Mittens are one of the most popular options for parents who are trying to prevent their children from scratching, pulling, and scraping skin when itching occurs. There are a variety of mittens on the market these days, and many of them have been designed just for kids with eczema in mind. While these garments are very popular, they may be equally problematic. Many children’s development experts are concerned that having fingers and hands closed off from the world could actually prevent a child from developing fine motor skills properly. Since a child wearing mittens can’t interact with items using their hands and fingers freely, they may not learn and develop muscle and nerve skills like other kids do. Today we’ll be exploring this issue and looking at alternative you can use in your own home to make sure your child stays scratch-free.

Fine Motor Skills

Like all things a child learns, fine motor skills and muscle development come from practice and exposure. As a child grows, they are inspired to use their fingers and hands more and more as they learn to have greater control and balance over how they interact with the world. When a child wears mittens often to help prevent them from scratching, they don’t have access to their fingers which means they may not learn or develop as quickly or as fully as they should.

The Benefit Of Mittens

One of the main reasons why parents turn to mittens is that they work better than most all other options. A covered hand simply cannot scratch or pull, and that can give parents a great deal of relief. Knowing that your child won’t be able to damage their skin or open themselves up to infection can provide a great sense of peace, so it’s no wonder why these are such a popular choice.

Scratching vs. Development

If you have a growing child with eczema, you may be wondering how to protect their skin while also making sure that they’re able to develop and grow. The good news is that there are options – and we have a favorite!

Eczema Mitten Sleeves are one of the most popular eczema garments on the market and they combine the help of mittens with the ability for your child to develop. These open and closable miteens can completely cover the hands at times when your child is scratching, or they can flip open in a moment to give your child easy access to hands and fingers when it’s time to play, eat, or learn.

We’re huge fans of Eczema Mitten Sleeves, and we invite you to see why for yourself!