How to Treat Baby Eczema - Your Baby Could Get It

How to Treat Baby Eczema

Learn About Eczema. Your Baby Could Get It

 

How to Treat Baby Eczema

We’ve always viewed babies as delicate, fragile little bundles of joy who look so helpless that anytime we notice something wrong with them, we practically move heaven and earth to immediately get them back in shape. That alone is reason enough to learn more about Eczema and how to treatbaby Eczema.

Can you Tell me what Eczema is?

Eczema, in layman’s terms, is a skin condition that comes with chronic itching. It’s not life-threatening, so no need to panic. During the first few years after birth is when it generally starts, often during the initial 6 months. It moves on to when the kids are getting ready to go to school and to adolescence. Sometimes, the condition can extend to adulthood. Eczema episodes tend to “come and go”. There are times when skin appears unaffected and normal-looking. Then there would be periods you’d notice eczema symptoms ranging from mild to looking severe.

Do All Babies Get Eczema?

No. Not all babies get Eczema. It’s most likely to develop in individuals who have a family history of the disorder, Asthma or Hay Fever. These three disorders are known as the “Atopic Trio” such that a cousin or kin having suffered from Asthma or Hay Fever could have familial relations to an Eczema-afflicted kid’s family. Children with Eczema have also been observed to be more prone to developing hay fever or asthma.

Does Baby Eczema Look the Same as Those of Children who are older?

As kids grow up, where Eczema appears and how it looks may vary. Among babies, it’s often seen in the scalp, forehead and cheeks. Sometimes it may affect almost all parts of the body except those traditionally covered by diapers. Between 6-12 months, Eczema appears on the body parts that babies usually use for crawling – the knees and elbows. Its location changes with a 2-3 year old child. You would now notice it on the elbows’ and knees’ creases and on hands, wrists or ankles. On occasion, it might affect the skin surrounding the eyelids and mouth. Older children and adolescents get it in their hands.

In babies, Eczema usually appears to be reddish and moist. In older children it typically is drier and the skin is a bit thickened with pronounced skin lines.

How to Treat Baby Eczema

Sadly, there are no known cures for Eczema. The good news is that Eczema becomes less serious over time with most children. What’s more it can be managed and controlled. How to treat baby Eczema? You’ll have to treat both the dryness of baby’s skin and the inflammation. For skin dryness, it’s the bathing regimen, which means bathing the baby everyday in warm, not hot water lasting no more than 10 minutes, using gentle, unscented soap. Those bubble baths, Epson salts and additives are big “no-no’s.” They may only irritate the skin and worsen Eczema. Apply a moisturizer on the baby’s skin immediately after. Petroleum jelly would work well as a moisturizer.

For skin inflammation, you should try medications that are anti-inflammatory in nature, which means steroids in ointment form that you can apply and spread on the affected area.  In some grave and serious cases, oral anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed by your pediatrician.

What Triggers A Flare of Baby Eczema?

Usually, when the baby’s skin becomes arid and dry and some irritants or allergy prompters come in contact with it, Eczema happens. It gets bad in Winter when the air is cool. When Summer sets in and it’s more humid, Eczema improves. Saliva from babies who drool a lot may provoke additional irritation to the face or neck. The irritants can typically come from carpets, dust, fabrics, pets, cigarette smoke, perfumes and air fresheners.

Talk to your pediatrician about oral anti-biotic medication should you notice your baby having a skin infection.

Is There Any Way I Can Prevent Eczema?

There is no magic pill to keep Eczema away but good skin care will help strengthen baby’s skin against all kinds of irritants. Bathing daily and moisturizing the skin twice a day will go a long way towards keeping skin strong and healthy. Know what triggers your baby’s Eczema and avoid them.

Finally, treat the Eczema-affected areas with medication the minute they appear to prevent more serious rashes. Over the counter topical steroids such as hydro cortisone ointment will help reduce inflammation and redness. You should be cautioned though: such ointments are safe but when applied for a long period on the same part of the body, it may lead to skin becoming thin.

You Might Be Intrested In: The Best Natural Cures