Does Breastfeeding Prevent Baby Eczema
There is some evidence that breastfed babies may be less likely to develop eczema. Although unproven, the antimicrobial properties in breast milk have also been studied as a type of treatment when directly applied to an eczema rash. To try this, rub a few drops of your liquid gold onto the rash regularly for a few days and watch for any reduction in symptoms.
Natural Eczema Remedies For Babies
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Eczema can be the one of the worst things to have to watch your baby go through when youre a parent. These natural eczema remedies for babies will your help your child feel more comfortable.
Could that red patchy area of skin be eczema? Thats a question that often crossed my mind when either of my kids had patches of really dry skin, especially in the wintertime.
Eczema can be the one of the worst things to have to watch your baby go through when youre a parent. Its uncomfortable, itchy, and the treatments for it can sound really harsh ? or only be somewhat effective.
While I, personally, have never had eczema, I have seen family members struggle with it for years, and many of you have reached out looking for natural remedies for eczema as well.
Eczema is a tricky issue because it can be caused by so many things, but here are five natural eczema remedies for babies that can be helpful and will work for your little one!
Newborn Eczema Remedies Natural Ways To Cure Your Baby Of Eczema
If you are a new parent, then you probably know the importance of newborn eczema remedies. Eczema is one of the common skin problems that you will have to deal with if you become a parent. A baby can get this condition from having a dry skin that can sometimes itch too much. Some babies may even get redness and itchiness. Here, I am going to tell you some of the most effective newborn eczema remedies.
One way to alleviate the symptoms is to make your baby use cotton clothes. The material of the clothes will allow your baby to breathe easily and prevent him or her from itching. Use it as often as possible. Use unscented baby soaps and shampoos. Avoid using perfumed soaps or soap. Perfumed soaps can aggravate the condition and may worsen it because it will contain strong fragrances.
You need to keep the temperature at a constant warm. Use a humidifier if your baby is experiencing dryness. Put a humidifier in the bedroom at night so that you can sleep with your baby. You can also use a hot water bottle on a cool night so that you can gently wash your baby.
Eczema can be triggered by certain allergens such as food, dust, pollen, and even clothing. If your baby has allergies, it is important that you know what he or she is allergic to so that you can avoid these things. For example, if your baby is allergic to nickel, you should avoid giving him or her anything that contains nickel.
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How Does Baby Eczema Differ From Dry Skin
Dry skin is a symptom of eczema. Your pediatrician can diagnose eczema by examining your baby’s skin. He or she may send you to a pediatric dermatologist for confirmation and treatment if the condition is severe.
In general, dry skin can be handled at home with some moisturizer and isnt as bothersome as eczema. However, babies with darker skin tend to have drier skin than those with lighter skin making moisturization even more crucial.
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.
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Baby Eczema And Cradle Cap Symptoms
Baby eczema causes symptoms such as a red rash that makes the skin dry, itchy, and scaly. The rash can also have small bumps, which may ooze or weep fluid. Other symptoms may include:
- Thickened skin
- Darkened skin on the eyelids and around the eyes
- Changes to the skin around the mouth, eyes, or ears
Cradle cap causes symptoms not commonly seen in other types of infantile eczema, such as greasy yellow scales on the scalp that sometimes appear in a thick layer covering the entire top of the head. Over time, the scales become flaky and rub off.
Most babies do not appear to be bothered by cradle cap, though it sometimes itches.
A baby with atopic dermatitis has an increased risk of other atopic conditions, including asthma, hay fever, and food allergies.
Apply Natural Topical Eczema Treatments To The Skin
Topical herbal salves can moisturize, protect and heal eczema naturally. Salves containing comfrey, plantain, and calendula are good for babies with eczema, serving as natural emollients instead of a prescription eczema cream. You can apply these salves 1-2 times daily for dry skin, at the onset of a flare and to treat active flares. You can also consider trying 2% licorice gel to apply topically as an eczema treatment.
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How Is It Treated
Because there is not yet a cure for eczema, our treatment goals are to reduce itching and skin inflammation, and to prevent infection. The best treatment for eczema is a proactive one, using gentle skin care and moisturizers to re-establish the skin barrier.
Infants and older childrens skin should be kept well moisturized, and washed with fragrance-free non-soap cleansers. We also recommend a fragrance-free ointment-based moisturizer, with petrolatum as either the only or the first ingredient. In young children and infants, it is reasonable to use an over-the-counter topical hydrocortisone ointment, which is a mild topical steroid, for up to a week.
But if the rash either persists or you find that you need to use the hydrocortisone more than one week out of the month, you should discuss further use with your childs pediatrician. You can apply the ointment, as prescribed, then a coat of petrolatum-based moisturizer, to help keep in the moisture.
If your childs skin does not respond well to any of these measures or becomes infected, contact your pediatrician, who can diagnose the condition and then prescribe another topical cream or antihistamine.
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Final Thoughts On Natural Eczema Remedies For Babies
There are a few key things to always remember when youre trying to cure your babys eczema:
- Make sure there are no toxins, allergens, or fragrances in any of the products you use that your child can come into contact with.
- Keep the affected areas well hydrated and moist, using the recommended moisturizers in this post! Make sure to moisturize when your babys skin is still slightly damp.
- Use mild, unscented body and laundry soaps, sticking to only natural products for babies.
I know how worrisome it can be to have to watch your baby suffer through something like eczema, and the stress associated with finding something that works. I hope this post helped you to find a natural solution to your babys eczema!
If you have any questions about any of the solutions in this post, dont hesitate to leave a comment or contact me here! I respond to every question I get!
Note: I am not a dermatologist and these are not medical solutions. These are simply my recommendations for natural ways to alleviate eczema. As with any medical condition, please consult your doctor or your childs pediatrician before trying anything new.
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Gentle Soaps And Detergents
Laundry detergent can contain harsh chemicals that aggravate eczema.
Many body washes and cleansers contain detergents, which help provide a soapy lather. Detergents and other lathering agents can dry out the skin, especially in people with eczema.
Bar soaps can also be harsh on the skin because of their alkalinity.
Try using a gentle, no-lather, fragrance-free cleanser. Avoid products with rough particles for scrubbing or exfoliating, as these can further irritate the skin.
Many people with eczema also find that switching to a more gentle, fragrance- or color-free laundry detergent can help improve symptoms.
Try skipping fabric softener, which lingers on clothes and often contains fragrances and chemicals that can cause skin irritation.
Sitting next to a fireplace or near a furnace may feel good, but it can make eczema symptoms worse. The hot, dry air can dehydrate the skin and aggravate the itchiness of eczema.
Use a humidifier during the dry winter months and avoid getting too close to heaters and fireplaces.
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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Optimize Your Gut Health To Treat Eczema And Reverse Gut Dysbiosis
The microbiome is a collection of trillions of microorganisms that inhabit your body. The health of the microbiome and the integrity of the gut lining has a major impact on immune system development, and whether a child develops allergies, eczema or asthma. When there is dysbiosis, a disrupted microbiome, or leaky gut and eczema or allergies, theres also likely to be symptoms of abdominal bloating and discomfort.
Supplements that reduce inflammation, nourish and heal the intestinal membranes and feed healthy flora can be incredibly beneficial in healing the gut. This may include the use of L-glutamine, turmeric, DGL, marshmallow root, zinc, quercetin, ginger and chamomile. To help promote healthy gut flora, we recommend a high quality probiotic, especially of the S. boulardii and Bifidobacterium species. Work with your provider to find the best probiotic and dosage for you or your child.
What Causes Eczema In Toddlers
Before you panic that your child will have lifelong bouts of itchy rashes, its important to remember that some kids are just prone to eczema because of their unique skin makeup. And even thats not always fixed or permanent.
Theres no way to predict what will happen in the future, but lots of kids outgrow their eczema when they reach their preschool years.
Your child is more likely to have eczema if they also have:
- a family history of eczema
- asthma
Food allergies dont cause eczema, but they are related.
According to a , other conditions that may be related to eczema may include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.
For the most part, though, environmental triggers are the biggest cause of eczema flares. Common triggers include:
- excessive heat or sweating
Although eczema is bothersome and often hard to treat, you can take some steps to get your toddlers eczema under control.
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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.
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.
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How To Treat Baby Eczema Naturally
- How To Treat Baby Eczema Naturally
Dry, sensitive skin that gets itchy or scaly? Yep, it sounds like your baby might have eczema. There is no known cure, but the condition can be managed to avoid the scratching and sleepless nights that can accompany an eczema flare.
Going to your trusted GP to diagnose eczema is a great place to start. If youre also wondering how to treat baby eczema naturally, we have some great ideas for you. Read on to learn how a daily skin care routine can help soothe and nourish your little ones dry skin and what external irritants to avoid so that nasty flare ups are few and far between.
Where On The Body Can Eczema Appear
Eczema can appear in any area where your child has come into contact with one of their triggers.
For example, if they have a grass allergy and rolled around in the backyard, they might have rashes anywhere there was exposed skin.
A child could get eczema around the outside of their mouth after eating acidic foods, like pineapple, or in the folds of their skin if they were sweating.
If your child had eczema as a baby, you might think youre a pro at identifying it. However, the symptoms of eczema in toddlers are actually different from the symptoms in babies. As kids get older, the location of their rashes can change.
Babies are prone to rashes on their faces and heads remember cradle cap? Thats a kind of eczema! Toddlers and older kids are more likely to get eczema in the following areas:
- creases of their elbows
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How Long Will My Babys Eczema Last
Baby eczema will first appear sometime between months 1 and 6. With proper treatment, a flare-up can disappear completely. If you can identify what is triggering your babys eczema, you may be able to keep their eczema completely away.
However, the possibility of another dry, itchy patch is always possible. You may see frequent flare-ups if you are unable to pinpoint the root cause.
Usually, children outgrow their eczema by the time they are 6 or 7 years old, but occasionally it persists into adulthood.
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. For complete details, please read my affiliate disclosure page.
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.
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The Symptoms Of Eczema
Itchiness ranging from a mild tickle to a severe and intense itch is a symptom of nearly all types of eczema. In fact, the skin can become itchy before the appearance of any rash. Eczema is also a common reason for itchy bumps on your elbows.
Respected dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman says that dry skin is usually associated with eczema. The affected skin often develops a rash and become thickened or scaly.1 These patches of reddened skin can turn a brownish-gray color and the skin can feel like leather.
The symptoms of eczema can be aggravated if a person scratches the itchy rash because this allows Staphylococcus aureus bacteria to infect broken skin. The end result is that the skin becomes raw, swollen and very sensitive. It may also ooze fluid which can leave the skin with crusty patches when the fluid dries.
Invest In A Humidifier
Dry air and dust can all exacerbate eczema symptoms. Air conditioners are a part of modern life we heat our houses when its cold and we cool them down when it gets hot. This is great for our comfort but terrible for the quality of the air in our homes!
A humidifier adds moisture back into the air which is excellent news for your babys skin. It can also help your baby breathe easier which can lead to a more restful sleep. Unlike old school vaporisers which left the walls wet with condensation, modern humidifiers offer cool or warm mist settings and filter out big particles in the air.
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When To Seek Medical Care