It comes in the form of cream for use on skin and lotion for use on scalp. Clobetasol is used once or twice a day. It is used exactly as directed by the prescription label. Do not use more or less of it.

Like most topical medications, make sure to clean the infected area thoroughly before gently rubbing the medication in until most of it disappears. Wash your hands immediately after applying the medication. Clobetasol can cause harmful effects if it is absorbed into your body.

Other side effects include itching, burning, or irritation on the area treated. Brand names of Clobetasol include Cormax, Clobevate, Embeline, Olux, and Temovate.

How Should You Use Elidel?

This medication is for skin use only, and has to follow dermatologist-prescribed instructions. It is not meant for large doses or long-term use. You should stop using the medicine once your symptoms have cleared up. Remember for wash your hands before and after using Elidel. Apply the cream to clean, dry skin and rub in gently. Do not cover the treated area with a bandage. Do not bathe, shower, or swim right after applying Elidel.

Side effects are mild and include: burning, stinging, tingling, or soreness. There can also be signs of swollen hair follicles, acne, upset stomach, muscle pain, headache or runny nose. More serious side effects might also occur such as fever, chills, body aches, and swollen glands. In this case, you must get emergency medical help immediately.

When using Elidel, it is best to avoid other skin products that haven’t been approved by your dermatologist. Also avoid sunlight, sun lamps, tanning beds and phototheraphy treatments. If you plan to be outdoors, please wear appropriate clothing to protect your treated area.

Eczema often starts in childhood—about 1 in 10 kids develop the condition. Some doctors say that kids can be predisposed to get eczema through a familial history of hay fever, asthma or other allergies. It has also been linked to an overactive response by the body’s immune system to unknown triggers; however, the exact cause of eczema is unknown.

” alt=”" width=”345″ height=”241″ hspace=”5″ />Symptoms include:

• Itchiness
• Dry, scaly skin
• Redness
• Small bumps
• Raised rashes
• Commonly in the bends of the elbows, behind the knees, backs of wrists and ankles

Treatment

Although there is no real cure for eczema, many kids outgrow their eczema or their conditions improve with age. On a side note, eczema is not contagious so there is no need to isolate a child with the condition.

When eczema flares up, there are topical steroids to help relieve the itching and redness. These range from mild hydrocortisone creams to stronger creams such as triamcinolone and mometasone. There are also steroid-free medications called immunomodulators. For more difficult cases of eczema, there are other treatments available. Consult your physician for further details.

It is recommended to apply moisturizers on top of the other topical medications and also take long baths to add moisture to the skin. Eczema might worsen during winter due to the dryness. Lastly, people with eczema are more prone to skin infections, so they may have to take an antibiotic in addition to the eczema treatments.

Bug bites: Children are more likely to get bigger reactions to bug bites. Typically children will get much bigger bumps from a bite than an adult would.  For mild mosquito and ant bites, you can generally apply anti-itch hydrocortisone cream, which can be found at any drug store. For more severe bites such as spider bites and bee stings, apply an ice pack right away to prevent swelling (make sure to alternate on and off to prevent tissue damage) and apply antibiotic ointment and hydrocortisone cream. If the bite doesn’t seem to be getting better, consult a doctor right away.

Scrapes: Since children spend a good chunk of time playing outdoors, it is very common for them to get scraped and bruised. The best way to care for a scrape or cut is to follow this procedure: clean, treat, protect. First, clean off the cut with water and soap or antiseptic fluid. Second, treat the cut with antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin. Lastly, protect your cut with a Band-Aid and give it time to heal.

Bruises: Bruises occur when the body is hit by a blunt force. The blood vessels under your skin tear and blood leaks, causing them to look reddish purple in color. How to treat: rest the bruise, apply an icepack to prevent the bruise from spreading, and elevate the bruise area above heart level. You can also rub ointments containing Vitamin K to help the body’s blood absorption since less blood will reduce the size of the bruise. Other than that, the bruise should go away on its own in a couple of days.

Eczema: a skin condition that causes the skin to become inflamed and irritated. Causes of eczema are unknown, but it has been linked to an overactive response by the body’s immune system to unknown triggers. Affected areas usually appear very dry, thickened, or scaly. To treat eczema, lotions and creams are prescribed to keep the skin moist. There are also topical steroids, immunomodulators, antihistamines, to name a few. Consult a doctor to know what treatments are best for your child. The good news: many children either outgrow their eczema or it will get better as they get older.   Many children find it soothing to substitute oatmeal baths and cleansing bars (Aveeno et. al.) for soaps, and shampoos at bathtime.

Bacterial Infections: humans are natural hosts for many bacterial species that colonize the skin. Predisposing factors to infection include minor trauma, preexisting skin disease, and poor hygiene. One generally effective way to treat infections is with topical treatment, either bacitracin (Neosporin) or mupirocin (Bactroban), applied frequently throughout the day for 7 days.

Rashes: the most common rashes are called dermatitis, which is the inflammation of the skin. It results in redness and change in texture, as well as itching. One effective way to treat a common rash is to apply aloe vera.     There are other options as well, such as Vitamin E and cod liver oil moisturizers.  Another option is preparing Chamomile tea, pouring it over the affected area, and allowing it to dry.

Some children might have a sensitivity to Neosporin, or hydrocortisone, so be sure to consult with your pediatrician about other options and substitute products.