Eczema is a common condition that affects many people in the world so you are definitely not alone. It can be baby eczema, eczema in infants, eczema in toddlers, eczema in children and even eczema in adults. So what causes eczema? Unfortunately, the exact cause of Eczema is not well established as yet, and is deemed to be related to a combination of factors that includes family heredity and our everyday life. There is also no known cure for eczema but it can be managed. There is thus no need for you to be to unduly worried or be embarrassed by your eczema condition.
What is Eczema?
So what does eczema look like? Eczema is a chronic itchy skin condition that triggers the red and itchy dry skin rash that appears as red dry skin patches. Generally, people with eczema conditions suffer from dry, sensitive skin. Eczema in babies and toddlers are common, especially during the first six months of the infancy, and also when you are getting into your senior age. For this blog post, we shall focus only on infant eczema.
Mild eczema can sometimes be mistaken as normal baby rash, and often, new parents may not even know that the difference. Conditions typically recover over time without needing to do much. Severe eczema, on the other hand, can see serious outbreaks of eczema on hands, foot eczema, scalp eczema and even eczema on face. There are several types of eczema. The common severe eczema conditions in new babies and young children is the atopic dermatitis (sometimes also known as infantile eczema). The itching skin could lead to continuous scratching that can make the skin condition even worse. Eczema conditions could see the new babies with periods where the baby skin is only mildly affected or even normal, and from time to time, more serious conditions occurring.
It is important to know that most children get skin rashes at one time or another during their initial years of life. And for children with eczema, the child typically overcomes the condition naturally by the time the child is into teenage years. But unfortunately, there are some that may see their condition continuing into their adulthood.
What are the Symptoms of Eczema?
The eczema symptoms varies from person to person, and may even look different from time to time with different levels of severity, affecting different parts of your body. Eczema is known to make you feel very itchy. The itchiness may make you scratch you skin. But as you have dry and sensitive skin during an eczema attack, the scratching may result in bleeding that could lead to further inflammation and more severe itching. This cycle will worsen your existing eczema condition. And as a result of the typical dry weather in winter, the eczema condition is likely to be worse during winter periods.
For babies and infants from two months of age to almost up till there are about five years old, children with eczema usually develop itchy and dry skin that is reddish and have small bumps. In young babies, eczema is most prominent on the cheeks, forehead, and scalp. The rash may spread to the arms and legs. The eczema condition usually spares the diaper area, thus should you see any rashes at the diaper area then you are probably looking at a nappy rash condition. It is also useful to know that eczema is not contagious and hence there is no requirement to maintain separation for the siblings or minimize interaction with others.
In many cases, eczema goes into remission and symptoms may disappear altogether for months or even years. Some people may have some degree of dermatitis into adulthood and beyond, or see reoccurrence at old age.
A child with eczema condition may see periods free of eczema symptoms as it may not always be there. Eczema could be triggered by stress, food, environment (such as pollen, dust, carpets, skin care products, cosmetics, perfume, tobacco smoke, excessive heat, etc.), body hormonal changes, etc. In some kids, the condition may improve but then restart as they enter puberty, when hormones, stress, and irritating skin products or cosmetics are introduced.
Eczema Treatment
It is believed that there is no way to prevent eczema. To manage the eczema condition, we need to manage the potential triggers mentioned above to minimize flare-ups of the eczema condition. It is best to consult a doctor before applying any form of treatment to your child’s eczema condition.
Scratching worsens the condition and could lead to potentially more severe skin damage or developing a secondary infection from the wounds. Hence, curbing the urge to scratch is important.
Moisturizers should be applied sparingly at least twice daily. Ointments and creams such as the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter and Vaseline are generally recommended for treating eczema conditions. Lotions are mostly water and are not recommended. It is most important to moisturize the skin immediately after bathing to prevent evaporation of moisture from the skin. Ointments and creams seal moisture from the bath into the skin, much like plastic wraps seal moisture into a cake.