10-month-old baby suffering from eczema since birth, mum shares 4 tips on managing symptoms while travelling

When 30-year-old Eve (not her real name) gave birth to her baby son, Luke (not his real name), in early 2024, she knew she would need to be extra attentive when going on trips with him.

This is because Luke, who is now 10 months old, was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema, since he was born.

Speaking to Mothership, Eve said Luke’s condition means that he will likely experience flare-ups not only when travelling to places that are drier and colder than Singapore, but also when visiting countries that are more humid.

Additionally, Eve always needs to look out for potential food allergens in Luke’s meals, as they may trigger flare-ups as well.

However, these challenges did not hold back Eve or Luke from exploring the world together, as their family had embarked on several trips this year and planned on going on more in the future.

Eve’s secret

When asked what is her secret behind managing Luke’s atopic dermatitis symptoms so effectively, Eve shared four tips based on her experience.

Tip #1: Bring moisturisers

First, Eve said it is crucial for parents to bring along their children’s own skincare essentials, such as moisturisers, body lotions, and shower gels, to avoid potential irritants from unfamiliar products.

For those who are travelling to places that are colder and drier than Singapore, Eve encouraged them to pack extra moisturising creams or balms, as the ones used in Singapore may not be hydrating enough.

During her trips with Luke, Eve shared that she had applied moisturisers on him throughout the day to maintain skin hydration and prevent any damage to his skin barrier, which might trigger flare-ups.

Parents can also bring along a travel-sized moisturiser, which will make applying it to their children on the go much easier, added Eve.

It will come in especially handy and essential during flights, as the cabin air is known to be extremely drying.

Tip #2: Dress up little ones appropriately for weather

Second, Eve encouraged parents to keep their little ones appropriately dressed for the weather of their travel destinations.

When children fall sick, their immune systems will be preoccupied with fighting off the illness.

This, in turn, will reduce their body’s ability to manage inflammation and make their skin more prone to flare-ups.

Tip #3: Clothing fabric matters

Besides dressing their children with the right amount of clothes, parents should also pay special attention to the fabric of the clothing to reduce skin irritation, shared Eve.

For Luke, Eve made sure to dress him in high-quality, soft fabric, especially for his inner layers.

For his innermost layer, Eve would always let Luke wear his usual bamboo pyjamas.

Tip #4: Limit beach visits

Enjoy heading to somewhere sunny and close to the sea?

Eve encouraged parents to limit their family’s visits to the beach as much as possible so that their children can avoid potential irritation from sun exposure and seawater.

With the above tips in mind, Eve shared that she hoped that parents would not overstress or criticise themselves when they cannot completely shield their children from symptoms of atopic dermatitis:

“Sometimes, even when we do our best to prevent or manage their eczema, flare-ups can still happen. Don’t beat yourself up!”

Advice concurred by fellow eczema sufferer

Many of Eve’s tips were concurred by my colleague, Ilyda, 28, who has been suffering from atopic dermatitis since she was a child.

Besides having flare-ups triggered by environmental factors, such as cold and dry weather, Ilyda shared she had also experienced symptoms out of the blue.

Primarily, her flare-ups affected two areas: rashes, itchy skin, and even occasional hives for her legs; and itchiness, inflammation, lesions, and even bleeding on her scalp.

Hence, it is not surprising that, at times, Ilyda’s holidays overseas may take a frustrating turn due to atopic dermatitis.

To use her words: “Basically, existing with eczema is pain.”

Additional tips

Despite having atopic dermatitis lurking in the dark, Ilyda had gone on multiple trips in recent years unscathed.

Similar to Eve, Ilyda also believes that the key to managing flare-ups lies in bringing and wearing enough moisturisers.

One skincare product she particularly recommended is aloe vera, which is not only “lightweight” but also “locks in moisture pretty well” in her experience.

For those who suffer from dry skin-related flare-ups, Ilyda encouraged them to apply moisturisers as generously as possible.

During her trip to South Korea in spring 2023, she applied lotion three to four times a day because her skin would absorb the moisture almost instantly.

Pick the right destination & always play safe

While moisturisers are helpful in keeping flare-ups at bay, Ilyda shared candidly she would simply avoid travelling to places with very cold weather, which is known to trigger her symptoms.

For instance, she would purposely choose not to visit South Korea during the winter and select a country with a Mediterranean climate instead, such as Italy.

However, even when she travelled to tropical countries where she spent much of her time under the sun, she made sure to wear light and loose clothing to reduce friction on her skin.

She would also bring along a portable fan and her best travel buddy, aloe vera, to minimise the chances of experiencing flare-ups.

More ways to cope with atopic dermatitis

For both Eve and Ilyda, they have found their own effective ways to manage symptoms of atopic dermatitis and improve their and their loved ones’ quality of life when travelling.

Are you or your loved ones living with atopic dermatitis? You don’t have to put up with it.

In addition to Eve’s and Ilyda’s tips, there are also other ways that may help you cope with atopic dermatitis and manage your symptoms more effectively, such as oral medications and biologic therapy.

You can find out more about these options here.

This sponsored article by Sanofi makes the writer understand atopic dermatitis better.

Top images via Eve & Canva