What causes infantile eczema?

21 Comments

1. kimchungtran says:

   July 16, 2010 at 5:04 am

   Most kids get itchy rashes at one time or another. But eczema can be a nuisance that may prompt scratching that can only make the problem worse.

   The term eczema refers to a number of different skin conditions in which the skin is red and irritated and occasionally results in small, fluid-filled bumps that become moist and ooze. The most common cause of eczema is atopic dermatitis, sometimes called infantile eczema although it occurs in infants and older children.

   The word "atopic" describes conditions that occur when someone is overly sensitive to allergens in their environment such as pollens, molds, dust, animal dander, and certain foods. "Dermatitis" means that the skin is inflamed, or red and sore.

   Kids who get eczema often have family members with hay fever, asthma, or other allergies. Some scientists think these children may be genetically predisposed to get eczema, which means characteristics have been passed on from parents through genes that make a child more likely to get it.

   About half of the kids who get eczema will also someday develop hay fever or asthma themselves. Eczema is not an allergy itself, but allergies can trigger eczema. Some environmental factors (such as excessive heat or emotional stress) can also trigger the condition.

   About one out of every 10 kids develops eczema. Typically, symptoms appear within the first few months of life, and almost always before a child turns 5. But the good news is that more than half of the kids who have eczema today will be over it by the time they’re teenagers.

   Scientists believe that eczema is inherited, so there’s no way to prevent the condition. However, because specific triggers may tend to make it worse, flare-ups can be prevented or improved by avoiding possible triggers such as:

   pollen
   mold
   dust
   animal dander
   dry winter air with little moisture
   allowing the skin to become too dry
   certain harsh soaps and detergents
   certain fabrics (such as wool or coarsely woven materials)
   certain skin care products, perfumes, and colognes (particularly those that contain alcohol)
   tobacco smoke
   some foods (Which foods may be eczema triggers depends on the person, but dairy products and acidic foods like tomatoes seem to be common culprits.)
   emotional stress
   excessive heat
   sweating
   Also, curbing the tendency to scratch the rash can prevent the condition from worsening and progressing to cause more severe skin damage or secondary infection.

   Hope that may help you and your baby!
   Good luck!
2. freshbliss says:

   July 16, 2010 at 5:04 am

   There are two fields of medicine that are considered the frontiers (meaning, they really dont know all that much about it)….the mind and the immune system….

   And while we do know that there is a relationship between the immune system and eczema, I think anyone would be hard pressed to give you an exact reason as to what causes it…..we are in the same boat with asthma and allergies. What we do know is that there is some degree of the immune system overacting…. (which is why the three tend to occur together to some degree, they all have that in common)

   I tell people to use Fragrance free, optical whitening agent free detergent (those are common skin irritants) and to try topical borage oil lotion (such as Shikai Pediatric lotion) if its not bad enough to warrant steroids (which calm the immune system response)

   Good Luck – I hope your baby is comfortable soon.