Baby Eczema

Baby eczema can occur within the first year of your child’s life. It is a skin rash that warrants an excessive irritation of the skin and itchiness. Its appearance constitutes dry, thickened and scaly skin or tiny red bumps that are known to blister, ooze and become infected if scratched.

Nearly 10-12 percent of infants and young children can develop eczema. For children who have one parent with allergies, there is a 50 percent chance of attaining eczema. The percentage jumps up to 75 percent if both parents have it.

What is Baby Eczema?

Eczema is a chronic skin disorder that normally affects infants and children more often than adults. The term eczema means “boiling over” as some of the symptoms produce red bumps and blisters that ooze out of the skin. It also implies that there is an association between the skin rash and an allergic condition. It can be identified as either atopic eczema or atopic dermititis. Dermatitis refers to the inflammation of the skin. The word atopic refers to the tendency to develop the condition through the environment or through inheritance.

Baby Eczema is not considered a disease or an allergic reaction to something, although it can be triggered by allergens. It is simply a reddish rash on the top layer of the skin.

Causes

It is unknown exactly what causes eczema, however many medical professionals believe that the possibility of acquiring eczema is inherited.

There are many factors that can trigger eczema and they include:.

• cold air
• dry skin
• emotional stress
• foods
• dust mites
• animal dander
• skin infections
• an environmental irritant
• a family history of atopic eczema or asthma

Studies have provided some insight into the causes of eczema, as studies have indicated that T cells play an important roll in the onset of eczema.

Eczema normally shows itself in different areas of the skin depending on the age of the individual. For infants this rash can be widespread and cover the face, scalp, hands, arms and legs. In school age children it can produce a rash in the creases of the elbows and knees, on the palms of their hands, soles, ankles, neck and face. In adults the rash normally is produced on the creases of the elbows and knees, on the neck, hand, and feet.

Signs and Symptoms

As explained in the previous section, eczema can show up in various areas of your skin depending on your age group. Rashes and dryness on the skin are the most common signs of baby eczema. These rashes are accompanied with intense itching, swelling, flaking, crusting of the skin. Other symptoms include bleeding, oozing, and cracking blisters on the skin.

Factors that can aggravate eczema include:

• body temperature
• allergens, such as food, airborne allergens and contact allergens
• bacteria
• viral infections
• wool and/or acrylic garments
• high and low humidity (see Relative Humidity)
• irritating chemicals
• poor indoor air quality

Treatment

Normally this skin disorder will go away eventually, sometimes within a few months but it could last an entire year. Identifying the allergens that affect your child will ultimately help with the healing process. Staying away from triggers can be extremely important.

Below are a few things you can try at home to help reduce the flare up of baby eczema.

• Keep your child’s fingernails cut so they cannot scratch and continue to irritate or infect the area.
• Avoid excessive exposure to the sun.
• Try to avoid harsh soaps or bubble baths.
• Moisturize the skin.
• Use a humidifier in the cold weather and air conditioning in the summer to avoid excessive heat and/or excessive cold.
• Keep your home free of dust.
• Keep pets away from your child.
• Try to clothe your baby in cotton clothing.

There is no simple solution to curing baby eczema, but staying away from triggers and applying the above treatments can help to minimize the outbreak greatly. This is an irritating issue and it does need attention to heal.

Go to the nasal allergy HOME PAGE from baby eczema.

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