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Healthy HomeItch, Go Away!
by Diane H. Pitts, R.N., P.T. (Diane's bio)
IMPORTANT!: Please read our legal notice regarding this health column by clicking here.
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His red, patchy skin stood at attention like a sentinel. Lotions and special soaps tiptoed away, unable to help. Timmy scratched until his legs bled. Itching signaled the arrival of a rash called eczema (egg-seh-mah). Timmy is six and has dealt with eczema since infancy.
What Causes Eczema?
“Mommy, what causes my eczema?” Timmy sniffed through tears.
“Well, Daddy and Mommy both have very sensitive skin. Your grandmother had skin problems and asthma, as well. We don't really know what causes it but sometimes it runs in families.”
Timmy's mom remembers trying to look for clues that would trigger the eczema. She felt like an eczema detective. What made his skin itchy, red, and bumpy? Was it soap, dust, or cats?
In solving the mystery, Mom found that triggers vary from person to person.
What to Do:
Eczema makes skin dry; dry skin feels itchy. If Timmy scratches and breaks the skin, then an infection might set in. So, trying not to scratch is important even though it is hard.
Moisturizers can keep your skin from getting too dry. Applying the moisturizer right after a bath is a good idea. Timmy's mom makes sure the bath water isn't too hot because that promotes dry skin. She prevents long water play. Afterwards, she pats his skin dry and dots the moisturizer on quickly.
Sometimes medication will be prescribed by a doctor or health practitioner. Timmy's mom has used antihistamines (*caution: if someone is on other medications it is important to consult your doctor or pharmacist about drug interactions, especially in over-the-counter antihistamines), prescription creams, and a variety of things the doctor suggested to bring the condition under control. Then they established a maintenance program.
Timmy finds that it helps to wear soft, loose clothes. Air flow moves freely, not trapped to build up perspiration. Timmy stays cooler, and clothing doesn't rub against him.
Some of Timmy's friends think he might be sick and don't want to get around him when his skin breaks out like a war zone. He often comes home from kindergarten in tears.
“Mommy, my friends won't play with me. They say they might 'catch' my itchy skin. Is that so?”
“No, Timmy. Eczema is not contagious. That means other people can't catch it. You don't need to worry about that. I'll talk to Jason and Mark's mothers.”
It's hard to be happy when you are six and feel as though you have lost your friends. It's also hard to be a teenager or an adult and have red, glaring patches that cause a cosmetic nightmare. Nevertheless, a positive attitude is linked to the control of skin disorders like eczema.
There are many individuals who have to live with and manage skin disorders. The good news is, like Timmy's mom discovered, the itch can go away with proper management!
For Your Soul Consideration
Are you and I contagious? Not in the sense of a health precaution, but something that makes people notice us? The Israelites noticed Moses. “So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.” (Exodus 34:30 NAS) The people were afraid but, at the same time, drawn to look at his face because Moses had been with God. Do others know you and I have been with God?
Copyright 2002, Diane H. Pitts. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
THE CONTENT OF THE "HEALTHY HOME" COLUMN IS PRESENTED IN SUMMARY FORM, IS GENERAL IN NATURE, AND IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE CONTENT IS NOT INTENDED IN ANY WAY TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR FACE-TO-FACE, IN-PERSON, PROFESSIONAL, MEDICAL, PSYCHIATRIC, OR PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTH CARE ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING A MEDICAL CONDITION, HEALTH DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY IN SEEKING IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ IN THE "HEALTHY HOME" COLUMN. Please read our full legal notice.
| About Diane H. Pitts, R.N., P.T.: Diane Pitts has practiced in the fields of nursing and physical therapy for twenty-five years. She currently manages the education and escapades of three active boys in addition to pursuing an interest in writing. Healthy Home seeks to provide the reader with practical ways to maintain wholeness in body, mind, and soul. Contact her at healthyhomecol@earthlink.net. |
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