The family was at a 1st birthday a few weeks ago and of course at these events you not only catch up with friends but with other families you don't often see.
I've mentioned previously Kai's been diagnosed with eczema and at this party I was sharing my pain with another mother whose son also had eczema at a young age. We exchanged stories of how heart breaking the condition can be especially when they're having severe episodes and methods we have tried to control it. She recommended a product to me that he son was actually using at that moment. It was the Scratch Me Not mittens. She said she found it useful as the mittens are made of soft fabric which lessens the irritation on the skin.
Keen to try anything outside of steroid ointments and drugs I thought I'd give this product a go. I found a supplier who stocked the product and also another product I wanted to try, the Bamboo Baby Sleeping Bag. Once I received the products I used them on Kai straight away.
The Scratch Me Not mittens are like a bolero, so it only covers the child's shoulders and arms. It can be worn over or even under child's clothing. At the sleeves there is extra fabric which can be flipped over to cover the child's hands preventing them from scratching or you can keep it as is so the child can still use their hands.
The Bamboo Baby Bag is a zip up sleeping bag with arm sleeves to keep your child from scratching at night. The sleeves are adjustable so you can make them longer as your child grows. The bag can be used up to age two or whenever your child physically out grows the bag.
After three weeks of using these products I can definitely see some improvements on Kai's skin. The benefits I've realised include:
- His eczema was mostly around his neck and face and because he's not rubbing these areas with his hands or synthetic fabric its not as red and irritated anymore. I realised using socks to cover his hands with probably flaring his skin up more as they are made of quite rough fabric where as the mitten are made of silk.
- The products are of high quality breathable fabric, I'd even say resilient. Only because with a 6 month old these products were subjected to saliva, vomit, greasy ointments and regular rotation in the washing machine, and they still cleaned well and maintained their shape. And because they are of high quality material it's gentle on sensitive skin.
- The sleeping bag is great for nights because I can put Kai into it and not worry about putting another blanket over him wondering if he's warm enough at night. On the warmer nights I'd put him in a singlet, a nappy and the bag over him. As parents of eczema kids know it better to keep them slightly under dress so they don't over heat and sweat.
- The sleeping bag has a double zipper feature so I could change Kai's nappy without having to remove the bag off his body. This was especially great as he would try and scratch his body when ever his hands had the opportunity.
- I use the the mittens during the day and the bag at night and he seems to be sleeping much better because he's not rubbing his skin with rough fabrics or scratching his skin.
- I keep the mittens on him all day and as I mentioned they tend to get exposed to all elements a 6 month old would subject on a piece of clothing to. I've gotten food on the mittens, spit on the sleeping bag, its gotten greasy moisturiser all over it so be prepared to wash these items frequently or purchase another set for rotation.
- Sleeping bags are big enough to accommodate up to a two year old which means they are quiet big for a 6 month old baby. There are pockets where you can adjust the arm length to make it shorter however I found excess material would still come out of the pockets.
Regardless, I can't rave enough about the improvement to my son's wellness since using these products. Of course you still need to be on top of your child's condition by applying appropriate creams, follow any advice your doctor has given you and constantly ensuring your child's skin is moisturised. However these products have helped me control my son's scratching and manage his eczema.
You can purchase these products and or read more about them on Bamboo Baby's web site. You can purchase these products on Bamboo Baby individually or they also have bundle packs.
First day of using the mittens. Kai's very red and irritated face
Kai sleeping with the Scratch Me Not mittens on
