Eczema is a skin condition in which patches of skin become rough and inflamed, often with blisters that cause itching, even bleeding. Eczema can be inherited, though the symptoms occur due to external circumstances too. And while babies of all ethnicity battle this unfortunate medical condition, I was not prepared to deal with eczema when my multiracial children were born.
My daughter is now 5 years old and has been battling Eczema symptoms since she was a baby. She had a patch of rough skin near the corner of her mouth. When she was still an infant, I talked with my pediatrician who prescribed a steroid cream. She told me to use it sparingly and, if it didn’t work, we’d have to give her oral steroids. With significant side effects after just a few days of taking them, I was really really not excited about giving my baby girl oral steroids. After that day, I started to research my options and eczema tips for my biracial baby in hopes to avoid the harsh stuff. So when Walmart asked me to share those new mom tips – including the review of SheaMoisture’s new Raw Shea, Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Care – I agreed wholeheartedly!
Eczema Tips
Whereas my daughter had eczema around her mouth for the first year of her life, my son had it on his extremities after his first birthday. Every kid is different, but the tips for clearing their breakouts were always the same.
Here are 3 eczema tips we followed and continue to come back to any time one of my babies deals with a flare-up:
1. Observe: The first thing I do when battling eczema is to figure out what’s causing the symptoms. Though eczema can be inherited, it’s often triggered by external irritants such as detergents, fragrance… even food! My daughter’s eczema was definitely caused by external triggers – mostly food she or I ate – whereas my son was sensitive to products we used on his skin. When you know what you’re battling against, you can work to eliminate those triggers from the baby’s environment.
2. Gentle Cleanse: Baby’s skin is sensitive already, but a baby with eczema takes it to another level. When dealing with my biracial baby’s eczema, I quickly learned that soaps are NOT created equal. We love this brand and have used their product lines since the kids were young, but SheaMoisture Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Head to Toe Body Wash seals the deal for us. It’s a gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry out gentle baby skin. We only cleanse as needed (which is more often as they grow older) and with a gentle cleanser to calm eczema areas.
3. Treat + Hydrate: We love the Healing Lotion from SheaMoisture’s baby line. Although it’s super thick (as you can see in the video below!), it completely hydrates and protects the sensitive areas that are prone to eczema breakouts.
Check out our review video of these two products below!
