Does My Baby Have Eczema Or Psoriasis

When To See A Doctor For Psoriasis Or Eczema

The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends that anyone living with psoriasis see a dermatologist. Its especially important to see a dermatologist if your psoriasis symptoms are getting worse, if you develop new symptoms, if your joints start to hurt, or if the treatment recommended by your primary care physician isnt working.

If you have eczema and your symptoms get worse or if you show signs of an infectionred, painful, oozing, or blistery skinthen its best to see a doctor as soon as possible. If youve seen a doctor already and the treatment plan they gave you isnt working, a dermatologist will be able to give you more specialized care.

What Does Infantile Seborrhoeic Dermatitis/cradle Cap Look Like

Cradle cap is the name generally given to the condition when a young infant has thick, greasy scales on the scalp. Cradle cap starts with the scalp becoming thickly coated with greasy, yellowish, waxy scales that stick to the head, making it look crusted. The eyebrows may be scaly, and the forehead, temples, neck fold and behind the ears can also be affected, if the condition is more severe. Extensive cradle cap can also be a marker for a baby developing atopic eczema, especially if there is a family history of atopy. Cradle cap is not usually itchy and causes no discomfort to your baby.

In the nappy area the babys bottom may look red, inflamed and flaky. This can be due to seborrhoeic dermatitis or a generalised yeast infection , if it spreads to the whole nappy area. There may be small, white skin scales, which tend to rub off easily, especially if the nappy is tight, giving the skin a shiny appearance. The redness may extend into the skin folds at the tops of the legs, around the genitals and between the buttocks. It can then spread quite rapidly and widely.

On other areas of the body, such as the face, flexures and trunk, there may be small, dry, salmon-pink patches that join up to cover larger areas. The reason infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis affects other areas of the body is due to its hormonal cause.

Whats The Difference Between Dermatitis And Psoriasis

Psoriasis and dermatitis can appear similar. Both cause patches of red skin. However, in psoriasis, the scales are thick and the edges of those scales are well-defined.

Discuss with your healthcare provider your questions about which type of skin condition you have. You can have more than one skin condition at a time. Treatments for one may not work for the other.

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What Questions Might My Healthcare Provider Ask To Diagnose Eczema

The conversation with your healthcare provider will need to cover a lot of information. Be sure to be specific about your symptoms.

• Where is your eczema located?
• What have you used to try to treat your eczema?
• What medical conditions do you have? Allergies? Asthma?
• Is there a history of eczema in your family?
• How long have you had symptoms of eczema?
• Do you take hot showers?
• Is there anything that makes your symptoms worse?
• Have you noticed that something triggers or worsens your eczema? Soaps? Detergents? Cigarette smoke?
• Is there so much itchiness that you have trouble sleeping? Working? Living your normal life?

Eczema Eczema Is A Chronic Condition Affecting 10

• Treatment. Treatment of atopic dermatitis may start with regular moisturizing and other self-care habits. If these don’t help, your health care provider might suggest medicated
• For sensitive, eczema-prone skin on your face, look for skin-care products with the same gentle ingredients as eczema-safe body products. This moisturizer from First Aid Beauty is formulated with…
• My little baby used to have weeping eczema on her face from 4-6 months, I hesitated to put her on steroid cream which my doctor suggested. Then I found a mothers blog said cilantro bath helped her daughters eczema. So I followed her instruction, and gave my daughter cilantro bath every other day, her eczema healed in a month. …
• Children with eczema must bathe daily and have moisturisers applied at least twice per day top-to-toe. This should continue even when the skin is clear. Moisturisers. A thick, plain, alcohol-free and fragrance-free moisturiser, with high oil and low water content should be used .
• Eczema can affect many different parts of the face and body, including the mouth and lips. Eczema that develops around the mouth is generally referred to as perioral eczema.However, several different types of eczema can affect the mouth area, causing uncomfortable and irritating symptoms such as a red, bumpy rash around the mouth and scaly, dry skin on the lips.

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What Does Psoriasis Look Like

Although psoriasis occurs at any age, it most frequently appears between the ages of 16 and 22. If you have skin plaques that may be psoriasis, call specialists like the dermatologists at Park Avenue Dermatology for an evaluation.

There are different types of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is most common.

Thick, red patches of painful, itchy skin can appear on any part of the body, but often on the scalp, lower back, knees, and elbows. Other types of psoriasis appear on other areas of the body, like the feet, underarms, or groin area.

If you have psoriasis, your chance of developing other health problems like psoriatic arthritis, diabetes, Celiac disease, and metabolic syndrome increases.

Can I Predict A Flare

Although psoriasis is unpredictable, there might be triggers that you notice that cause it to flare. It may even be as your child gets older, their psoriasis becomes milder. There is no way of predicting what it is going to do next, or pre-empting the next flare-up, so worrying about it will not change things, your child may pick up on your concerns and anxiety thus causing them distress which could then cause a flare-up. So a laid-back, relaxed approached where possible will help.

Your healthcare professionals are there to support you too, as well as prescribing treatments, so talk to them about any concerns you have, this could be the difficulties you have with applying the treatments to your child, they might be able to alter things or give you tips on how best to approach the current problem.

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Will Psoriasis Cause My Child To Be Emotional

Many children if young will accept their skin problems as a matter of course, whilst others, depending on their age of onset may take their conditions differently and feel embarrassed, upset, angry, stressed or even depressed. They may feel anxious about recurring flare-ups once theyve experienced good periods of remission, and become pre-occupied and distracted from normal daily activities. As they grow up, possibly pre-occupied with their body, body image and peer pressure, their psoriasis may become more of an issue for them. Love, support, encouragement and trust in their medical team too will help overcome such stressful periods in their lives. Parents should always be understanding and aware of such issues especially if their child has psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis.

One of the best things a parent can do for their child from an early age, or when they first get psoriasis is educate their children about the condition, answer any questions or worries they have as they arise, reassure them on a regular basis, take an interest in how they feel, monitor their psoriasis in a discreet way so not to make a big issue of it. Reassure them that there is much research going on to find a cure and easier, more effective treatments to use with better, longer outcomes of remission. It is not a contagious condition and that their friends, boyfriends and girlfriends will not catch it. Encourage them to talk openly about their condition and not to hide it.

The Difference Between Psoriasis And Eczema In Children

Psoriasis and eczema are two common chronic skin conditions that affect children. Though more children develop eczema more often, approximately 1% of all children have psoriasis. The lines that tell the difference between them can be blurry, considering both skin conditions have similar symptoms. The good news is, there are ways to tell them apart. Lets take a look at each condition separately to ultimately help us better understand their differences.

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The Differences In Appearances

Eczema makes your skin red and inflamed. It may be scaly, oozing, or crusty. You may see rough, leathery patches that are sometimes dark. It can also cause swelling.

Psoriasis can also cause red patches. They may be silvery and scaly — and raised. But if you look closely, the skin is thicker and more inflamed than with eczema.

Causes Of The Diseases

Eczema and psoriasis, while two distinct conditions, have something key in common. Both diseases, says Dr. Amy Paller, Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, involve the human immune system, just in different ways.

With psoriasis, the immune system is overactive in a manner that leads to the growth of too many new skin cells, too fast. These cells pile up on the surface of the skin, causing thick scales or plaques that can be dry, flaky and painful. Psoriasis can be triggered or worsened by stress, skin injury, cold/dry weather, medications or infections. Genetics also seem to play a role with psoriasis risks running in families.

While experts dont completely know what causes eczema, a combination of genes, immune system tendencies and triggers are believed to be involved. People with eczema tend to have overly-reactive immune systems that, when triggered by a substance outside or inside the body, respond by causing inflammation. Researchers have also found that some people with eczema have a mutation in a gene that plays an important role in the skin barrier leaving the skin more vulnerable to dryness, irritants and allergens . Similar to psoriasis, stress can also trigger eczema and family history can increase eczema risks.

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How To Treat Baby Acne

• Keep the affected area clean Cleanse the area with warm water two or three times a day. Gently pat the skin dry.

• Avoid soap Dont use soap or lotion on the affected areas.

• Do not pick at the acne Dont squeeze or pick at the acne.

• Avoid adult acne products Do not use adult acne or other adult skin care products.

• Speak to your doctor if the problem persists If the problem does not go away over time, or is severe, ask your doctor about prescription or over-the-counter medication that might help.

Take a look at our guide on newborn baby acne for more tips and information for managing the condition.

How Does Psoriasis Develop

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system is attacking the body. With psoriasis, the bodys own T cells attack the bodys skin cells. This causes the body to make new skin cellsfar too many. The extra skin cells pile up, the telltale sign of psoriasis. A wide range of triggers might cause psoriasis to develop such as stress, injury, infection, some medications, and exposure to cold, dry weather. 6

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How Do You Know If You Have Eczema

If you have a skin rash that is dry, red, and very itchy, it may be eczema. Certain things like perfume, wool, and dust mites can trigger eczema in certain people. To determine if your skin irritation is eczema, contact Park Avenue Dermatology or visit a dermatologist for an evaluation.

All areas of your skin can get eczema, but hands, wrists, the backs of knees, and on elbows are the most commonly affected areas in adults. Eczema is also frequently seen on the cheeks of infants.

Eczema can appear in babies as young as 6 months old but is seen in all ages. It can come and go throughout life.

Complications Of Juvenile Arthritis And Its Prevalence

Juvenile psoriatic arthritis is the most common comorbidity of psoriasis. Because of difficulties in diagnosis and classification of psoriatic arthritis in children, prevalence data range from 1% to 10% of children with psoriasis.13 The peak of onset in childhood is between ages 9 and 12, and skin psoriasis often precedes psoriatic arthritis. A relationship between nail involvement and psoriatic arthritis in adults has been suggested, and a recent study in children supports this correlation.19

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Will My Child Always Have Psoriasis

Psoriasis tends to be chronic and cyclical, flaring up and settling down, and even going into remission from time to time and then reappearing. In other words, the condition is unpredictable there’s no way to know when an outbreak will hit, how long it will last, or whether the condition might be gone for good. With help from a dermatologist, though, you can help your child through it.

Who Should I See About My Childs Psoriasis

Once you have noticed that something is wrong with your child and has not cleared up within a short period of time you should make an appointment with your doctor to discuss this. The doctor will then make a diagnosis and discuss a treatment plan with you and explain what your child has. If the doctor feels it necessary, he may suggest referring your child on to secondary care to see a specialist in skin problems, this will be a dermatologist. However, if this is not the case, your GP may feel happy that your childs problem can be controlled and managed in their care, prescribing topical creams to help clear the condition up.

Should you after a reasonable length of time feel you would like to consult a specialist about your childs problem as it does not seem to be responding to treatment, then you can request a referral to secondary care.

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Baby Skin Condition Dry Skin

Your newborns skin is much thinner than that of an adult, this means that they can therefore absorb and lose moisture more quickly, making it prone to dryness.

When a baby is in the womb their skin is protected by a waxy substance called vernix. Once a baby is born the vernix clears from the skin. With the skin exposed to the world for the first time, babies may develop dry patches. It is common for babies to experience some skin dryness, and it doesn’t mean they have eczema. Instead, it could simply be dry and need of a little TLC to get it back to normal. Follow our tips on how to treat dry skin on your baby.

Baby Eczema: Diagnosis And Treatment

Your childs doctor will diagnose eczema based on symptoms, the appearance of the rash, family and individual medical history, and evaluation for potential allergies.

There is no specific test to diagnose eczema, but a doctor might order blood tests and skin tests to look for allergies or rule out other skin conditions.

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How Can I Treat This Skin Condition

Start with a visit to your baby’s doctor to discuss the best course of treatment. Because psoriasis is uncommon in babies and can look similar to other rashes, she’ll want to confirm that the rash you’re seeing is actually psoriasis. If it’s especially severe or persistent, she may refer you to a dermatologist.

There are many different options for treating psoriasis, depending on the type of psoriasis, the location of the rash, and how severe it is. If it’s fairly mild, the doctor can prescribe a topical medication that’s safe and effective. And simple remedies like adding oil to bathwater or using a good moisturizer on the skin can also help.

If your baby’s psoriasis is more severe, it may need to be treated with light therapy or even oral medication. If itching is a problem, the doctor may also prescribe antihistamines, and if it looks like there’s a bacterial infection , she’ll prescribe oral antibiotics.

Why Does My Child Have Psoriasis

The heredity factor seems to play a part. About one third of people with psoriasis are able to identify a relative, living or dead, with psoriasis. It is estimated that if 1 parent has psoriasis that there is a 15% chance that a child will develop the condition. If both parents have psoriasis this increases to about 75%. Interestingly, if a child develops psoriasis and neither parent is affected there is a 20% chance that a brother or sister will also get psoriasis. This is because the condition is known to skip generations but somewhere there will be a familial link to a relative via either or both parents.

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What Triggers Psoriasis In Children

Symptoms only develop if they are triggered by certain events, most frequently in children and teenagers, often after a throat infection due to streptococcal bacteria. This type of psoriasis is known as guttate psoriasis or raindrop psoriasis so named because it manifests itself over the body in the form of scaly droplet-like shaped patches. Numerous small red scaly patches quickly develop over a wide area of skin, although the palms and the soles are usually not affected. Some people will go on in later life to develop chronic plaque psoriasis.

What Is Baby And Toddler Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition, which means theres no cure for it. However, it can be managed. While psoriasis in babies is not as common as in older children, teenagers, and adults, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation , each year an estimated 20,000 American children under the age of 10 are diagnosed.2

The most common type is plaque psoriasis.3 You may see it appear on your babys torso, arms and legs, as well as on the scalp or face in children. In children, plaque psoriasis patches tend to be smaller, thinner, and less scaly than in adults.

Inverse psoriasis often crops up in babys skin folds, particularly in the diaper area.3

Another common psoriasis in children is guttate psoriasis. It usually appears when the child has an infection, especially strep throat, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.4 However, its also possible for a child to get guttate psoriasis without having an infection. The rash caused by guttate psoriasis comes on suddenly and usually appears on babys chest, back, arms, and legs.5

Sometimes its tricky for parents to identify psoriasis because it can present like other common baby skin conditionsincluding diaper rash, cradle cap, or even a yeast infection, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Its important to consult your doctor, who can make a proper diagnosis.

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