Herbal Route to a Clear Skin in Infants and Toddlers
What upsets a new mother most of all? A mystery rash! The dryness or marks, spots, bumps, and blemishes on your child’s skin may not be something serious but when the smooth and plump skin of a child develops an unsightly rash, it scares the mother. The rashes may sometimes underline a more serious problem such as an infection or other skin conditions.
What are the different skin conditions in infants and toddlers?
Many babies and children are prone to different skin irritations even in the first few months after birth. Diaper rash or cradle cap is some of the most common skin problems affecting a child. Baby acne or white heads, atopic dermatitis or eczema, dry skin, cradle cap, irritated skin due to heat, sun tan, or baby yeast infections are few of the problems which may affect your baby in the first few years of life. Some of these problems have no effect and they go away with time but some like eczema may be itchy, irritating and may even take the form of pus filled cavities. When a problem persists for a long time, plan a trip to your baby’s doctor.
Lifestyle tips to keep your baby’s skin clean and clear
Remember that a baby’s skin is prone to rashes. These may cause no harm and go away on their own. Following these simple, at home and natural tips might keep all your baby skin problems away.
1. To avoid diaper rashes (which are the most common skin problem in infants and children), keep the baby’s area open to the external air as long as possible, change the baby’s diapers as soon it is wet, wash it with a warm cloth and apply a herbal diaper rash cream.
2. Do not over bundle the baby. Cover him up in layers and start removing the layers one by one as soon as it starts becoming uncomfortably hot.
3. The skin of the infant does not need powdering. So avoid powdering as much as you can.
4. Use mild detergent to wash your baby’s clothes and blankets to avoid the development of irritated or itchy skin.
5. Cover your baby’s skin with hat or cap and avoid direct sun heating as much as you can. Sunglasses can also be sued to protect child’s eyes from harmful rays of the sun.
6. Massage your baby daily to boost relaxation, lead him to a better sleep and reduce crankiness.
7. Dietary restriction to avoid the use of deep fried, fermented, and hot spicy foods should be followed in children.
What are the herbal remedies used for skin problems in children?
There are many herbs and herbal home remedies which can be sued to prevent, eliminate and cure skin problems in children.
Add 2 to 2 teaspoons of Aloe Vera juice into the baby’s drinking water. This is an extremely effective remedy to treat rashes and also acts as a preventive measure for diaper rashes. The Aloe Vera juice can be given throughout the early years of life to improve and enhance the entire body, aid in digestion and elimination and increases the health of the skin. topical application of a cream or an ointment made of Calendula, Aloe Vera, Comfrey or Chick weed in different combinations is also used to eliminate the problem and provide relief to the hurting baby.
For problems such as cradle cap, small amount of olive oil can be rubbed onto the scalp and washed off with mild soap in the morning. It should be remembered that leaving oil on the scalp of an infant suffering with cradle cap may actually enhance the problem.
Bitter herbs such as Neem, Manjistha, turmeric and Guduchi are commonly and safely used in the treatment of conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Brahmi or Gotu kola and Jatamansi with cooling and alterative properties are also used for cooling and calming the mind, remove the heat from the blood and liver and thereby clearing up the skin.
Topical application of Ayurvedic oils and creams such as neem leaf oil in a coconut base, bakuchi oil, and castor oil are effective in providing relief from itching, scaling, redness, and painful cracking of the skin.
Since children can be forced to take bitter herbal teas which are very effective, these herbs are encapsulated in ‘zero’ size vege capsules and given to them. The bitter herbs may also be mixed with small quantity of fresh and sweet fruit juice or some other sweet substance such as maple syrup and given to children.
Are herbal remedies safe for your child?
There are a large number of remedies which have been found to safe and effective for children of all ages. It is important to use these natural herbs under the supervision of an experienced practitioner and these should be accompanied with a healthy diet and lifestyle habits.
It is a matter of concern that most of the herbal medicines are not subjected to clinical trials and there is a dearth of knowledge regarding their use in children. It is recommended that parents who intend to get herbal treatment for their kids should always consult the clinical for the benefits of the therapy. Generally it has been seen that herbal treatments are safe and effective for use in children of all ages.
Please remember that this article is meant for information purpose only and should not be substituted for a doctor’s advice.
Category: HEALTH
