Does allergen testing help in the diagnosis and management of eczema in children?
No.
Children with eczema often show multiple positive reactions to skin allergen tests, but this is not very helpful in treatment. Blood allergen testing is also of little value.
Treatment of eczema
There is no single treatment that can cure eczema, but for most children, eczema can be effectively treated and controlled with a few simple treatment options under medical supervision.
Moisturizers and emollients
These products keep the skin moisturized and soft, restore elasticity and suppleness, and help reduce itching and scratching. Moisturizing emollients are safe and should be used topically and often as a first-line treatment option.
1. Take a bath at most once a day
2. Use a mild moisturizing soap such as dove (Dove), or a soap substitute such as Cetaphil (Stave)
3, moisturizing emollients such as Moisturel (this product is used with caution) or Eucerin (Eucerin), can be used freely and in larger quantities on all dry skin areas, at least twice a day, and as often as possible.
Just as you should brush your teeth every day, children with eczema need daily moisturization because they have sensitive skin. Moisturizing measures will prevent the skin from drying out and keep it smooth, and will also significantly reduce itching and skin redness.
Topical glucocorticoid ointment
Appropriate topical use of glucocorticoid ointments is safe and the most basic treatment. Ointments, such as petroleum jelly are gray and thick. And creams are white and watery. These preparations, on red inflamed areas, should be rubbed 1 or 2 times a day. In particular, they should be rubbed once immediately after bathing, when the skin is still wet (within 3 minutes after bathing). Emollient moisturizers should be rubbed on non-redness skin areas after hormonal ointments have been rubbed first. Moisturizers should not be used prior to hormone application. Topical rubs of weak glucocorticoid ointments such as 1% hydrocortisone, deprenyl pine or Westcort (hydrocortisone butyrate) will be effective enough for most children. Occasionally, your doctor may give your child a more potent glucocorticosteroid ointment.
Topical immunomodulatory drugs
If topical treatment with weak glucocorticosteroids does not work, or if you need to use them for a long time, it is time to consider topical immunomodulatory drugs such as Elidel (Pimecrolimus-Eninta) and Protopic (Tacrolimus-Protopic) are two products that can be used in children.
Antihistamines
Taken orally 30-60 minutes before going to bed, such as Benadryl, Advil, Centrum (Cetirizine), can help your child have a comfortable night and sleep well. Some younger infants and children may become more irritable and irritable after taking antihistamines. If this happens, you should inform your doctor and stop using the medicine.
Wet compresses
Wet compresses soften the skin and relieve itching. The following six steps are necessary.
1. Rub glucocorticoid ointment on your child’s skin
2. Take a baby sleeper (a thin cotton towel is fine) and dip it in warm water
3.Twist dry the baby pajamas, twist until there is a slight wetness
4.Put the wet baby pajamas on the child, and cover with a dry baby pajamas outside. Be careful never to wrap it in a plastic bag outside. The moisture on the baby’s pajamas must remain in a state of constant evaporation.
5, the room should be kept warm enough.
6. Your child may be uncomfortable at first, but you have to stick with it for a while, and then it will become comfortable.
Wet compresses play a therapeutic role through several mechanisms. The continuous evaporation of water causes a drop in skin temperature, which has a calming effect on the temperature-sensitive nerve endings in the skin. This continuous cold stimulation prevents the onset of itchiness. Wet compresses also restore moisture to the skin surface and allow glucocorticoid ointments to work more effectively. When applied wet, it also prevents the child from scratching the skin incessantly, which is a vicious cycle between dermatosis-scratching.
Your doctor may want you to apply wet compresses continuously nightly (overnight) for 5-10 nights or change the dressing every 8 hours for 24 to 72 hours. If your child has an acute eczema flare-up, using the wet compress method will stop the flare-up in one to two nights.
Are glucocorticoid ointments dangerous?
They are safe when used correctly.
Topical glucocorticoid ointments vary greatly in potency strength (weak, moderate, strong, super potent, etc.). Topical glucocorticosteroids of weak or moderate potency are very safe when used topically under medical supervision. Many parents are concerned about the topical use of hormones, when in fact only the misuse of strong glucocorticoids can cause the problems they fear, such as thinning of the skin. Strong glucocorticosteroids are not routinely used in children.
Topical application of a weak hormonal agent, such as 1% hydrocortisone ointment, once or twice a day on the eczema rash is safe, even for long-term use. However, continuous daily use of hormones on the face of children (and adults) for more than two weeks is not acceptable. Those children who need topical strong glucocorticoids or who require prolonged use of medium-acting hormonal ointments are advised to switch to topical immunomodulatory drugs (topical immunomodulatory drugs are recommended for the face).
How much topical hormonal ointment should be applied to the skin?
Apply the ointment to the surface of the eczema area (at the red or pink rash skin area) in an even, thin layer (a shiny layer of skin can be seen in the evening light). A fingertip-length amount of ointment is sufficient to apply to the entire arm or leg. Usually apply the ointment or cream in a downward direction so that it forms a thin layer on the surface of the skin. Be careful not to repeatedly apply and rub until the cream is not visible. The “use with caution” notice written on the tube of ointment may cause parents to worry and may reduce the amount used.
However, the use of adequate amounts of hormonal ointment is necessary to achieve satisfactory results.