Eczema, Allergies and Day-to-Day Care

Eczema

What is Eczema?  Dry, itchy skin condition  Commonly affects children  Link with asthma and hayfever  Can be mild, moderate or severe

What Does It Look Like?  Red  Dry  Patches, especially folds of elbows and knees

What Does it Feel Like?  Itchy!!  Can be sore  Can disturb sleep

How Can We Treat It?  Emollients (thick moisturisers)  To skin  In the bath  Instead of soap  Steroid cream  For flare ups  “Sedating” anti-histamines  Useful for bedtime, aids sleep  Wet Wraps  Comfortable bandages for severe eczema

Emollients  The cornerstone of eczema management  Lock moisture in – they do NOT replace it  Use often (several times a day) and copiously, all over.  You cannot “overdose”!  Any time the skin looks dry or is becoming itchy  Apply gently, quickly, down the direction of hair growth

Bath Emollients  Liquid to add to bath  Turns water “milky”  Soak for 10-15mins – warm NOT hot water  Use emollient cream if “soap” needed  Towel down – pat don’t rub  Lots of emollients whilst skin still slightly damp

Steroid Creams  For flare ups  Only to the areas that are red and sore  Thinly, sparingly  Lots of worry about “dangers”  BUT rare to get side effects unless used inappropriately for long periods of time

Wet Wraps  Not at all common  Applied over emollients  One wet layer (soaked in cool water +/-bath emollient)  Cover with dry layer  The kids or experienced volunteers will teach you how!

General Care  Make sure they’ve got their emollient with them  Apply at first sign of itchiness  DON’T SAY “DON’T SCRATCH” please!!  Gentle distraction e.g. game, or help them apply more emollient  Emollient prior to swimming  Rinse in shower soon after, and more emollient!

Allergies & Anaphylaxis

DON ’ T PANIC!  Allergy = body ’ s protest against something it doesn ’ t like  Anaphylaxis = the most panicked about  The LEAST likely to happen  Mild allergic reactions more common  May be known triggers – be AWARE of your children ’ s allergies

Common Triggers  Bee/wasp stings  Latex  Peanuts, Shellfish, other foodstuffs  Medications

Mild Reactions  Itching / mild rash  Tingling  Stomach ache  PIRITON +/- Blue inhaler if needed  Then observe

More Severe Reactions  Difficulty breathing / wheezing  Swelling (oedema) especially of lips, mouth  Severe rash – “hives”/ “nettle rash”  Itching of tongue, palate  Palpitations  Diarrhoea, vomiting  Feeling faint/dizzy

Managing Severe Reactions  Do It If In Doubt  999  Epipen if severe symptoms present  Piriton  Blue inhaler if needed  Repeat epipen after 5 mins if not improving  SHARPS! (Swanky new epipen containers take care of this for you)

Playtime!  Play with the dummy epipens  Ask questions  Feel confident/comfortable about it all!

Day-to-Day Care

In Loco Parentis  All the usual stuff – washing, dressing, teeth, toileting  Bathroom queues, negotiations, bribing…(!!)  Bedroom Medication Ticksheets  Your guide for helping them with meds  Must be ticked off each day, am & pm  Note peak flow (if child does this) & use of blue inhaler  Please tell a health pro if peak flow is dropping  Ask if you don’t know

Have Fun!