Baby Ezcema - How To Treat and Prevent It

You want to make everything perfect for your new baby… you’ve painted the room, bought adorable clothes, and carefully picked out toys that will help stimulate her. You even have those musical CDs that seem cute now, but will be driving you up a wall in a year or two. Everything is wonderful… except that rash she developed.

Baby eczema is a common condition in children, and may last until they’re into their teens or even longer. There are several signs that skin irritation may be eczema, including itching, dryness, and skin inflammation on the face, limbs, and body. If your family has a history of hay fever, eczema, or asthma, and if the rash keeps coming back, your baby may be experiencing this annoying condition. There may also be secondary infections of the skin. If your baby has any or all of these symptoms, you may want to schedule a doctor visit for a diagnosis, and then you can start treating her for baby eczema.

Figuring out what’s triggering the baby eczema can help you to stop the breakouts or lessen their severity. Many babies experience this condition if their skin is unable to retain a high moisture level. If this is the case, try an over-the-counter baby eczema cream on the affected areas. There are many natural products that can lessen the itching as well, including oatmeal, aloe, and zinc lotions. Any moisturizer, soap, shampoo, and body products you use should be hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. Many parents prefer the all-natural products over the chemicals in the prescribed and over-the-counter medications.

Dirt, dust, cigarette smoke, and pet dander may also aggravate this disorder, so make sure your house is regularly cleaned. This can include vacuuming the carpets and washing the curtains and bedding at least once a week at a high temperature. If your baby has fluffy toys and stuffed animals, they should be washed and shaken out regularly to cut down on accumulation of dust mites. Just make sure to shake any toys, cushions, and other soft surfaces outside, far away from the baby!

Another common cause of baby eczema is chemical; try using all-natural, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free cleaning products on clothes, blankets, bed linens, and any other cloth object that may come in contact with your baby’s skin. Make sure the clothing for you and your baby’s is soft and doesn’t contain itchy fabrics such as wool. Humidity in your home can also lessen outbreaks; if you have an air conditioner, consider using a humidifier to restore some moisture to your air. On the other hand, long baths can cause a flare-up to worsen, so keep them short and sweet. Keep the house cool, as heat and sweat can exacerbate baby eczema.

Diet can affect baby eczema, as well. It’s best to minimize consumption of foods containing sulfites and MSG, as well as cow’s milk, egg whites, citrus, cheese, nuts, and chocolate. Food allergies can make baby eczema worse, so cutting these products out can cause long-term relief for your baby. A baby may also develop eczema if the mother ingests too much dairy or tomatoes during pregnancy, so if you have a family history of eczema, you may want to wait to indulge until after the baby is born!

The biggest problem with baby eczema is that your baby doesn’t know it’s bad to scratch. When she’s itchy, she’s going to scratch at it and make it worse. The less irritated and uncomfortable you can make her, the better off she’ll be. Most children grow out of eczema, but in the meantime, knowing how to avoid or lessen an outbreak will make her a happier, more comfortable baby!

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