My kid just got eczema, what should I do?

As a seasoned, crunchy, granola mom and nutritionist, turned herbal skincare for eczema maker, here are my 2 cents on what I would do if my child developed eczema today, 

1. Cut all dairy out of my child’s diet. All dairy. Not even a little bit. I would maintain this for 2 months strictly before testing to see if it helped. It takes that long. The same is true for colic, by the way. Take all dairy out of the breastfeeding mom’s diet for 2 solid months.
2. Steroids can save lives, prevent infections, and manage eczema symptoms quickly. They can also take away all quality of life by causing topical steroid withdrawal and other symptoms that are beyond the scope of this little blogpost.. If needed, steroids should be used with caution and reservations, I would take them as the gift that they are and then work with our doctor very closely to take my child off the treatment plan as quickly as possible. Most of the time, a good herbal salve can replace the topical steroid creams after the initial flare up has been treated. If my doctor were to become annoyed with me as a parent trying to be proactive about my child's medical care, that’s a lazy or ego-driven doctor. I would find someone better.
3. Prioritize a strict sleep schedule. I am not suggesting a ”cry it out” method or anything like that. I am just saying that if the movie isn’t going to be over until after bed-time, we don’t start the movie. I’m not always a strict sleep parent but when my children are recovering from something, I start bed time earlier.
4. Good nutrition is important for healthy skin. Protein, healthy fats, fresh fruits and veggies, hydration, low sugar, no crap. Just like any other high stress time, children need better nutrition when their bodies are fighting something.
5. Simple fragrance free detergents and soaps. Humans are amazing at adapting to anything. We don’t even know how much these chemicals are irritating our skin and airways until we get a break from it. Check out all of our fragrance free products! 
6. Never let the skin dry out. Moisturize immediately with rich, nourishing skincare after every time the skin gets wet and every time they get into or out of pajamas.
7. Depending on their age, help empower them in their own care. Educate them about topical steroid withdrawal risks and symptoms. Give two or three natural choices in their eczema creams, their food choices, even their bedtimes. Options can vary minimally but the feeling of autonomy goes a very long way in the healing journey.
8. If it’s ok enough, it may be ok. My teenagers and adult children sometimes just want ice cream. They know fully well they will be getting some eczema from it. As their mom, I am prioritizing their autonomy and our relationship. It’s not crack. I’m letting it go.

And there we have it. My 2 cents on what I would do if my child developed eczema is still the same as it was 15 years ago!