Children with Eczema in SES Communities

Many of us are either raising a child with eczema, already have raised a child with eczema or we know someone else is or has gone through the experience. Needless to say, it is not fun at all!

All of my children had an issue with their skin; my oldest son didn’t do well with anything too oily, my daughter had a touch of eczema, and my youngest son simply had very dry skin. Being a single mom, trying to take care of home alone I struggled with this. Those who have not experienced raising a child with irritated skin may not understand how serious of an issue this can be. Dry, itchy skin can cause a child to be pretty miserable, which in turn makes mom miserable!

After doing some research as well as considering our own personal experiences, my daughter and I decided to introduce our next greatest idea! But….before providing the details, let me share some information about eczema that we found to be quite interesting.

Any parent raising children on a low income can definitely understand the struggles of keeping things as little as soap, skin and hair moisturizers and shampoo/conditioner in the house; this can especially be an issue when you have more than one child. I know for me, my mom was a great help when it came to the little things (thanks mommy!).

Okay, so a little background….the National Eczema Association states that there are approximately 30 million Americans suffering from eczema. Over the years, eczema has been a growing nuisance to many families, particularly those who cannot afford to buy the moisturizers that can soothe their child’s skin. The CDC website had some really interesting information; between 1997 and 2011 many surveys were conducted as doctors tried to understand this skin monster. The data showed that African American children are more prone to eczema than other groups; to add, families with low income have the highest prevalence rates. A couple of years ago, there were surveys conducted that proved environment and lifestyle play major roles in the severity of eczema; for those of us who have a sincere concern about the well-being of children, this is very disturbing.

For families who are not able to purchase the necessary items to help soothe their child’s skin, there are some things you can do.

1. Do not allow your child to take long showers/baths and do not use water hotter than lukewarm; use mild soap with no fragrances/colors

2.  If skin is inflamed or very itchy, have your child soak in oatmeal; you can either use a muslin (or similar material) cloth and place it directly on the area or put oatmeal in a tub of water 
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3. Another great remedy for inflammation or itchiness is dried chamomile flower, also used with a muslin cloth (or similar material) or bath

4. Now this  step is where PE would come in….gently pat the skin, try not to rub; use moisturizers on the skin within 3 minutes after removing your child from the tub/shower; keep  mind that quickly moisturizing the skin is VERY, VERY important as it locks in natural moisture

5. Finally, when dressing your child try using cotton/soft fabrics

Now that I’ve shared the “lesson”, I will share our next greatest idea! Because it is so important for children with eczema to keep moisturized, and because the proper moisturizers are so expensive, PE will be introducing our BOGO (Buy One Give One) campaign! Every bottle of PE Body Oil that is purchased via the website will ensure that a child residing in a low income home and suffering from eczema,  will also receive a free bottle of PE Body Oil! All body oil donations will be provided to children in need through Tomaro’s C.H.A.N.G.E. (tomaros-change.org)!

Great idea??? Yes, we agree, and we are extra excited!

Anyone interested in learning more, please contact us at info@PandaNique-Essentials.com! Be the first to be a part of a great initiative to soothe the skin of a child; ask someone who suffers or has suffered from eczema and they will tell you how important a campaign like this really is! Help make a difference!

Remember, enjoy being beautiful, naturally!

Free being me, naturally….
Smiles