The winter seriously kills my skin; I have NEVER had eczema before until hubs and I moved to Idaho. I would itch for minutes on end and couldn't help it!! I have been able to control it well though without meds and without any prescription creams-yay!! Below are my tips and tricks for overcoming eczema! PS-I know we are going into spring but since it snowed today in Idaho...I'm still a candidate for following my own tips to avoid the rash...which means you are too (if you live here)! Did you know that about 50% of kids who have eczema will also develop allergies and/or asthma-in addition to the eczema! It is something to look out for and a very real thing. There are tons of things that contribute to eczema flare-ups, including eating foods you are allergic to (especially eggs, wheat, milk, and peanuts), environmental triggers like exposing yourself to mold, dust mites, excessively humid or dry environments, and cat dander, sweating, scratching, skin irritants, and stress. Eczema is just a way of the body trying to get rid of these triggers by stimulating the inflammatory process (which causes itching). Itching comes first, then the rash appears. If you think your child may have eczema, typically if they are under 2 years old, the rash appears more on the face, scalp, and wrist. If they are older than this or you think you have it, the rash could be anywhere...but don't jump to prescription creams and Benadryl. Try these tips first!
Kyle, T., & Carman, S. (2013). Essentials of pediatric nursing (pp.10-11). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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Too often Moms are left with worries about their child and whether this or that is "normal." I personally have felt almost every time I go to the Doctor, I forgot to ask something I was worried about or just had a question about. For this reason, I am starting a series on "things you wish you were told at the Doctor." It seriously feels like I learn 50 incredible things per day from nursing school that's mind blowing to me, so I'm assuming you want to know about it too. It is also true that every chapter of every textbook we have, have sections on patient teaching that we are obligated as nurses to tell our patients about. Well let's face it, nurses are just plain busy and a lot of the time things are left out that shouldn't have been. So whether your Doctor or nurse left out these details, I'm going to help fill in the gaps. Enjoy the series!
PS-If there is a topic you want to know more about, comment below!
I am not pushing immunizations, as I know there are a million reasons why parents choose not to vaccinate their kids but for reference if you are interested, here is a CURRENT schedule for immunizations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This schedule is constantly changing due to new research but this is a reliable website that stays up to date on it. I will say that I have seen plenty of cases that could have prevented a certain disease or illness with an immunization but it is 100% up to you as a parent.
If you look at it closely, you will notice things like you can get the MMR vaccine way before kindergarten even starts if you so oblige. You just have to wait four weeks after the initial injection (at 12 months or older) to get it. Everything isn't as cut and dry as nurses/Doctors/schools make it out to be, so if you want to vaccinate earlier and get their immunizations out of the way or are traveling to an endemic country with your littles, or just want to know when to get them done, this schedule is great for you. Also, if the reason you don't vaccinate is because of cost, there is a great program called "Vaccines for children" that allows parents to help pay for costs, or most the time offer vaccines for free. This is readily available to low incomes, American Indian or Alaska Native, and uninsured kids. They are able to do this through government grants and buying the vaccines at a discount, to then distribute them to different offices where you would normally get vaccinated (lots of Doctor's offices are included). Check it out. Please know that it is common for families to lose their immunization record. Now that there are things like "patient portals" to access your medical records online, you can ask your previous/current Doctor's office for info on how to obtain it. If this isn't an option, it is better to be over immunized and receive certain immunizations twice than to not receive the vaccination at all. Check back for more "things you wish you were told at the Doctor's" series!
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(2014). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/index.html
Birth-18 Years & "Catch-up" Immunization Schedules. (2016). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines /schedules/hcp/child-adolescent.html |
AuthorHey I'm Andrea, a brand new Mom who is completely obsessed with my baby. Thanks for stopping by! Categories
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