Making your child’s bedroom eczema friendly

As many parents of itchy little ones know, it is common for children who suffer from eczema to also be prone to allergies – both food and environment-related. Babies and children sleep for around half of every day and typically sleep in their bedrooms. We look at how to create an eczema friendly bedroom.

Creating an eczema-friendly bedroom really a cause of minimising possible irritants and creating a comfortable, calm environment where you child is able to relax into sleep.

Possible irritants include room temperate, laundry detergents in the bedding, airborne allergens (like pollen) and house dust mites. While things that you can do to create a comfortable, calm environment include choosing eczema and allergy friendly bedding. Then there are the obvious (but easy to forget) things like making sure that the room is both dark enough and quiet enough to sleep and dealing with any creaky floor boards that are preventing you from creeping out quietly once your child has been tucked into bed.

Dust mites (the tiny mites that feed on dust particles) are one of the most common indoor allergens, causing reactions all year round. In addition to allergic rhinitis, dust mite allergy can also trigger asthma and cause eczema to flare. That said, dust mites aren’t a particularly common trigger for childhood eczema so we don’t advise going overboard on dust mite prevention unless your child has a confirmed dust mite allergy.

What sort of bedding should I use for my eczema child?

• Use bedding (and soft furnishings – rugs and curtains) that can be washed at 60 degrees or higher to kill dust mites
• Replace pillows with new ones every six months or invest in anti-allergy pillow protectors.
• Consider investing in a silk pillowcase if your child is rubbing their face against their pillow. Silk is soft and cool on itchy skin as well as being naturally antibacterial
• Replace blankets with synthetic duvets and use pure cotton covers
• Invest in a breathable allergy-proof mattress cover – you can buy them specifically aimed at controlling allergies relatively cheaply. Make sure you find once that completely encases the mattress and zips shut.
• Natural fibres for sheets and covers are more breathable – pure cotton or bamboo are ideal
• Stuffed soft toys can also contain house dust mites. Once a month put favourite bedtime soft toys in the freezer for six hours to kill the house dust mites then wash and dry them.
• Interestingly alpaca fleece maintains temperatures, making it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. You can buy alpaca duvets although these are something of extravagance due to the high cost of preparing fleece!

How can you minimise the impact of house dust mites in your child’s bedroom?

House dust mites prefer warm, damp homes. This is a double whammy for eczema families as the same dampness can also lead to the growth of moulds which can also trigger eczema! Check out our blog post on mould as an eczema trigger here.

In brief, the best ways to avoid dampness and humidity in your child’s bedroom are:

• Open windows or vents in kitchens and bathrooms during and after cooking, washing and bathing
• Avoid drying clothes indoors where possible, especially in the bedroom
• Air bedding over the side of the cot or back of a chair before making beds
• Open windows or vents in the bedroom
• Run central heating a few degrees lower (especially in the bedroom)

House dust mites need dust to survive. To limit dust build-up:

• Keep books, ornaments and clothes in closed display cases, wardrobes and drawers
• Use a damp or static cloth to wipe down surfaces (dry cloths can often just stir dust particles back up into the air)
• Vacuum curtains and soft furnishings as well as carpets. Make sure the vacuum air filter is cleaned and the dust bag are emptied regularly
• Vacuum mattress regularly as well
• Where possible opt for hard, solid floors without cracks
• If a carpet is essential, opt for a low pile over thick pile

Are there any electrical devices which will help?

A vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air filter (commonly abbreviated to HEPA) is recommended. This Consumer Report article has some great information on best vacuum cleaners for allergies.

Ionisers work by creating a static charge around airborne particles in a room. These particles are then attracted to any earthed surfaces (eg the floor or worktops) and can be easily wiped away. A quick search on Amazon gives a good range of ionising air purifiers. We use a basic one to tackle our family’s dust allergies and hayfever. Ionisers often come as part of a larger air purifying system – our view at ScratchSleeves is that they are expensive and unnecessary if you are using a cheap ioniser and a decent vacuum cleaner. Speak to your consultant before making any expensive purchases.

Dehumidifiers draw the dampness out of the air and help to reduce allergens. Like the ioniser, they do not need to be expensive, and we would only recommend them if you know you have a problem with damp. Again, check Amazon for a decent dehumidifier at reasonable prices.

Do you have any other top tips to make the bedroom eczema friendly? Let us know on Facebook or email.

Here at ScratchSleeves, we don’t just share our experiences of bringing up an eczema child and favourite allergy-friendly recipes, we also manufacture and sell our unique stay-on scratch mitts and PJs for itchy babies, toddlers and children. We now stock sizes from 0-adult years in a range of colours. Visit our webshop for more information.