Causes and treatment of eczema in infants

Below is information about eczema that parents should note.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis in infants, is a common skin disease in children. This is a chronic disease that often recurs. The common manifestations of the disease include 3 basic symptoms: dry skin, red skin and itching.

Red, dry rashes often appear on the face and in folds such as the elbows, knees, etc. In more severe cases, the child may have the rash all over the body. Small blisters may appear on the red skin, oozing yellow fluid.

The level of skin itching also varies between babies, some babies itch a lot, some babies itch less. Itching causes children to scratch, causing scratches and skin damage, which in turn makes the dermatitis worse, leading to more itching, creating a vicious cycle of itching and scratching.

Having a child with eczema is really difficult. “My baby has had eczema since he was 3 weeks old. I took him to see a doctor and applied medicine many times in many places but it didn’t help. There were times when the two of us held each other and cried together. The baby’s skin was itchy and oozed yellow fluid, and he scratched until it bled, so he cried purple and cried all night long,” a mother with a child with eczema shared.

About 90% of children will recover by age 5-7, with only a small number developing the disease into adulthood.

The most basic cause of eczema in infants is a damaged skin barrier. The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin, with two important functions: protecting the body from external environmental factors and preventing water from evaporating from the skin, helping to keep the skin moist. When the skin barrier is damaged, external agents can easily penetrate the skin, causing dermatitis and skin irritation. Excessive water loss from the skin causes dry skin. As a result, symptoms such as dry skin, itching, and redness appear.

The first and most important principle in treating infantile eczema is to restore the skin barrier. In severe cases, when symptoms are acute and severe, dermatologists may prescribe corticosteroids to reduce skin inflammation and antihistamines to reduce itching. Due to the many side effects, these drugs should only be used for a short time and under the guidance of a doctor.

Because eczema is a genetic disease, it cannot be cured completely. When the child reaches a certain age, the disease will go away on its own. Therefore, parents can use a skin barrier restoration moisturizer, applying it several times a day. Parents should apply a thick layer during the outbreak phase. When the disease has subsided, continue to apply it 1-2 times a day to help the baby's skin become healthier and prevent the disease from recurring. The advantage of skin barrier restoration moisturizer is that it is safe and can be used for a long time for newborns.