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Infant Eczema Article
Don't Confuse Diaper Rash with Infant Eczema
from:Infant eczema is a form of skin rash that affects babies from as young as 2 months of age until around 2 years of age. Infant eczema usually starts on the forehead and cheeks, but it may spread to the arms, legs, belly or any part of their little body. Unlike adult eczema, infant eczema usually disappears by the time they are 3. Some times, their baby eczema continues as they become children and even until their teen years. The infant eczema is usually dry and scaly skin, which can be very itchy for the baby. When the eczema turns to blisters, this causes the baby a lot of pain and discomfort.
Many parents are very frightened when their baby develops infant eczema. We always picture little babies as being beautiful and perfect and no parent likes to see their little baby full of blisters and uncomfortable. Although the exact cause of infant eczema is uncertain, it is said to be allergy-related. Many doctors also believe the tendency to develop infant eczema can be inherited from parents that have allergies, hay fever, asthma or other allergies. Some things that may worsen the condition on the baby are soaps, detergent, and synthetic chemicals from certain clothing.
One of the most important things you can do for the baby that suffers from infant eczema is to keep their skin clean and moisturized. Although dry skin may not be the cause of infant eczema, it definitely makes it worse. Use lukewarm water but not too warm as the hotter the water, the more it dries the skin out. When you take the baby out of the water, gently pat him dry. Dress him or her in loose fitting clothes preferably cotton. Animal dander is a known irritant to babies so avoid having pets around or near the baby.
Food is another cause of eczema, but it may be difficult to determine what food exactly causing the allergic reaction. The best way to determine this is to do a simple test eliminating one food at a time until you can find the food that the baby is being affected by. If the baby is being breastfed, the mother will have to test and eliminate foods that she's consuming. Although there is no instant cure for infant eczema, there are simple things you can do to eliminate the baby's discomfort as much as possible. If you're unable to help to lessen the symptoms of the infant eczema, consult with your baby's doctor or a dermatologist who can prescribe medication for the lesions and sores. The high spot is knowing that most babies outgrow their eczema, usually by their teens, if not sooner.