Atopic Dermatitis Prevention

Prevention

It is difficult to prevent eczema. This is most true when there is a strong family history.

You may be able to reduce your child's risk of eczema by:

• Breastfeeding
• For bottlefed infants, using a certain kind of formula—Ask the doctor if your baby should have 100% whey protein formula (eg, Nestle Good Start)
• Exposing your child to pets at an early age

If you already have eczema, there are several things you can do to try to control it:

• Follow guidelines to limit house dust mites in bedding.
• Avoid direct contact with wool to the skin.
• Talk to your doctor about any natural or herbal treatments. Some of these may make eczema worse.
• Avoid scratching or rubbing when possible.
• Follow your treatment plan. Improvement may take several weeks or even months after a new medicine is started.
• Maintain a cool stable environment. Keep consistent humidity levels.
• Recognize and limit emotional stress.