Quiz: Do You Know How to Manage Your Eczema?

What's the best way to wash your skin?
Short baths or soaks
Long baths
Scrubbing
Hot water
What's the best way to wash your skin?
If you have eczema, it's best that you take short baths or showers in warm water. Use gentle cleansers instead of soap, and pat, don't rub, your skin dry. Then apply any medicines to your skin and moisturize while skin is still damp. You can also soak in lukewarm water and baking soda or oatmeal for 10 minutes, which will help the skin absorb water. Ask your health care provider about other ways to help with itching.

What's probably the most important thing you can do for your eczema?
Baths
Moisturize
Penicillin
Massage
What's probably the most important thing you can do for your eczema?
Moisturizing is important for eczema. Creams and ointments have less water than lotions, so they're usually more effective at sealing in moisture. Even petroleum jelly is good after a bath. Use unscented products so fragrances don't irritate skin. Moisturize at least twice a day, especially after bathing.

Can stress and sunburn affect your eczema?
Yes
No
Can stress and sunburn affect your eczema?
Many different things can cause eczema to get worse, even for children. Being stressed -- before a test or a big game, for example -- may trigger eczema. Being hot can make you sweat, which can irritate skin. Sunburn can make skin even itchier, so always use sunscreen.

What you wear can affect your eczema.
True
False
What you wear can affect your eczema.
Try to avoid coarse or irritating fabrics like wool. They can make skin itchy and irritate eczema. Instead, choose loose, comfortable, breathable fabrics like cotton that are less likely to bother skin.

Allergies may affect your child's eczema.
True
False
Allergies may affect your child's eczema.
Having allergies like milk protein allergy can make your child's eczema worse. Food allergies may be more common in infants and young children with eczema. Environmental allergies may be more common in older kids. Milk proteins are found in baby formula as well as breast milk -- if a nursing mother drinks milk products. Some children may outgrow eczema caused by allergies. If allergies are an issue, your pediatrician may refer you to an allergist.

Children can outgrow eczema.
True
False
Children can outgrow eczema.
The good news is that about half of all children with eczema will outgrow it by the time they're teenagers. They may continue to have dry, easily irritated skin, and a few will continue to have eczema when they are older.

It's OK to gently scratch or rub your eczema.
True
False
It's OK to gently scratch or rub your eczema.
Scratching and rubbing can make eczema worse and make your skin more prone to infection. Instead, when eczema itches, apply cool, wet washcloths to your skin to help relieve discomfort, then always moisturize to seal the water in. Help your child keep their fingernails short to minimize breaking the skin if they scratch.

Call a healthcare provider if your child has eczema and:
Fever
Acne
Itchiness
Cough
Call a healthcare provider if your child has eczema and:
Fever, redness and warmth, or pus-filled bumps all could be signs that your child has a secondary skin infection. Call your child's doctor immediately because children with eczema are prone to skin infections.

Your doctor may recommend the following treatment if you have eczema:
Steroid creams
Antihistamines
Antibiotics
All of them
Your doctor may recommend the following treatment if you have eczema:
Topical steroid creams -- are commonly used to help soothe eczema symptoms. Antihistamines may be recommended to relieve itching and help with sleep. Antibiotics are used to treat secondary infections.

You can help relieve eczema symptoms in the laundry room.
True
False
You can help relieve eczema symptoms in the laundry room.
To help avoid irritating your skin, use mild laundry detergent without fragrances or dyes and rinse clothes twice to remove all soap. It's also a good idea to wash new clothes before you wear them in order to remove potentially irritating chemicals.

Wearing gloves to bed can discourage your child from scratching.
True
False
Wearing gloves to bed can discourage your child from scratching.
Keep your child's fingernails clipped short to minimize damage from scratching. It also may help to have them wear comfortable, lightweight cotton gloves to bed if they scratch when they sleep.