Why some people are more susceptible to dermatological conditions than others is still unknown. Typically, contact with some external allergen triggers an allergic reaction, leading to the typical skin symptoms and changes seen in sufferers. For baby’s, eczema can be an awful condition where the rash is followed by flaking skin that can easily become cracked, causing a great deal of distress. In the United Sates of America, up to one in every five infants will be affected by this skin condition.
In the majority of these cases, the condition resolves by the time they reach two years of age. A small percentage of children will not be this fortunate and will experience this condition when they are adults and it will sometimes become a chronic complaint. Almost anyone can be affected by this problem at any time in their life but it is babies that are most likely to suffer. Unfortunately most people have suffered with this since they were at least five years of age but around 33 percent will have contracted the condition by the time they reached their first birthday.
Seen as a red, itchy and scaly rash, baby eczema is usually of the more common atopic eczema variety. Strangely, atopic eczema is also hereditary and often starts when the baby’s skin is not moisturized regularly. Mothers must be watchful about the types of detergents their baby’s clothes are washed in as these are known to trigger inflammation. In some instances it would seem that breastfeeding seems to protect the child from baby eczema as opposed to those mothers who stop this practice prematurely.
Although asthma triggers could also include other respiratory problems and medical conditions. 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. Food allergies are believed to be responsible for anything up to 3 cases in ten; once the foodstuff causing the problem is discovered, it is just a simple matter of taking out of the child’s meals. 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:
*Sea and freshwater fish *Milk *Products using wheat as an ingredient *Egg based meals *Foods where peanut oil may have been used
Baby eczema is often the result of antibiotics given to the baby when it is born, as many doctors will attest. Infants, in particular babies with the condition need to be washed gently in lukewarm water using proprietary lubricating creams. Once they have dried, they need to be dressed in soft natural clothing made from cotton. A baby’s nails should be kept short or covered with mittens to prevent itchy skin from becoming further damaged or infected from excessive scratching. Unfortunately, baby eczema sometimes needs further help and in these cases, the doctor might prescribe the use of antihistamines to relieve the itching; steroid creams can also be used for a short period to help heal the skin. In babies, despite being very common, it is still a difficult condition to treat and conquer.
