When your child develops a rash, it is often cause for parental concern, and perhaps no area of rash incites more concern than a rash on your child's face. Sometimes the rash has a specific cause, and once that cause is determined and eliminated, the rash heals of its own accord. Sometimes there is no cause for the rash and it lingers, causing your child discomfort, and is cosmetically unpleasant. This could be eczema.
Background
Eczema is a type of dermatitis, often atopic dermatitis, meaning inflammation of the skin from an undetermined cause. There is a familial tendency in eczema; children whose parent or parents have eczema, asthma or hay fever are more likely to develop the condition than children whose parents do not have the conditions, as reported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Significance
Ten percent to 20 percent of infants and young children experience eczema, as reported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, while the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, places the figure at 10 percent of children and infants developing the condition. UMMC states, "Of children who have eczema, 60 percent will show signs of eczema in the first year of life, and 85 percent will show signs of eczema within the first 5 years."
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of eczema are dry, itchy skin. The skin may be scaly or exhibit small bumps that weep clear liquid when scratched open. There may also be redness and swelling of the affected area. The general locations of eczema on the body vary by age. UMMC advises that infants and young children often exhibit eczema on the face, outside of the elbows and on the knees. Older children and adults commonly exhibit eczema on the hands and feet, back of the knees and on the arms.
Treatment
Eczema has no cure, and while the direct causes of eczema remain undetermined, exposure to some things may cause the condition to flare up. Your observation of your child will help you and your health-care provider determine the source of flare-ups so that you and your child can avoid them when at all possible. Your health-care provider will likely prescribe a topical treatment for your child's eczema, states UMMC. You should apply it as directed and monitor its effectiveness.
Depending on the severity of the flare-up, your child may be prescribed oral medications. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases notes that phototherapy may be used on adults and children ages 12 years and older.
Expert Insight
The American Academy of Dermatology relates that some children who experience eczema as infants exhibit a total resolution of the condition by age two years. The Academy also states that when an infant or child develops eczema, it tends to improve over time.
Considerations
If you suspect your child has eczema, contact your health-care provider who will work with you on a total treatment plan for your child. The UMMC advises you to avoid harsh soaps, bathe or shower in lukewarm water, follow good skin care at all times and keep the child dressed in light clothes or bedding, as sweating sometimes makes eczema worse.
