October 7th, 2008Childrens Eczema Useful Information

While medicine now knows that a person’s immune system is involved, what causes eczema remains a mystery. This skin complaint is usually triggered by an adverse reaction to a substance, foodstuff or chemical etc. Baby eczema is first noticed as a reddish scaly rash on the baby’s face which gradually worsens to the point where it becomes irritated and cracked. In the United Sates of America, up to one in every five infants will be affected by this skin condition.
Parents need not worry too much as in most instances of this condition it clears up completely, However, in a small number of cases, the condition doesn’t clear and becomes a chronic condition which may even carry on into adulthood. Although many believe the condition only starts in childhood, this is only partially true, 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.
When baby eczema is found it affects their face and head but can also be found on their legs and arms. Usually hereditary, atopic eczema is often thought to be triggered by a baby’s skin drying out. In some babies, wearing clothes that have been washed in certain detergents or treated with fabric softeners may trigger the condition. Other studies carried out on baby eczema have linked early weaning to be a causal effect.
Respiratory conditions can also trigger attacks but other medical complaints may also cause this too. It has also been found that if the baby’s mother has asthma, they are more prone to suffer with this condition but other contributing elements include food allergies and allergic rhinitis. In fact almost a third of all childhood cases are thought to be as a result of a food allergy,once the foodstuff causing the problem is discovered, it is just a simple matter of taking out of the child’s meals. some of these groups are mentioned below:
Fish from either freshwater or the seaCream and other milk productsWheatEggsFoods where peanut oil may have been used
Doctors also know that baby eczema can also be the result of the antibiotics received by the baby at birth. 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.Once out of the bath they need to be dried off carefully and then clothed in a soft natural cotton fabric which should prevent irritation. Wearing mittens is one way to stop a baby scratching their inflamed skin, which could lead to infection, or their nails could be kept short. Often in more severe cases of baby eczema, a pediatrician may prescribe antihistamines to relieve itching,the application of a steroid cream for a limited time to help heal the skin quicker may also be used. Conquering this condition is proving to be complicated but at least some relief is obtainable from the products we have to hand right now.




