Baby Eczema – Causes And Remedies

September 30th, 2008 by admin

The exact reasons for eczema remain a puzzle despite all our medical knowledge. Although it can be hereditary, it can also happen when a person comes into contact with something that causes the body to react by producing a rash. The condition known as baby eczema usually starts with a red rash on the infants face but this gradually gets worse until the skin becomes ridged and cracked. Although the problem is widespread around the world; in the USA as many as twenty percent of infants will be treated for this complaint at some point.

Despite the problems it causes the child and parents, this is only a problem for a couple of years as it has normally disappeared before the child reaches two. There are some cases though that do not clear up, even becoming serious enough to continue when they become adults. Although this skin disorder can affect someone at any stage in their life, it is most prevalent in infants. Although statistics vary, almost all sufferers will have experienced bouts of this condition since their fifth birthday but almost one third before they were a year old.

Seen as a red, itchy and scaly rash, baby eczema is usually of the more common atopic eczema variety. A lack of moisture within the baby’s skin is often thought to be the trigger to atopic eczema, which is often a hereditary condition. Often the trigger mechanism is either the detergent or fabric conditioner used to wash the baby’s clothes and this can also be the trigger for the condition in adults as well. Some recent research has indicated that baby eczema may caused by babies that are weaned early so breastfeeding for a longer period be beneficial.

Other medical conditions, such as respiratory infections, may also act as triggers. Babies can also be more likely to have a problem if they already suffer from rhinitis, have food allergies or whose mother has an asthma condition. The number of childhood cases where food is responsible for the condition is considerable at almost 30 percent; if a particular food is suspected as the likely cause, that food can then be removed from the diet. Although the process of diagnosing which food is responsible is often a case of trial an error, there are some that are often found as the cause including:

Fish from either freshwater or the sea
Milk
Foods containing wheat
Eggs
Peanuts

Treating babies requires a little more thought as they cannot tell us what irritates them so only bath them in lukewarm water and use fragrance free, hypoallergenic creams. After washing, a baby needs to be dressed in natural fabrics such as cotton; using only fragrance-free products, can also help. The best way to stop a baby scratching and causing further infection is to keep their nails short and make sure they wear mittens. Unfortunately, baby eczema sometimes needs further help and in these cases, the doctor might prescribe the use of antihistamines to relieve the itching; when required it is not uncommon for the child to have steroid cream applied to the affected area but this cannot be done for very long. In babies, despite being very common, it is still a difficult condition to treat and conquer.