Baby Eczema: A Skin Condition in Response to an Allergen

Baby Eczema

Does your baby suffer from red, inflamed patches on their skin? Do they have blotches of crusty areas, especially around their hairline? This is often referred to as “cradle cap”. Cradle cap is common form of baby eczema.

Cradle cap can spread to the face and ears which stresses out the parent more then the baby. To the parent this skin condition appears to be itchy and harmful. However, it is not normally itchy or bothersome to the baby. It generally tends to clear up around age one as well.

Many parents want to know what causes their baby to experience this skin condition. Well it is an auto-immune skin condition that occurs in response to something your baby has formed an allergy against. The allergen can be hard to pin down. Following is a list of possible allergens that affect your baby and cause them to have a flare up.

Possible allergen #1: A food allergy.

Your child may have an allergic reaction to a certain type of food they are ingesting. Food allergies tend to reveal themselves through gas, loose stools, and gastrointestinal discomfort. However, food allergies have been shown to be linked with the onset of this condition. A widespread food allergy is an allergy to cow milk. Taking your baby off cow milk may help suppress their eczema flare-ups.

Possible allergen #2: An environmental allergy.

The environment a baby resides in such as their house, bedding, and car seat can contain allergens that cause flare-ups of the condition. Some babies are allergic to dust mites that burrow in blankets, pillows, carpets, and other items of this nature. It is important to keep areas clean and invest in bedding, such as pillow cases, that are hypoallergenic.

Possible allergen #3: Contact dermatitis.

The clothing you child wears may affect the degree of their baby's skin condition. Clothing that contains nickel has been show to increase the intensity of flare ups. Also try washing clothes in a detergent that is specifically geared towards allergic skin conditions such as Dreft detergent.

These are three possible allergens that could affect the intensity of your baby’s skin condition. You family doctor can provide medicines such as emollients and steroid creams that can help clear up the condition. Parents will be happy to know that this skin condition is not contagious and therefore will not spread to other siblings.

Baby eczema can be controlled to alleviate cosmetic and physical symptoms helping both babies and their parents to rest easier.

Also read our article about Cure for Eczema?