What It’s Like to Be a Mom With Eczema – WebMD

Imagine youre a parent on a Saturday morning and its your turn to wake up early with the kids. Of course youre tired when you get up -- youve been tired since you became a parent!

You smile when you see them in their cute pajamas. You brush their teeth and head to the kitchen to make them breakfast while they watch cartoons. They start fighting and you go into mediator mode, while ensuring the pancakes on the skillet dont burn.

They eat happily and are messy -- as expected when you give little ones pancakes with syrup. Its time to change them out of sticky pajamas and into their outfits for the day.

Fast forward a few hours and youre tired and need a break, which you can take during nap time after you feed the kids lunch.

Fast forward more and its the evening, which means cooking dinner, feeding kids, bath time, bedtime, and the post-bedtime kid shenanigans that follow. At that point, you can finally relax until you go to bed and do it all again the next day.

Being a mom with atopic dermatitis (AD) or eczema is like that -- except youre doing it all while also being itchy. Although my daily routine and activities will change as my children grow, Ill likely always be itchy.

Eczema Can Scare Children

My children are Nico Atlas, 2, and Nina Sol, 4. I cant hide my eczema from my children. Their experience with my eczema will evolve as they get older.

Nina was a baby when she and my husband joined me at my allergists office for an allergy skin prick test on my back. This test should instead be called the skin stabbing test, because its painful! But with my baby girl next to me, I knew I had to be extra tolerant and calm to not scare her.

Throughout the years, Ive been careful to not bleed in front of her because blood can be scary for kids. Most important, Ive been open with my children about my eczema. Nina knows that I have eczema, because when she was younger she asked me why I had polka dots on my body (so cute!). I told her it was my eczema.

When Nico gets older, Ill tell him, too. Eczema shouldnt be scary, but it can seem that way to kids when theyre confused or uninformed.

Eczema Affects Your Family Activities

Chronic eczema affects my daily life. As a parent, this means my family may be affected by my condition. Do the kids want to walk outside on a sizzling hot day when my eczema is flared? Maybe well do something indoors instead.

How about getting in the pool with the children? Some days, its best to not get wet. But its OK. We just do a different fun activity that wont worsen my skin. The kids will be just as giddy.

There are, however, some activities that eczema fighters must do even if it will hurt a bit. For example, even if my forearms are flared, Im still going to give my kids a bath. This means my arms will hurt as I dip them in the water. Stinging arms arent a big deal to me when I get to enjoy watching my babies play in a bubble bath. Now, if my eczema is severe, Ill ask my husband to do the bath.

Childrens Compassion Helps

One of the wonderful perks of being a parent to little kids is being showered by their unconditional love and affection. Since my daughter was almost 3, she showed deep empathy and support for me when I was itchy.

At a very young age, she began telling me that I shouldnt scratch and should tap instead. (Only my adorable toddler can tell me not to scratch!) Last year, my back was unbearably itchy during an allergy patch test and Nina was especially supportive, checking in on me and asking when the test would be over. My 4-year-old helped me get through gruesomely itchy 4 days.

Having chronic eczema can be hard as a mom, but the support from my adorable cheerleaders makes me stronger. I also keep things in perspective with gratitude. I focus on the special moments with my children. Ultimately, Im most grateful that its my body with eczema and not my childrens skin. I am, after all, a mother above all and want the best for my babies.

What Ive Learned

Choose products like shampoo, soaps, and moisturizes for your children that you can tolerate. That way youll avoid flare-ups on your skin when you use them on the kids.

Photo credit: Anastasia Malachi/iStock via Getty Images

WebMD Blog

Helen Pia has lived with chronic atopic dermatitis (eczema) and skin allergies for most of her life. Shes committed to offering support, advice, and compassion to fellow eczema fighters through her Itchy Pineapple blog. Pia is married with two young children and is a marketing leader in the B2B tech industry. She lives in Houston, TX.

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What It's Like to Be a Mom With Eczema - WebMD