What is Baby Eczema: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Home Remedies

Baby Eczema is a skin problem in which the skin gets itchy, red and dry. Also known as atopic eczema, it affects about one from five children. It can usually start when child is very young and can grow as the child grows. Baby eczema is not life threatening but it causes great skin irritation and itching. It is important to know the causes, symptoms and the treatment for baby eczema. With certain easy home remedies, one can control the impact of baby eczema.

Eczema can be inherited such as hay fever, asthma etc. In eczema, you note a red, itchy, dry and cracked skin which can sometimes even result into bleeding of the skin lesions. The most affected areas of baby eczema are areas such as neck, face, hands, elbows and knee back. It is important to know the causes and symptoms of baby eczema at an early age so that required treatment can be initiates.

One of the major reasons of any allergy is through genes that come into your baby body. Exact causes of baby eczema are not completely known however certain risk factors are identified. Allergies such as asthma, eczema and hay fever are seen in people who have an oversensitive skin and suffer from other allergies. Some of the common causes of baby eczema may also include immune system disorders and conditions that have a weakened immunity.

Eczema impacts the skin area of your baby. It can cause itchy and dry skin patches which can even worsen over the period of time. The commonest symptoms of baby eczema include itching, scaling and redness of skin. In some cases, there may be oozing from the skin, or crusts may be formed causing bleeding from the affected areas.

Most symptoms of baby eczema are seen when your immune system over reacts to substances to allergies and may require even more intensive treatment to overcome other problems. Eczema can easily flare up after the use of certain chemicals or substances present in bubble bath, shampoos, washing powder, detergents and fabric softeners. If the symptoms of baby eczema are known at an early age, such trigger factors can be avoided.

The treatment of baby eczema mainly includes controlling the symptoms and treating any immune problems. Oral antihistamines are an important way to get rid of baby eczema and is often advised by physicians. If there is possibility of severe infection of baby eczema then your doctor may advice use of certain strong ointments and steroids to reduce its effect. The response to treatment may vary from child to child therefore it is important to seek immediate help and support from dermatologist specialist in the area. There are other treatments available in case of severe cases of eczema such as use of wet wrapping and dry bandages depending on the symptoms and causes of baby eczema.

It order to deal with severe symptoms of baby eczema and complications, additional treatment may be required. When it becomes infected and results into bleeding with fluid coming out of the affected area, it may have been infected. It can cause fluid weep and requires use of antibiotics to clean the infection. If small area is impacted then certain doctors may also prescribe use of specific antibiotic cream. If the affected area is big then you may need to take oral antibiotic to get it treated properly. 

Apart from the treatment of baby eczema, certain precautions and home remedies to treat baby eczema may be useful. 

One of the most important home remedies is to breastfeed and to be cautious about milk given to the baby. Breastfeeding for at least four months is a critical way to protect your baby from baby eczema and different other allergies. Some babies can also develop eczema due to consumption of cow milk so it is important to discuss about your baby’s diet with an expert. It is worth talking to your doctor regarding consumption of certain foods or change in diet in order to prevent baby eczema from spreading. 

There are certain probiotics available in the form of yoghurt that can also reduce the problem related to child eczema in certain cases. Many evidences and treatments have shown the regular use of probiotic yogurt can help reduce to symptoms and causes of baby eczema. However, they are best given only after physician’s advice. 

Here are other self-help measures or home remedies for baby eczema and control its infection. 

• Certain foods can aggravate baby eczema and if you see possible reaction to a specific food in your child, then it is important to talk to your doctor.
• Control dust, pollution and other allergens in the house. As house dust can be an important cause of baby eczema, it is necessary to keep the house clean and vacuuming it regularly.
• Keep soft toys away, as they gather dust, which can cause allergies; keep all toys clean.
• Cotton clothes can help your baby to lower the risk of baby eczema and infection
• Keep your bedding and clothing light so that your baby can adjust to the temperature easily. Change them often and wash them often to prevent dust and allergies.
• Keep your baby nails short and prevent scratching due to skin irritation.

Moisturize your baby’s skin in order to prevent dryness of skin and flare up of baby. You can see if the patches are present and prevent it from drying by using moisturizing antibiotic skin cream if required.

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