Eczema is a skin condition. It can be irritating and painful, especially for children. Fortunately, there are treatments for both children and adults that can relieve the symptoms. There are also things you can do to prevent eczema from flaring up.
Eczema is a condition that makes patches of your skin become dry, red and itchy. Scratching can make the skin bleed making the eczema worse. Sometimes, the skin can become thick and scaly.
It is very typical for children with eczema to grow out of it. However, some people will have eczema all their lives. There’s no cure, but there are lots of treatments that can help reduce the itchiness and inflammation. There are also things you can do at home to keep eczema under control.
There are several types of eczema, the most common being atopic eczema. If a condition is described as atopic, it means that it’s caused by an allergy.
Key points about eczema
- Eczema is quite common in children, with about 16 in 100 children in the UK having it.
- About 60 in 100 children who have eczema grow out of it or get milder symptoms as they get older.
- Some people with eczema have mild symptoms that last a few days at a time, while other people may have more severe symptoms that last longer or never go away completely.
- Eczema can be irritating and painful, but it shouldn’t prevent you or your child from taking part in normal activities.
- There are good treatments that can help keep symptoms under control.
Find out more about how it can be prevented and treated.