Dry and wet bandaging in childhood atopic eczema

• occlusive medicated dressings and dry bandages should not be used to treat infected atopic eczema in children
• NICE advise that:
  • localised medicated dressings or dry bandages can be used with emollients as a treatment for areas of chronic lichenified (localised skin thickening) atopic eczema in children
  • localised medicated dressings or dry bandages with emollients and topical corticosteroids can be used for short-term treatment of flares (7-14 days) or areas of chronic lichenified atopic eczema in children
  • whole-body (limbs and trunk) occlusive dressings (including wet wrap therapy) and whole-body dry bandages (including tubular bandages and garments) should not be used as first-line treatment for atopic eczema in children and should only be initiated by a healthcare professional trained in their use
  • whole-body (limbs and trunk) occlusive dressings (including wet wrap therapy) with topical corticosteroids should only be used to treat atopic eczema in children for 7-14 days (or for longer with specialist dermatological advice), but can be continued with emollients alone until the atopic eczema is controlled

Reference:

• (1) NICE (December 2007).Atopic eczema in children Management of atopic eczema in children from birth up to the age of 12 years