What Causes Baby Eczema and How to Treat It
Have you noticed some red, dry patches of skin on your child? Maybe around the face, side of the nose, behind the ears? Well, don't be alarmed, it's most likely eczema. There's another condition that gets confused with eczema in babies, called cradle cap, it shares similar symptoms but clears up in about 8 months. Eczema in babies is irritating but harmless, can be treated without steroidal creams, and often goes away on its own. Let's go into eczema in babies and possible treatments down below.
What is baby eczema?
It's a little different from adult eczema and even shows up differently on young children, infants, and babies. It's a common condition where babies develop dry, red, patchy skin. Most of the time it's in a small area, like parts of the face, behind the ears, etc. Sometimes, it also appears on their joints or their knuckles. It's very rare that baby eczema covers a large body part like the back or stomach.
Causes of baby eczema
This is something that researchers are a little baffled with. Some think that it's caused by the environment and others think that it's genetic. Most researchers agree that it's most likely a combination of both. This means that your baby's immune system senses that something is wrong when it comes into contact with something in the environment and the eczema is the response to it.
Triggers of baby eczema
Here's a shortlist of some of the things that could cause an eczema flare-up
- dirt
- dust
- germs
- an infection
- Allergies like pet dander
- any type of irritant like soap fragrance
The list is pretty self-explanatory. The key thing is that your child's skin is going to be very sensitive. So it's best to keep stuff like this away from their skin as much as possible. Let's look at some possible treatments next.
Treating your baby's eczema
There are a few things that you want to achieve if you want to manage your child's eczema. Here are a few of them.
- Prevent scratching- This just makes the red, dry patches worse
- Keep irritants and other triggers at bay- Remember, limit exposure to things like dust and pet dander
- Proper skincare- This includes keeping your baby's skin moisturized and cleaned daily
Other considerations
Along with keeping the above in mind, it's best to give your child nice, warm baths and avoid soaps with a lot of fragrance. You'll have to get the mildest, gentlest soap that you can find. Also, since every baby is different, it's a good idea to identify what triggers your child's flare-ups specifically. They may not respond to pet dander that much but something like drywall dust may cause that eczema to flare-up and get worse.
Steroid creams
There is a lot of research on the use of steroidal treatments for children. A common conclusion is that these drugs should be limited, and if absolutely necessary, given with care. While most people can use a topical steroid, using too much on a baby, or too often, can have some undesired side effects. It's best to avoid it altogether if you can and go with something a little more organic instead.
Why organic treatments?
The issue with non-organic treatments is the side-effects. You want your baby to stop itching and just feel great. You don't want other issues to come up because you tried to help your child. Organic remedies, like coconut oil, have been studied and shown to be effective. Other treatments like organic lotions and even clothing made from organic cotton are now replacing topical steroid creams to fight baby eczema.
Nature's Baby Organics
Finding quality organic lotions and rubs doesn't have to be difficult. Nature's Baby Organics has an entire line of natural products for your child. We even have a nice soothing rub that can calm down those dry patches. If you're interested in organic treatments for baby eczema, then click here to see how Nature's Baby Organics can help you today.