Childrens Eczema - Environment Can Play a Part

Even with millions of sufferers worldwide, medical science has not yet discovered the reason why some people suffer with eczema and others do not. Normally, something in the person's environment will cause the skin complaint to occur almost immediately they come into contact with it. Although eczema can occur on many parts of the body, with baby eczema, it is usually first noticed on their face. In the USA, it can affect anything between 10% and 20% of infants. Strangely, this condition is short lived and in most cases it seems to cure itself before the child reaches the age of 2. Not every child is so lucky and it can follow them into adulthood when the condition may even become severe. This is primarily a condition suffered by babies and young children although it can affect someone of any age. As many as 1/3 of all sufferers developed the condition before they were 12 months old; however, almost all contracted it before they were 5.  Baby eczema is most likely to be most common type (atopic eczema) and is normally found on the arms, legs, face and scalp as a red rash that itches and has a scaly appearance. Whilst atopic eczema is often found in family groups, a child can often have this condition flare up when their skin has not been kept moisturized. Often the trigger mechanism is either the detergent or fabric conditioner used to wash the baby's clothes and this can also be the trigger for the condition in adults as well. It would also seem that breastfeeding has preventative properties as a link between baby eczema and mothers who wean their babies early has been found. Respiratory conditions can also trigger attacks but other medical complaints may also cause this too. Babies can also be more likely to have a problem if they already suffer from rhinitis, have food allergies or whose mother has an asthma condition. Food allergies are believed to be responsible for anything up to 3 cases in ten; if a particular food is suspected as the likely cause, that food can then be removed from the diet. Removing the guilty foods comes down to trial and error. There are some common foodstuffs that should be looked at first including: * Sea and freshwater fish * Cream and other milk products * Wheat * Food prepared using eggs * Foods where peanut oil may have been used Physicians are also aware that baby eczema can also be caused when the child is given antibiotics after their birth. Babies naturally have more sensitive skin so treating them requires bathing in lukewarm water and then using hypoallergenic creams, using only fragrance free products.  To ensure they are comfortable they only dressed in natural cotton clothing once they have been bathed. The best way to stop a baby scratching and causing further infection is to keep their nails short and make sure they wear mittens. Unfortunately, baby eczema sometimes needs further help and in these cases, the doctor might prescribe the use of antihistamines to relieve the itching;  some situations warrant the use of topical steroid creams but these cannot be used for extended periods. In babies, despite being very common, it is still a difficult condition to treat and conquer.