Eczema is an allergic skin condition that affects almost one in 10 children in industrialized countries, as confirmed by a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Symptoms of eczema commonly begin in the first year of life and can occur on the face, scalp, arms, hands and legs. MayoClinic.com describes infantile eczema as patches of skin dryness, flaking, redness, crusting, itching and inflammation that tend to be red to brown or gray and may ooze fluid. Medications and other treatments may be necessary to control itching and skin inflammation, treat infection, add moisture to the skin and remove scaly or crusted skin lesions. Avoiding allergens also helps to remedy eczema in babies.
Avoid Allergens
SkinCarePhysicians.com recommends avoiding or limiting contact with allergy triggers to reduce eczema symptoms. This includes food, environmental and chemical triggers that may exacerbate symptoms. Factors that can worsen eczema in babies should be decreased or avoided as much as possible. This includes chemical irritants such as soaps, bubble baths, laundry detergents, household cleaners, scented lotions and even finger paints. Keeping the bay away from environmental allergy triggers such as pollens and animal fur and known food allergens also help to remedy eczema skin rashes.
Moisturize
Severe dryness of the skin can worsen eczema symptoms. Moisturizing is very important to decrease itching, flaking and crusting. The Mayo Clinic recommends precautions to keep the baby's skin from losing moisture content--such as by avoiding drying and irritating bubble baths, bathing the baby every second or third day, and gently drying the skin by patting with a soft towel. An unscented moisturizing ointment or cream must be applied to the baby's skin regularly to soothe dry, scaly and irritated patches of skin. Reduce the baby's bath and swimming time and avoid excess washing of the hands and face to keep the skin from losing moisture.
Medications
Severe cases of eczema can be debilitating and distressing for infants, children and adults. According to Ray Sahelian, M.D.,medications may be prescribed to control eczema symptoms and reduce inflammation in the immune system that can cause this skin rash. These may include antihistamines to reduce the body's allergic reaction, oral steroid medications and topical skin creams with steroids to decrease inflammation. However, in most cases, infants are not given oral steroids. The Mayo Clinic notes that in some cases, infection of the skin due to eczema may require antibiotic treatment. Oral antibiotics or antibiotic creams may be prescribed to stem the infection on the infant's skin.
