Against Eczema:Parents and Adults

Written By:Felecia Causey

Photography By:Felecia Causey

Everyone has experienced eczema, or at least someone they know has. My daughter has had eczema since she was an infant. I am a mother. It was incredibly overwhelming to be helpless when your child suffered from uncontrollable itching, tried to convince others that it wasn't contagious, or was assured she was beautiful.

What mother wouldn't want to be the superhero who eliminates this irritating skin condition so that their child never has to experience helplessness, shame, or misunderstanding? I had to deal with illiterate adults who would say or do things that frustrated me. One of my daughter's teachers lacks education; she thought my daughter was contagious and treated her as such. What infuriated me was that, given my considerable amount of involvement at school, she could have asked me instead of making her feel bad.

My in-law joked that we had burned her skin. Making jokes about things I don't find funny annoys me. It altered my view of this individual. 

 

Parents are searching desperately for a way to provide their children with some relief from this illness, which is growing more and more common in children. Numerous companies claim their products will work, and experts have determined a number of reasons why people have this skin condition. Since most parents and people try to avoid steroids at all costs, it can get costly to try various products and not know if they will work 100% of the time. There are a ton of deceptive advertisements that provide families with the false impression that their products will help treat this unpleasant condition. 

Many people are unaware of the severity of this illness. I am referring to children who scratch themselves until they bleed. I have witnessed my daughter cry because we are struggling to stop the itching. Most of the time, all we can do is pray to God that the product we use will eventually provide them with some kind of relief.

As we go, we have to learn. We need to find out what sets off the flare-ups. Because their skin is so sensitive, we need to find the right laundry detergent and lotions.

 

Don't talk down on parents; it's not your child. Any parent, I'm sure, would not want their child to experience a flare-up due to simply getting too hot or eating certain foods.

Many parents have started their product lines in an effort to better assist their children because they are so committed to doing the best they can for them. A lot of children experience scares following an outbreak episode. Adults and children alike have been forced to conceal their wounds.

As a parent, I can attest that with the correct physician and research, things do get better. Even at nineteen, my daughter still deals with eczema. I would love to hear from other parents and adults who are battling this skin disease in silence.