It may seem easy to say “don’t scratch” to someone, but when you put yourself in the situation, it isn’t. With adults, you can explain to them why scratching a scab or eczema may be a bad decision, but with a child, it seems close to impossible. Children are young and do not understand the consequences behind why a person would ask them to stop. They do not understand that by scratching too much or too hard, they can hurt themselves or cause themselves to bleed. This is why you should not apply the same strategy you would with adults; rather you should find different ways of distracting them from itching themselves. These ways have been given below. By following these, you can ensure your child has healthy and itch-free skin
- Use moisturizers generously
Make sure that you keep your child’s skin moisturized. This will help with a flare-up of the rash or eczema and will keep the skin calm while improving the texture of the skin. It will also help in keeping your child’s hand away from the infected place as they will see something applied there. If you want a product recommendation, then Bioderma atoderm intensive Baume is an excellent balm to use to moisturize the child’s skin and keep it calm so it doesn’t itch.
- Wet wraps
Many doctors recommend that when the child is feeling itchy and keeps scratching, a good way to relive it is through wet wraps. All you need to do is take some warm water and dip a piece of cloth in it. Then cover the rash or infected area with it for 15-20 mins. The warm cloth will help soothe that area and give the child comfort from the itch. It may even relieve the itch to some extent.
- Clip their fingernails
Children are children and no matter how much you try and stop them, there will come a time when they will begin to itch. So, to prevent the damage, you should clip their fingernails so they do not dig too deep and can prevent bleeding. With short fingernails, they will be able to itch yet not cause the issue to become worse.
- Cold compress
Just like the wet warm wrap, a cool compress will also help relieve the itch. You can use a piece of cloth and dip it in cold water or wrap it around a few ice cubes. Then apply this onto the infected area. His will help soothe the skin and calm the inflammation, giving the child some peace.
- Distract them
When nothing else works, make sure you keep them distracted. At the time when the child is distracted and gets engrossed in another activity, they tend to forget about the itch or ignore it. So, if you keep them distracted they’ll stay away from the itch and let it heal on its own. However, it is important that you speak to a doctor to get the right medical treatment alongside these steps.