What has helped our daughter's eczema journey

Our family's experience navigating eczema, one step at a time.

When our daughter's eczema was at its worst, we were searching for answers everywhere. Like many parents, we hoped for a quick fix. Instead, we discovered that supporting her skin required looking at the bigger picture.

There wasn't one thing that changed everything overnight. Rather, it has been a collection of small changes, professional support and daily habits that have helped us make progress over time.

Before I share what's helped our daughter, it's important to say that these are not listed in any particular order and I don't believe there was only one single thing that made the difference.

Eczema is complex and every child is different. For us, improvement came from addressing multiple areas at once and making small, consistent changes over time. Some things seemed to help more than others, some we're still evaluating and some may not be relevant for every family.

These are the approaches that have been part of our journey.

Finding the right practitioner

One of the most important steps we took was finding a naturopath with a particular interest in skin health, especially children's skin conditions. Let me know if you're looking for a recommendation. 

Having someone who looked beyond the symptoms and helped us consider the bigger picture gave us a sense of direction when we felt overwhelmed.

Supporting gut health

Under practitioner guidance, we explored prebiotics and probiotics.

The connection between gut health and skin health is an area of growing interest and this became one piece of our overall approach.

Focusing on whole foods

We've worked towards a diet centred around whole foods, homemade broths and less processed sugar.

I won't pretend this is always easy. Life happens, birthdays happen and children have their own ideas about food.

We simply do our best and aim for progress rather than perfection.

Using spruce resin balm

Our family's traditional spruce resin balm has been part of our daughter's skincare routine.

One thing we noticed was a significant reduction in skin infections, which had previously been a recurring challenge during eczema flare-ups.

This experience became the reason behind creating Conifera.

Supporting the nervous system

This may be one of the most overlooked aspects of our journey.

I've come to believe that a child's nervous system and a parent's nervous system are closely connected. When stress levels rise in the household, everyone feels it.

We've made a conscious effort to create more calm, more connection and more opportunities for rest.

Choosing fragrance-free skincare

We gradually switched to fragrance-free skincare products wherever possible.

For our daughter, reducing unnecessary irritants seemed like a sensible step.

Installing water filters

We also installed water filters.

I'm still not completely sure how much of a difference they have made, but when dealing with eczema, sometimes you try things and observe carefully over time.

Choosing natural fabrics

Most of our daughter's clothing, bedding and sleepwear is now made from natural fibres such as cotton and linen.

These materials tend to feel gentler on her skin and help reduce irritation.

Understanding allergies

Allergy testing revealed a surprisingly long list of sensitivities.

While allergies haven't explained everything, understanding them has helped us make more informed decisions and identify possible triggers.

Looking beyond the skin

Our journey has also involved exploring other health concerns, including suspected asthma and issues caused by mouth breathing.

These issues may not seem directly related to eczema, but they have reminded us how connected different aspects of health can be.

Protecting the skin at night

Many parents of children with eczema know how difficult nights can be.

Cold compresses, mittens and protective sleeves have all helped us reduce scratching and prevent skin damage during sleep.

Prioritising sleep and rest

Healing requires energy.

When flare-ups happen, we try to prioritise sleep, rest and recovery as much as possible. It's not always easy, but we've found that exhaustion rarely helps anyone feel better.

What we've learned

If there's one thing this journey has taught us, it's that eczema is rarely just about the skin.

For us, improvement came from looking at many different pieces of the puzzle rather than searching for a single solution.

Some things helped more than others. Some things we're still figuring out.

But each small step has brought us closer to where we are today, and for that, we're grateful.

This article shares our family's personal experience and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your child's health.