Our preventative routine is to moisturize up to 6 times a day, we've used a few and found Aveeno for eczema, or Dermaveen moisturiser to be the most effective, plus the dermaveen oat wash/oil in the bath water. Sometimes just to moisturise is not enough and flare ups occur and sometimes there is not choice but to use a hydrocortisone to help the skin retain its moisture, sometimes there is nothing we can do and it gets bad and requires a cortiosteriod cream as well on patches. As far as I am concerned, better to treat your child with it, then have them in pain and suffering. Whatever moisturiser you pick, get one that doesnt contain minerals, although they help with soft skin to begin with, in the long run it actually dries it out. There are alot of myths surrounding the use of some prescription creams and most are unsubstantiated, a good source of info is the eczema association of australia.