KidsHealth video. Find out when to use topical steroids for children with eczema. Can't see this video on YouTube? Try viewing it on Vimeo.
transcribeTranscript
[Music throughout video]
Voice
Pounamu’s eczema has flared up.
If your child's skin has active eczema and is red and itchy, steroids can help to soothe the skin and allow it to heal and become comfortable again.
They’re used alongside other important eczema treatments, particularly moisturisers and avoidance of soap.
Topical steroids come in different strengths and the choice of steroid to use will be made based on the degree of eczema and which part of the body it’s on.
Make sure you speak with your doctor or nurse who prescribes the treatment so that you understand which part of the body each cream is meant to be used on.
Apply steroid creams to areas of active eczema once or twice a day.
The best time to put these on is straight after the bath or shower before or after the moisturiser.
Apply steroid creams just to the skin which has active eczema, not to the entire body.;
Diana Purvis (dermatologist, Starship Children's Hospital)
Enough so that we can see just a nice shiny layer over the skin like that. A bit more up here.
Voice
When the eczema has gone away and the skin is no longer red and itchy you can stop using the steroid cream. Continue to use moisturisers though.
Diana Purvis (dermatologist, Starship Children's Hospital)
The finger tip method can be a helpful way to work out how much topical steroid cream to apply.
If cream is squeezed out on the tip of your finger from the first joint to the end, this amount of cream is expected to treat this amount of skin – the size of two palms of your hands.
Remember:
Steroid creams are safe and essential for eczema care.
Use steroids on any skin with red, itchy, active eczema.
Stop steroid creams when the eczema has gone and start if the eczema returns but keep using moisturiser every day.
If your child still has red, itchy, active eczema, despite using steroid creams, please see your doctor or nurse.
Topical steroids for children with eczema
If your child's skin has active eczema and is red and itchy, topical steroids can help to soothe that and allow the skin to heal and become comfortable again.
Remember:
- steroid creams are safe and essential for eczema care
- use steroids on any skin with red, itchy, active eczema
- stop steroid creams when eczema has gone and start if eczema returns, but keep using moisturiser every day
- if your child still has red, itchy, active eczema please see your doctor or nurse
You can print out an eczema action plan and take it with you when you see your child's health professional. Ask them to mark on the diagram where to put moisturiser and topical steroids on your child's skin.
Antiseptic baths 2 times a week can help prevent infection and improve eczema.
Acknowledgements
Our grateful thanks to the family in consultation with Dr Diana Purvis, Dermatologist, Starship Hospital, and all the other families whose generosity was essential in the making of these videos. Thanks also to Kidzhealth (private paediatric care) and to Allergy NZ for providing facilities and support for filming.
The information and video on this eczema page have been developed and approved by the Clinical Reference Group for the Paediatric Society NZ's Eczema Clinical Network, Te Rōpū Kiripai Hapori.
