Eczema related skin problems has been running in our family, but we are fairly lucky that our children only had it mild on their skin. However, since they were old enough to have body lotion on them, I have been religiously "creaming" them after each shower/ bath, just in case their "eczema spots" (our term) comes back. We were even prescripted Diprobase when they were still babies, which is THE moisturiser for dry skin. It is a bit thick though, and can be quite uncomfortable especially during warmer days.
Finding a cream that works for your child, which is thinner than Diprobase and doesn't cause any skin irritation (from pefume, for example) can be quite tricky. We were lucky that both our kids have no problem with a lotion that is thinner than Diprobase, but with a strong fragance too.
Back in Summer I was introduced to Aveeno cream at Britmums Live! 2014, and realised that I should have gone for their creams and lotions, as they are specifically designed for adults and children alike to prevent or help with skin irritation, including eczema. Their product contains active colloidal oatmeal, which has proven to restore the skin's natural barrier. There is no scent at all, which would be better for children and those who are allergic to perfumes.
Recently, to help parents guide their children about skin irritants and explain to them why their skin is dry and get irritated easily, Aveeno has partnered with children author Penelope Harper to develop a series of stories, surrounding a little girl called Ellie and her Gecko pet Eddie. The first book is available for download now, and we were really glad to have received a hard copy of the book, together with some Aveeno samples.
The first book is called "The dry-ventures of Ellie and Eddie - Bye Bye Dry Skin!", which can be downloaded here. It's about how Ellie and Eddie's skin gets dry and itchy during the day, and back to lovely and soft skin before bed.
We really like the drawings and story, and Clay wanted us to read the story to him over and over and over again! There are quite a few difficult words that aren't easy for toddlers and preschoolers to understand, but Clay doesn't seem to be bothered about it.
I think that it's really nice of Aveeno to release this book series, and without charging anything extra as well, so that all parents and children can benefit from the series. Aveeno's products are suitable for all ages, hence there isn't a specific children range. But they recommend their Cream, Bath & Shower Oil and Lotion for children with dry skin to use.
We've only needed to use their cream (instead of other products) so far, and noticed that the texture is just like the one we have been using, but without the strong perfume. Knowing that their products contain active Colloidal oatmeal as well makes me believe that these creams are definitely better than the ones we have been using.
If you have a child with eczema prone/ dry skin, I'd highly recommend you to try the Aveeno's products.