the root cause of eczema and heal.
You’re Not Alone!
I know that finding a treatment for your little one’s eczema has probably been quite the journey already!
But, you’re not alone on that journey!
Young Medicine is here to help you uncover the source of your child’s eczema and develop an individualized plan to help naturally treat your child. Together, we can help restore your child’s beautiful skin.
