When your child has eczema

When Mariam Kacheche gave birth to her son, she noticed that his skin was much lighter than she had expected.

But she didn't think much of it. She reasoned, newborns often get darker over time.

At his six-week check-up, the nurse began to raise concerns about eczema, noting dry patches on his skin.

"The nurse advised me to use an emulsifier and mild vaseline. But by the time he was 10 weeks old, the patches had got worse," Mariam recalls.

Her older daughter had a similar skin problem, but none of the usual remedies; from coconut oil, shea butter or even petroleum jelly, worked for her son. Each unsuccessful treatment added to her frustration.

"The hydrocortisone cream offered only short-term relief and the flare-ups always returned, often worse than before. I felt helpless to watch my son suffer as he scratched constantly, sometimes leaving his face covered in pus-filled rashes," she says.

The constant battle with eczema left her emotionally drained. "I felt like I was failing as a mother. Every time he cried or scratched, it tore at me. I just wanted to fix it, but I didn't know how," she recalls.

Similarly, Nelly Robi, a mother of two, noticed something unusual about her second child. While her firstborn had no skin problems, her second baby began to develop small pimples and dry skin, which soon escalated into severe itching, especially after weaning.

Traditional soaps and moisturisers provided no relief, and her daughter's scratching became so intense that she sometimes bled.

"I tried everything, from changing soaps and oils to removing possible irritants such as fabric softeners, but nothing relieved my daughter's suffering. It was heartbreaking to watch her scratch until she bled," Nelly recalls.

After seeking medical advice, she was prescribed a steroid-based cream that provided some relief.

“But I realised that steroids were not suitable for long-term use on a baby's delicate skin, and I had to find a different way. I didn't want her little body to be dependent on steroids," she says.

Both mothers felt overwhelmed by conflicting advice from friends. They tried a variety of products, including coconut oil, shea butter, herbal creams and even imported brands, but nothing seemed to provide lasting relief.

For Mariam, hydrocortisone cream helped temporarily, but the flare-ups always came back worse than before.

Nelly struggled similarly until a fellow mum recommended a local skincare brand, Lea Organics. After trying it, she found that the gentle, fragrance-free products began to heal her daughter's skin and the constant itching finally subsided. The support and practical tips she received from other mums also boosted her confidence.

Over time, both mothers developed routines for managing eczema. They began to trust their instincts, track flare-ups and simplify their routines. Mariam avoided high-protein meals for her son and focused on soft fabrics and cooler environments, noticing that heat always triggered his itching.

"It felt like we were finally making progress," says Nelly. I learned to moisturise several times a day, to dress her in non-irritating fabrics and to use lukewarm water for bathing, basic skills I hadn't had before.

"Once I realised the heat was a trigger, I started dressing him lightly and avoiding overheating the room. That helped a lot," she says.

They discovered that some of the most effective treatments were surprisingly affordable, costing less than Sh100 compared to imported alternatives. Mariam spent nearly Sh100,000 on treatments, while Nelly found herself spending around Sh5,000 every two months on various products.

Nelly and Mariam are just two of the many mothers struggling with the effects of a growing skin condition that leaves them with anxious days and sleepless nights.

Dr Esther Muthoni, a consultant dermatologist and skin health advocate based in Roysambu, Nairobi, acknowledges the growing concern over the increasing number of children, especially those under the age of five, developing chronic skin conditions.

She says that there is also growing evidence linking atopic eczema to environmental changes, modern skincare habits and dietary factors.

"Children today are exposed to harsher products and allergens at an earlier age," she says.

Dr Muthoni defines eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, as a common skin condition in babies and young children. It often appears as red, dry and itchy patches and can be frustrating for both children and their parents.

"In babies, eczema usually starts on the cheeks, scalp or forehead. In older children, it tends to appear in the creases of the elbows, behind the knees and around the wrists or ankles. The affected areas can be very itchy and scratching can lead to broken skin, bleeding or even infection," she explains.

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