Bathing And Moisturizing Your Infant
Will My Baby Have Eczema All Her Life
In some babies with atopic dermatitis, the condition stays put. But, fortunately, eczema clears up in many babies by the time they turn 4 years old.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
What Is Baby Eczema
Baby eczema is an umbrella term for a number of skin conditions that cause red, itchy and inflamed skin on young children. Atopic dermatitis is the most common and well-known type of eczema, characterized by red, scaly, and itchy patches of skin.
Its estimated that baby eczema affects more than 10% of all young children, and according to the CDC, cases seem to be on the rise in the US. Interestingly, little ones with food allergies seem to be more likely to suffer from severe eczema. As high as 30% of babies with food allergies have eczema.
Eczema usually appears when babies are between 1 and 6 months old. Typically, it starts on the cheeks. It may continue to spread around the face and then on to the arms and legs. In older children, eczema flare-ups are usually not on the outer surfaces of the limbs, but instead are found in creases such as the backs of the knees, wrists, and elbows.
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Why Have I Suddenly Got Eczema
One common cause of eczema is allergies. The subsequent rashes can develop in response to certain allergens, including pollen, pet dander, and foods. Another possible cause of eczema is physical contact with chemicals, fabrics, and dyes to which you may be allergic. The resulting skin rash is called contact dermatitis.
Managing Future Flare Ups
Once youve been able to calm your babys eczema rash, its essential to keep up the good work. Though its normal to feel elated when infant eczema starts to subside, letting your guard down and abandoning your routines can lead to unfortunate flare-ups or even worsening conditions. Below are a few tips for successfully continuing babys eczema rash treatment.
As a chronic condition, recurring eczema can be a challenge to treat, but with the right knowledge and products on your side, managing your babys rash will get easier. The most important tool? Being more persistent with your care plan than the eczema itself.
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Identifying Symptoms And Avoiding Irritations
When To Call A Doctor
Make the call if your babys eczema doesnt begin to get better within a week of starting over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams. It may be time for a prescription medicine.
Also check with your doctor if yellow or light brown crust or pus-filled blisters appear on top of the eczema. This could be the sign of a bacterial infection that needs antibiotics.
You should call your doctor if your baby is around anyone who has cold sores or genital herpes. Eczema can make your little one more likely to pick up those germs.
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As a Payroll & Benefits Specialist working on the Survivor Support team, I am responsible for helping to administer pension, life insurance, healthcare, and 401 benefits that are payable to the surviving beneficiaries to deceased General Electric employees and retirees. This role has provided insights into a multitude of cross-functional process administration such as payroll cycles and benefits administration as well as attaining transferable leadership skills, metric analytics, workload allocation and delegation, project management, and more.
How To Treat Eczema In Infants : Diagnosis Symptoms Remedies
Its always heartbreaking when your newborns smooth skin goes from baby soft to red, inflamed, and covered with scaly pimplike blemishes. People who are not familiar with eczema in infants steer clear of your little one for fear that the baby has measles, chickenpox, rubella, or some other contagious rash-like disease.
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What Does Baby Eczema Look Like
Eczema doesn’t look the same on every baby. In babies with light skin, it usually shows up as patches of red skin. In darker-skinned babies, the rash might look purplish, brownish, or grayish. Eczema can be harder to see on babies with dark skin.
These patches are almost always dry, itchy, and rough.
Babies can get the condition just about anywhere on their body. Most often, it affects their cheeks and the joints of their arms and legs.
Its easy to confuse baby eczema with cradle cap. But there are some key differences.
Cradle cap is much less itchy and irritated. It generally clears up by age 8 months and usually appears on the scalp, sides of the nose, eyelids and eyebrows, and behind the ears. See a photo of what cradle cap looks like.
Natural Remedies For Babies With Eczema
Most often, creams, balms, butters and oils are recommended to treat baby eczema. Its important to be aware that lotions do not protect and seal in moisture well enough to work effectively as an eczema treatment. They are simple too thin.
Lets dive into my top seven recommendations for natural baby eczema remedies.
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What Can Make It Worse
Each baby is different. But there are some common eczema triggers to avoid, including:
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Dry skin. It can make a baby’s skin itchier. Low humidity, especially during winter when homes are well-heated and the air is dry, is a cause.
Irritants. Think scratchy wool clothes, polyester, perfumes, body soaps, and laundry soaps. These can all trigger symptoms.
Stress. Children with eczema may react to stress by flushing. That can lead to itchy, irritated skin. And that, in turn, ramps up their eczema symptoms.
Heat and sweat. Both can make the itch of infant eczema worse.
Allergens. Its not certain, but some experts believe that removing cows milk, peanuts, eggs, or certain fruits from a childs food may help control eczema symptoms. Remember that your baby can get exposed to these foods if their mother eats them before they breastfeed. Find out the connection between food and eczema flares.
Use These Natural Remedies For Baby Eczema And Help You Baby Find Relief
Mama, I know its hard to see your baby suffering from the discomfort of eczema. Its especially hard when they are experiencing severe itching or widespread inflammation. But even a small flare-up should be addressed so that it doesnt get worse.
Remember, its important to try to figure out the root cause of your babys eczema to keep it away. However, the 7 natural remedies for baby eczema discussed here will help get your babys skin clear and comfortable quickly.
Do you have an additional tip or natural remedy youve used for your babys eczema? Share your success below!
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What Is Eczema In Infants
They often call eczema that occurs on babies atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis. The ailment usually strikes between two and four months. One day it covers your babys chubby cheeks with red, scaly, itchy bumps. As the days progress, the rash moves to behind the ears, on the scalp, elbow creases, diaper area, and behind the knees. The small pimples often come to a yellow head and burst.
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Then the lesion refills with fluid and pops again. Your baby might scratch at his face or other body regions to relieve the incessant itching. If you do not put mittens on your infants hands or trim their fingernails short, they will cause scratches in the sensitive skin that could become further infected when bacteria. Infant eczema treatment is complicated and requires a multi-pronged approach.
What Causes Eczema Rashes
Eczema is likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In some cases, atopic dermatitis is hereditary, meaning that if either or both parents suffer from eczema, asthma, or seasonal allergies, there is a greater chance that baby will also experience eczema. Specifically, the genetic cause is associated with differences in the skins protective proteins or an overactive immune system that responds too aggressively to environmental triggers.
Environmental triggers, or the molecules that babys skin comes into contact with throughout her day, may also cause or exacerbate eczema. Common product triggers include wool, synthetic fabrics, household goods with fragrances such as detergents or fabric softeners, baby powder, and certain metals like nickel. Its important to be aware that even natural or botanical products may still prove irritating for eczema rash.
Seasonal environmental triggers such as pollen, heat, and especially the cold, dry air of winter are other common culprits, as well as interior air-borne triggers such as dust mites and pet dander.
In rare instances, certain foods may also contribute to eczema flare-ups. However, before cutting any foods from your or your babys diet, youll want to speak with a healthcare provider.
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Is Cradle Cap A Form Of Eczema
Technically, cradle cap , is a form of eczema that affects nearly 70% of all infants by the time they are three months old. Cradle cap is characterized by crusty, flaky patches on your babys scalp.
Unlike classic baby eczema, cradle cap is typically not itchy and does not cause any discomfort to your little one. Usually, cradle cap clears up on its own, but there are some homemade treatments to try if youd like to try to get rid of it sooner.
Using Topical And Other Medications
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Choosing An Infant Eczema Treatment
Eczema looks different between babies. One infant might have a mild form and another very severe. Please take a few moments to look over infant eczema pictures to see the various forms. The delicate skin of a baby is prone towards inflammation as irritants rub the surface. This is especially true when your baby experiences a flare-up. It is imperative you do everything in your power to properly treat the condition before a secondary skin infection occurs. If you are wondering how to treat the condition, then please read the following list. Treating the outbreak is often challenging because there is no cure. Combine pharmaceuticals with natural remedies to gain the best results.
Trim Babys Nails: Using a pair of infant fingernail clippers, trim your babys nails as short as possible to prevent scratching. When your baby is resting or sleeping then you should cover his hands with soft, lightweight mittens. Some long sleeve slippers even have built-in hand mittens. You can even slip on a pair of socks to keep your baby from rubbing or picking at the sores.
Baths: Give your baby lukewarm baths that last only about 10 minutes so you do not sap the moisture from the skin. Use an ultra-mild soap formula that is fragrance-free. Aveeno brand or Cetaphil are ideal choices. Avoid using bubble bath which will wring the water from the pores.
Detergent: When washing clothes, use a mild detergent formulated for sensitive skin. Dreft is a popular brand for newborns.
Natural Remedies For Baby Eczema
If you need some extra help soothing babys skin, these natural eczema treatments may make things better.
- Wet a washcloth. Drape cool, wet washcloths or gauze over your babys irritated skin for five to ten minutes at a time or however long you can get your squirmy worm to cooperate.
- Try an oatmeal bath. Sprinkle a bit of uncooked oatmeal, colloidal oatmeal or even baking soda into the tub when you wash your baby. All can naturally relieve eczema and irritation.
- Combat dry air. Running a cool-mist humidifier in your baby’s bedroom can help keep her skin super-hydrated. Clean it frequently to prevent bacteria and mold buildup.
- Dress your little one in layers. Sweating can reboot the eczema cycle, and thats the last thing you want. Layers let you customize babys outfit for toasty temps.
- Ask your pediatrician about probiotics. Studies are underway to see whether probiotics may ease eczema when added to dry baby formula or served as a dietary supplement. Get your doctor to weigh in before giving it a go.
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When To Talk To Your Doctor About Baby Eczema
Always talk with your pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns about your babys skin. Thanks to telemedicine, a video visit or quick photo is often all that’s needed to check for eczema.
Occasionally, infections develop on top of an eczema rash. If you see any yellow-colored crusting and scabbing, oozy skin, blisters or pus bumps, be sure to call your doctor right away. Always call if your baby has a fever. Your baby may need an antibiotic and to be evaluated in person.
What Causes Newborn Eczema
The causes of eczema in babies differs but there appears to be a strong genetic link. Talk to your parents and grandparents to see if you suffered from eczema as a baby. You can also ask your in-laws to see if your babys father had the condition. Some babies also make too few fat cells which cause their skin to dehydrate. Dry skin promotes the development of eczema. This is a condition that they grow out of when they reach toddlerhood.
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