Natural health: What can we do about my grandson's eczema?

Plus, what should I do about shiny patches on my legs

Hair or body care products being used on your grandson may be contributing to the irritation.

My three-year-old grandson suffers from eczema, which appears behind his knees and ears whenever he has a flare-up. We mostly manage it with over-the-counter medication, but it only provides temporary relief. Is there a natural ointment that you could recommend?

This type of eczema in little ones is often linked with seborrheic dermatitis, also the cause of cradle cap. As the skin behind the ears and knees is thin, particularly behind the ears, it can develop folds easily, trapping moisture and triggering a flare-up.

Hair or body care products being used on your grandson may be contributing to the irritation. Avoid anything with fragrance (even pure and natural essential oils), colours, or harsh detergents.

The same goes for any products being used in the laundry, as these can often be the culprit. Opt for hypoallergenic laundry products, and make sure that any clothing, car seat covers, and bedding are all made from natural fibres rather than synthetics.

While it can be difficult to get little ones to sit still long enough to use a compress, you can make a solution using colloidal oatmeal to press behind their ears and knees or (much easier) make a colloidal bath. Pure Colloidal Oatmeal is available from natural health stores or homecaremedicalsupplies.ie, where 500g costs €13.

Mix a little of the colloidal oatmeal (around ½ teaspoon) with warm water, and dip a washcloth into the solution, squeeze out the excess and hold it against the affected areas for as long as possible. For a bath soak, add 2 tablespoons of the oatmeal to the water and stir it through. You can even make this fine oatmeal into a paste and apply it behind his ears and knees during a bad flare-up.

Make sure to gently pat the skin completely dry after bathing without rubbing the skin — a muslin cloth or sheet is ideal for this — as any moisture left to sit can contribute to a flare.

Massaging a pure oil into the skin can help — olive oil, coconut oil, hempseed oil are all good choices.

Including more essential fatty acids in the diet is also a great idea, and there are some excellent EFA supplements formulated for children available at health stores

I’m in my early 50s and have started to develop shiny patches on my legs. They are not painful, but I’m very self-conscious about them, particularly when I wear shorts or dresses. What would you suggest?

I would suggest you visit your doctor for a check-up, as shiny patches on the legs can indicate underlying health issues.

The skin tends to become shiny in appearance when blood flow is in some way restricted or if there is fluid retention. Fluid retention tends to be more obvious where there is definite swelling (oedema), as well as the skin being smoother and shinier.

A restriction in blood flow reduces the oxygen and nutrient supply to the tissues, which can contribute to further issues over time, such as slow wound healing, skin discolouration, cold feet and toes, and it may become either numb or painful (sometimes intermittently).

Poor circulation can be related to a number of conditions, so it is important that you follow your gut feeling and get to the bottom of this change in case there is an underlying vascular or systemic issue that would greatly benefit from treatment at this early stage.

• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.