Preventing Eczema in Babies With Dry Skin

Does your child have flaky, irritated, cracked pores and skin? About 1 in 5 children will get eczema. For some, it’s the primary symptom of a lifetime of allergic reactions. Infants who’ve eczema usually tend to develop hay fever and bronchial asthma later. Doctors seek advice from such a allergic illness development as “atopic march.” How you deal with your child’s eczema may make all of the distinction.

“We believe that cracked skin is the entry point for food allergens, such as peanuts and eggs. Food can get into the skin off the table or off people who eat these foods and then kiss or touch the baby. When the food comes through the skin, it causes an allergic reaction,” says Donald Leung, MD, PhD, head of pediatric allergy and scientific immunology at National Jewish Health in Denver.

Doctors don’t absolutely perceive what causes eczema. They consider genetics and the kid’s surroundings every play a task. But dad and mom might help restore their child’s damaged pores and skin barrier and stop allergens from getting in. This may cease improvement of future allergic reactions.

In infants, eczema often exhibits up as an itchy, pink patch on the cheeks, chin, or scalp and the entrance of legs and arms. If you see these indicators, Leung recommends the “soak and seal” technique.

Gently bathe your child in lukewarm (not sizzling) water with a mild cleanser freed from cleaning soap. Don’t scrub irritated pores and skin. Allow your child to soak for at the least 5 minutes.

Lightly pat your child’s pores and skin dry. Within 3 minutes, whereas the pores and skin continues to be moist and damp, apply a thick moisturizing ointment or cream. Choose a moisturizer with a excessive oil content material. Avoid lotions with alcohol, which may dry the pores and skin. Look for jellies or lotions that don’t run. You can repeat this course of day by day or as wanted.

“Soak and seal adds water to the skin and then traps it in,” Leung says. “This creates a barrier so that irritants from the environment can’t invade.”

 

Ask Your Doctor

If your child has severely dry, itchy pores and skin, Donald Leung, MD, suggests you ask your pediatrician these questions.

• Should I “soak and seal” my child’s pores and skin?
• Which pores and skin cream do you advocate?
• When ought to I introduce strong meals to finest forestall meals allergic reactions?
• Could merchandise in my family, resembling laundry detergents, set off eczema?

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Sources

SOURCES:

Donald Leung, MD, PhD, Division Head, Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Denver

National Eczema Association

Advances in Dermatology and Allergology: “Prevalence of atopic dermatitis in infants during the first six months of life: authors’ observations.”

Journal of Clinical Cell Immunology: “The Atopic March: Progression from Atopic Dermatitis to Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma.”

Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research: “Significance of Skin Barrier Dysfunction in Atopic Dermatitis.”

 

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