Eczema Symptoms in Babies

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a skin condition which produces a red itchy inflammatory response to the skin in the form of a rash.  It is actually quite common and especially so in families where there is a history of immune system reactions including asthma and allergies.

In severe cases, the skin can weep or bleed which can be quite painful.  When this happens there is a chance that the rash can also become infected.

It usually first appears on babies between two and six months of age and usually is gone by the time they reach school age.  Only a small percentage of people will go on to have it as an adult.

The main symptom of eczema that separates it from other rashes is the itchiness of the skin.  It looks like red inflamed skin and can weep a watery fluid.

On babies this rash usually appears on the face, knees and elbows.  Adults usually get it on the hands and neck as well.

While they make look similar, Psoriasis is different to eczema; however the treatment options remain the same.  Psoriasis in babies looks like a raised red sore that has a silvery white centre.  It’s quite often found around folds of skin such as knees and elbows but can also appear on the scalp.

While it can be heredity like with eczema, often it is caused by stress to the skin such as an insect bite, scratch or cut.  Even emotional stress may cause an outbreak of the rash.

Usually your doctor will prescribe topical steroids to help clear it up, but you can use natural oils and lotions as well, as long as they don’t dry out your baby’s skin.

Nobody knows for sure what causes eczema, but there are a number of factors that will indicate whether it is likely to appear including a family history of eczema, hay fever or asthma; stress; and certain triggers that will aggravate the condition.

The triggers or irritants usually include:

• detergents
  
• chemicals
  
• weather (winter or summer especially)
  
• plant pollens
  
• pet dander
  
• dust mites
  
• soaps
  
• grasses
  
• some foods (mostly dairy and/or citrus fruits)

To date there is no known cure for eczema but there are many things that you can do to treat or prevent it from appearing.

That includes staying away from known irritants, avoiding scratching the rash which makes it worse, keeping the skin well moisturised and eating a healthy diet.  If you are breastfeeding your baby, then also make sure that you are eating well and avoiding foods that might be causing a reaction in your child.

You can find more tips on treating eczema in babies here.

Even if they didn’t have it as babies, eczema can appear in childhood, especially if you child already has reactions to allergens such as hay fever or asthma.

While it’s more common for it to appear between 2 and 6 months of age, it’s possible to it to delay its emergence before your child reaches the age of 5.  (If it hasn’t appeared by age 5 then the eczema is not genetic as much as a reaction to an external stimulant that you will be allergic to).

The good news is that the majority of kids who have eczema will grow out of it by the time they turn into teenagers.