Dr. Ana-Maria Temple, an eczema specialist, identifies three foods that worsen child eczema: processed foods with artificial dyes, added sugars (zero grams for kids under two, max 24g daily for older children), and dairy. A 30-day dairy elimination followed by reintroduction can help reduce flare-ups and medication use.
Let's talk about the top 3 foods to avoid when your child is dealing with eczema. And number 3 is gonna be annoying. Hi, my name is Dr. Ana-Maria Temple. My specialty is eczema, and I help families heal their children's skin with less medications. The number 1 food that we need to eliminate from the diet is processed foods. Artificial food dyes, artificial coloring, preservatives have all been shown in the medical literature to inflame the skin and cause itchy, sleepless nights. If you can't read it, don't eat it. Put that food back. The second food that we need to decrease from our children's diet is added sugar. Children less than 2 years old should be on less than zero. They should have zero grams of added sugar per day. Children older than 2 years old should have less than 24 grams of added sugar per day, and no fruits don't count. And the third food that children with eczema should avoid from their diet, and yes, a lot of the time, is actually dairy. And that includes cow, goat, camel, sheep. Dairy, unfortunately, is a very inflammatory temporary food. It exists in so many food sources for our children. I know it is delicious, but it also is super irritating to the gut microbiome and the skin. And a temporary elimination for 30 days before reintroduction can go a long way when your child is suffering with itchy skin.
