Babies and Children eczema

Babies and Children Eczema

Atopic eczema (AE) or atopic dermatitis (AD) is a dry, itchy, inflammatory common skin condition affecting ten to twenty per cent of children. The exact cause of eczema is not known. However if there is a history of eczema, asthma or hay fever in the family, your child is more likely to develop one of these conditions.

The onset of eczema is usually before 12 months and it sometimes appears in the first few months after birth. Infants may develop red, oozing, crusted rashes on the face, scalp, diaper area, hands, arms, feet, or legs.Babies usually have a red, scaly rash on their face, which is very itchy. The rash is sometimes on their scalp, behind their ears, on their body or arms and legs.

There are often scratch marks on the skin because of the itch. These areas may become infected with bacteria and this can worsen the eczema.

When the rash begins in the first few months of life it normally affects the face. The cheeks and chin become red, dry, hot and itchy. This is made worse by dribbling, hands touching the face and mouth and saliva irritating the skin. The scalp and facial blood vessels are dilated quickly if baby is overheated. At this age eczema may also affect the trunk and limbs, but the changes in these areas are not usually as severe.

As the child becomes a toddler the eczema is less likely to affect the face and more likely to be present on the limbs and trunk. In toddlers and older children (school age) the eczema tends to affect the hot areas of the body. Such as the flexures of the neck, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles and buttocks.

You will notice that at times your child's skin is good and at other times it gets worse. This is part of the eczema and is not necessarily caused by bad care.

Approximately fifty per cent of children will no longer be troubled by eczema by two years of age and eighty five per cent will "grow out of" eczema before five years of age.