Causes
Realistically, eczema can’t really be attributed to a single cause. There are genetic and hereditary components as well as a likelihood of allergens or irritants worsening the condition. While there are certainly things that you can do to alleviate the symptoms because of the varied causes, there is nothing that you can do to prevent it. For example, some mothers believe that the decision not to breastfeed can contribute to baby eczema, but there is no evidence of this.
Growing Out of Eczema
Eczema is a chronic condition that has no cure, but the symptoms can be managed. However, despite the fact that there is no cure for eczema, it can go away on its own. Some children will grow out of it, and others won’t; it is hard to say. More often than not, those with eczema will struggle with dry or itchy skin regardless of whether they have grown out of condition; eczema can also return after a period of remission.
Eczema & Other Conditions
Eczema is an autoimmune condition, and the compromised immune system often means that eczema goes hand-in-hand with several other chronic conditions. For example, if your baby has eczema, then their chance of having hay fever, asthma and allergies dramatically increase. Therefore, it is worth consulting a doctor and requesting allergy testing and an asthma consultation to assess whether or not your child has any other conditions that you need to be monitoring.
Treatments
The treatments for your baby’s eczema will depend on its severity and whether or not your child has any allergies. The treatments, for the most part, tend to rely on moisturising their skin which can help to then safeguard it from further damage. There are bath emollients, creams, ointments and lotions. If your child has severe eczema, your doctor might prescribe topical steroids, which can help. Still, there is a lot of emerging evidence that topical steroid use is bad because it depletes the body’s ability to make its own cortisol, a dependence forms. It is incredibly hard for the skin to then regulate itself without the use of topical steroids.
Bathing regularly can also help; use a bath emollient in the water to soothe the skin. These baths can also help to alleviate the itching. Room temperature water is best. Do not use bubble baths or other bath products with fragrances in because these can irritate the skin. As soon as they are out of the bath, you should apply their moisturiser as this is when their skin is going to have the best absorbing power.
To Sum Up
There is still so much that is not known about eczema, but advancements are being made. Unfortunately, there is no prevention or cure; it is all about managing the symptoms to make sure that your child is comfortable. Use the advice above and do your own research to find out more about how you can deal with your child’s eczema.
