Live Without Eczema
The Handbook for Younger Children and their Parents
Part 3 - Follow-up
3.1 The Treatment Levels
The three levels of treatment needed for long standing atopic skin disease become unnecessary as the skin heals completely:
Once healing has been thoroughly accomplished, continue with emollients as necessary, discontinue topical steroids after hidden healing is judged complete, and use habit reversal only when needed - but from now on ... beware of relapses!
3.2 Acute flare-ups
LOOK at, and FEEL the skin daily during convalescence. Recently healed chronic eczema remains unstable for several weeks ...
3.3 Features of relapse
3.4 Zap the relapse
When an acute relapse is identified - TREAT IT! Help STAMP OUT chronic eczema ...
Remember!
Itch will go if relapse is treated promptly ...
3.5 Regime for acute relapses: The Zap Pack!
As convalescence progresses the skin becomes more stable ...
Look at the skin:
Is there redness, is it dry, rough or itchy?
• The more cautious you are
• The sooner you begin your treatment
• The stronger steroid you use
• The more consistent you are with emollients at the beginning of treatment
Then...
• The sooner the skin will heal
• The less steroid will be used
• The less trouble you will get with eczema, and with side effects from both eczema and steroids
Then there is only the predisposition to eczema to live with.
Click here for your Follow-Up Schedule: complete this with your practitioner.
Please Note: Stage 3 can usefully include follow-up reviews at six weeks and six months.
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