How to treat eczema naturally in children

Five-year-old Blake sat in the doctor's office with his mother when the doctor entered the room. She was desperately looking for a way to treat his eczema naturally, and this doctor came highly recommended.

"He's itchy all the time," his mother said. "We've seen other doctors, and they want to put him on steroids and antibiotics. That seems awfully drastic for a young boy."

She's right. They would likely have started with a prescription-strength corticosteroid cream.

Blake had rashes that covered his arm and face, his skin was swollen and red, and his skin dermatitis was about to crust and flake off.

Blake may have a more serious case of eczema that, if treated naturally, would involve quite a protocol of diet and possibly environmental changes.  I'll address those serious cases in a minute, and offer some resources that may help. But first, try to treat it naturally with these steps, and see if that clears up the eczema:

TRY THESE IDEAS FIRST TO TREAT ECZEMA NATURALLY

1. Use lotion, but not scented lotion. (I will add that a non-water-based lotion is best, as water added to a product necessitates preservatives and additives that often irritate the skin and make it worse.)
2. Use a nourishing soap, not a cleaning bar, which can dry out the skin. We suggest goat milk soap.   
3. Bathe less frequently and use warm, not hot, water.
4. Eliminate triggers that could come in the form of scented laundry detergent and clothe your child in cotton rather than a synthetic material.
5. Keep the home at a humidity level of at least 25%.
6. Do what you can to control the scratching. Use long sleeves, if possible, and keep fingernails trimmed. 

OUR TOP MADEON PRODUCTS THAT CAN HELP TREAT ECZEMA

• Beesilk lotion bar: made with just three ingredients, this is our top choice for dealing with eczema. The short list of ingredients reassures our customers that the chance of having an eczema trigger by the lotion highly unlikely. The blend of butters and oils nourishes the skin without it feeling greasy or oily.  There's no pain on contact, and no perfumes or additives to irritate the skin.
• Beesilk Jr emollient: the only difference between this product and Beesilk lotion bar is that this one is softer, making it easier to apply. I would recommend the lotion bar for skin that isn't sensitive to the touch but needs long-lasting healing. Beesilk Jr., on the other hand, may need to be applied 1-2 times for most effective healing, but it is easier to apply. 
• Simply Soothing Rash Cream: for skin that has developed a rash, the zinc oxide in this product will do the trick to quickly and effectively take care of the rash, while feeling no pain when applied. 
• Goat milk soap: whether you purchase this from us or another reputable company, soap made from raw goat milk is extremely nourishing for the skin, and non-drying.

WHEN TOPICAL LOTION ISN'T ENOUGH, YOU NEED TO TREAT ECZEMA THIS WAY:

What did the doctor conclude after a thorough examination and a look at Blake's health history?

"... the boy's body was experiencing inflammation caused by allergic reactions to the foods he ate and household toxins he was being exposed to." - Dr. Axe.

Dr. Axe outlines various protocols for symptoms based on what gut type issue the patient has. I found this extremely helpful because many gut-related books seem overwhelming when it comes to where to start.  He has a gut type quiz and the results should narrow down your gut issues to one of the following:

• Candida Gut (caused by a high-sugar diet, antibiotics and chronic anxiety, the warning signs include extreme fatigue, cravings for sweets, bad breath, brain fog and a white coating on the tongue.)
• Stressed Gut (caused by emotional stress, thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue and high cortisol levels, the warning signs include trouble waking up, depression, bone loss, inflammation, increased allergies...)
• Immune Gut (caused by food sensitivities, gluten, and dairy products. Warning signs include arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, migraines and muscle pain.)
• Gastric Gut (caused by underchewing, overeating, and a slow digestive system. The warning signs include bloat and acid reflux.)
• Toxic Gut (caused by overconsumption of bad fats and toxicity from the environment, personal care products, and processed foods. Warning signs include gallbladder diseases and skin inflammation issues like rosacea or neurological diseases.)

That list might overwhelm you, but once you read through each section, I assure you that you'll be closer to nailing the issue you're plagued with.

Let's get back to five-year-old Blake. In the book, Dr. Axe outlined the series of tests he used to identify Blake's gut issue and shared the exact plan he wrote up for Blake's mom to follow in order to get rid of the skin issues and start the healing on his gut... (Read about that protocol, and Blake's happy ending, on my blog...)