The Parents & Kids zone with Melissa Clark, is your guide to the very best of natural remedies. You'll find detailed information about the underlying causes of everyday childhood and teenage complaints, plus up-to-date tips and advice for treating them. Discover how easy it is to give your child the gift of long-lasting good health.

Eczema

What's Happening?
Also known as atopic dermatitis, this is one of the most common childhood complaints. Eczema is always an allergic response to an allergen - which may be a food or some other everyday item such as a household detergent that has come into contact with the skin. In children, allergies to milk, eggs, and peanuts account for over 80% of eczema cases - all believed to be caused by an underlying condition known as Leaky Gut. There is usually a strong family history of eczema and most sufferers go on to develop asthma, hayfever, or both.

Infants with eczema are usually reacting to something in the breast milk and the mother’s diet and here, again, eczema is usually a sign of the problem with digestion. An overgrowth of the yeast Candida Albicans, very common after a course of antibiotics, is also linked with this skin complaint which is usually characterised by an itchy, red, and inflamed rash that can appear anywhere on the body. The rash may be dry, scaly, and cracked, which will cause the skin to thicken; or wet, weepy and oozing.

What to do
Remove dairy, peanut products, and eggs from the diet and see if this has any effect on the skin. Avoid all foods with additives and preservatives steer clear of refined sugar. In some kids, wheat may be causing a problem too, so look for alternatives and monitor the response. Allow 6-8 weeks for these dietary changes to take effect.

Once you have identified and eliminated food or chemical triggers, concentrate on rebuilding a strong immune system and digestive tract. Calendula, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and echinacea, which can boost immunity, both work well to build a child’s natural defences and are widely available in health stores now. Tinctures act faster than capsules, but the dosage is more hit-and-miss. So once the rash has cleared, switch to a supplement that tells you how much of the active ingredient you are getting.

To rebuild strong digestion, supplement the diet with a good quality probiotic. If you are using a probiotic powder for infants, give half a teaspoon a day, mixed with a little warm water.

Essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make but must glean from the diet, can also help. Researchers report that eczema sufferers cannot process fatty acids, which can result in a deficiency in gamma-linoleic acid (GLA). Evening primrose oil can remedy this and in double blind, placebo controlled clinical trials was shown to dramatically reduce itching. The researchers were using high doses - the equivalent of 45mg of GLA a day. You can also use fish oils (1-3 tsp a day) or, if you prefer a vegetarian option, flaxseed oil - but you need to keep using the oil of your choice for 6 months to a year.

Living Nature's Eczema Kit includes evening primrose oil to be taken internally, a manuka cleansing gel, a hand & body cream for dry eczema and one for wet eczema, plus an Eczema Information Sheet. It costs £28.60, For more information, call 01489 566 144.

For general skincare, the Botanicals Therapeutic range, which includes shampoos, soaps, and skin lotions, can help soothe and control eczema. For details, call Victoria Health Foods on 0800-413596. If you are dealing with a chronic case, you can’t beat the natural skin therapists at The Alternative Centre (0207-381 2298) in London who specialise in treating eczema and psoriasis in all ages.

To find out how other eczema sufferers - kids, their parents and adults - cope with the condition, check out a new and well-planned website called www.eczemavoice.com.

*****Five Star Tip: SK Cream for eczema is one of those secret, word-of-mouth remedies that people only tell their relatives and friends about. Developed quietly by a family of organic farmers to treat relatives, it worked so well they now ship some 20,000 tubs to 20 different countries. The organic formula includes chamomile, almond oil, and beeswax. There is also a lanolin-free version for those allergic to this substance. A 30ml jar costs £9.95 including p&p. To mail order call 01526-832491 - but remember, this is a kitchen table (actually a cow barn) business with only one order line so be patient if you cannot get through the first time you call.

Flower Power Australian Bush Remedy Combo:
Dagger Hakea & Billy Goat Plum
Emotional upsets will often trigger an outbreak so keep these Australian Bush remedies which tackle resentment and promote healthy skin in the bathroom cupboard at all times.

What Really Works for Kids - The Insider's Guide for Mums and Dads - Susan Clarks book is packed with advice, information and the very latest scientific research. The greatest gift you can give your child is vibrant good health. To mail order call 020 8421 9877 (UK) or +44 20 8421 9877 or email us.