Pediatric Eczema

Pediatric eczema is a disorder involving superficial inflammation of the skin causing symptoms such as redness, itching, swelling, scaling, weeping and blisters.

Traditional Chinese Medicine sees every case as individual and uses its tools of tongue and pulse diagnosis along with accompanying symptoms (such as irregular bowel movements, restlessness, poor quality of sleep, irritability, poor appetite or cravings for certain foods, etc) to determine the cause of the eczema. Usually the eczema is a result of an accumulation of Heat and Dampness in the body along with an underlying organ weakness.

Diet and the strength of the digestive system plays a huge role in the occurrence of eczema and other allergic disorders in children. As the digestive systems in babies and young children are very weak, they need to be nurtured and developed slowly. Solid foods should be introduced one at a time so that if the child has a reaction or is unable to digest the food it can be withdrawn and reintroduced at a later stage when the digestion has matured. All foods should be warm, bland and overcooked, making them easy to digest. A diet that consists of cold, sugary and sweet foods will only weaken the digestive system further.

Some foods that are good for children with eczema, because they clear Heat and Dampness, cool the blood and assist in clearing the intestines are:

Paw paw, Cucumber, Celery, Pear

It is important to avoid feeding the child any spicy foods, such as chilli, as these foods will generate further Heat in the body and blood.

A specifically designed natural herbal prescription can be very useful in relieving the symptoms of pediatric eczema following assessment by a practitioner.

A Clinic Case Example of Pediatric Eczema

First Visit
A 9 week old male presented with eczema (red, dry, scaly, itchy skin) over the whole body and extremely red and raw around the nappy area. He was very restless and had difficulty sleeping. His bowel movements were green/yellow, very smelly and were difficult to pass, causing him pain and discomfort. His pulse was slippery.

We diagnosed the cause of the eczema to be Heat in the blood and the large intestine. A herbal formula was prepared for both the child and mother to clear the heat and the intestines (the mother would pass the herbs to the child during breastfeeding).

Second Visit: one week later
The skin was approximately 50% improved over the body and head and the nappy area was around 80% clear. His sleep was becoming less restless, but the bowel movements were still difficult. The herbal formula was altered to reflect his presentation during the visit.

Third Visit: two weeks from second visit
The skin was almost totally clear with only a few patches coming and going. The nappy area was completely clear. He appeared much calmer and was sleeping well. His bowel movements had become much easier and did not cause him pain and discomfort to pass. A herbal formula was prescribed for both mother and child for a further two weeks, only to be taken every second day.

The child's skin was completely clear after this medication and he has not required further treatment since.