Yes, according to a German University study published recently in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.  Three researchers, Assistant Professor Jochen Schmitt of Dresden University Hospital, Dr. Christian Apfelbacher (Heidelberg University Hospital) and Dr. Joachim Heinrich of the Institute of Epidemiology of Helmholtz Zentrum München, studied 5,991 children born between 1995-1998, and have concluded that children who suffered from eczema during the first two years of life is more likely to suffer from emotional and psychological problems.

Here is how the study was conducted according to ScienceDaily.com:

“Within the framework of the GINIplus study, scientists tracked the family history of the children, collected data on their physical health and emotional condition at age 10 years and gathered information on their daily lives. Questions were asked about the course of disease — also in early childhood — with special focus on diseases such as eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, stress tolerance and behavioral abnormalities.”

Later in the article, doctor Joachim Heinrich affirms:

“We suspect that it is mainly the secondary symptoms that have a long-term effect on the emotions of the affected children,” Joachim Heinrich said. The authors of the study therefore recommend documenting the occurrence of eczema as potential risk factor for later psychological problems in the children’s medical records, even if the actual primary disease abates and disappears during the course of childhood.”

Linking childhood eczema and mental/behavorial problems is an interesting connection.  Parents, have you noticed any behavioral or emotional issues with your eczematous little ones?  Tell us your thoughts below!

You can read the article in its entirety here.

**Source: Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health (2010, February 10). Eczema in early childhood

# 1  Bathe frequently….

Bathing is a fundamental, but important treatment for baby eczema.  You should bathe your baby often, ideally twice a day.  You should also give your baby short baths ranging from 10-15 minutes.  Make sure that the water is the right temperature, as you want to the water to be warm, not hot.  Bathe your baby with natural unscented products that are especially made for infants.  The last thing you want is an irritating chemical that can exacerbate your little one’s eczema ridden skin.

# 2 Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize…

Keeping your little angel moisturized is the most important step when treating baby eczema.  Obviously, the more moisture in the skin, the less it is prone to dryness and itchiness.  Protect your baby from the stresses of itchiness by moisturizing her often.  The absolute best time to moisturize is immediately after bathing.  Of course, you will also want to use unscented products made for babies.

#3  Be mindful of the clothes…

Choosing the right fabrics is another important treatment of baby eczema.   The material that makes up bedding and clothing can be a contributing factor to eczema, since it is constantly rubbing against your baby’s delicate skin.  Just imagine if you had to be swaddled in a fabric that was itching you non stop? It’s enough to make your baby go crazy, not to mention very cranky!  In order to treat baby eczema, make sure that the bedding and clothing is made from the highest quality fabric.  Try to use things that are made from only the very softest 100% cotton (preferably organic), and wash frequently. Keeping your baby’s laundry clean is important to prevent bacteria from building up.  Make sure that any detergent you use to wash your baby’s laundry is very mild and scent free. Bear in mind that your own clothing may also irritate your baby, so avoid wearing any itchy fabrics such as wool.

Seeing your little one suffering from  eczema can be one of the most heart-breaking feelings in the world. The baby eczema natural treatment tips above can give you a little power to fight back, and hopefully give some peace for your baby.

Moisture

Keeping your toddler’s skin moisturized at all times is the first line of defense against eczema.  You can help keep the skin hydrated, soft, and supple by bathing your toddler everyday.  Some parents avoid bathing their eczema toddlers on a daily basis for fear of drying out out the skin.  To avoid this you should:

• Use warm, not hot water.  Hot water may worsen skin itching.
• Use a mild, non-drying soap or soap substitute.  Soap free cleansers without fragrance/perfume, aqueous cream, and emulsifying ointments are the best cleansers for your baby.
• Add a fragrance-free bath oil in the water.  Good examples of bath oils are Oilatum, AlphaKeri, and, Aveeno.
• Add an antiseptic to a bath no more than twice a week to keep bacteria from colonizing on the skin.
• Limit bath time to the time it takes to wash off the cleanser.  You can shorten time in the bath by covering your child with cleanser before getting in the bath, then quickly rinsing.
• Gently pat, not rub, the skin dry with a soft towel.

Apply a good emollient/moisturizer immediately after giving a bath to lock in the moisture.  Continue to moisturize your child’s skin throughout the day as needed.  Keeping moisturizers in the fridge (especially creams) will keep them cool and have a soothing effect on your baby’s skin.

Using fresh aloe vera from a plant is a great natural toddler eczema treatment that will soothe and hydrate the skin while preventing a bacterial infection. Pure aloe vera is also an anti-inflammatory that can penetrate to the inner layers of the skin.  Applying aloe vera topically will protect your baby’s skin as it forms a thin film on the surface.  If you’re unable to get fresh aloe, you should be able to find organic or natural aloe vera juice at your local health store or online.

Wet wraps are good at softening hard, scaly skin and they are easy to apply.  You only need to wrap damp bandages over moisturized skin, then cover with dry bandages.  Wet wraps are great for preventing scratching and keeping moisture in the skin.

Diet

Some toddlers with eczema may have an underlying food trigger.   In fact, food is a contributing trigger in about 30% of children in eczema and is the main trigger in 10% of case. The most common problem foods that trigger eczema are cow’s milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts and fish.  If you suspect that certain foods are provoking outbreaks, you should have your baby tested for food allergies.  You can also keep a food diary, observing and taking note of foods given and any symptoms that occur.  Eliminate any suspicious foods one at a time, giving each test a few weeks to get all traces of food out of your toddler’s system.

Limit the amount of junk and processed foods your baby eats, and make fresh whole fruits and vegetables the focal point of the diet.  Adding probiotics (good bacteria) is also known for eliminating eczema symptoms.

External factors that provoke eczema in toddlers

Toddler eczema may be exacerbated by a number of external stimuli, including chemicals, allergies, and fabrics.  Here a few tips that may help:

• Avoid any products that contain perfumes, including soaps, washing detergents, lotions and shampoos.
• Use washing detergents that are free of dyes and perfumes and avoid using fabric softeners.
• Dress your child in loose, natural cotton clothing to allow the skin to breathe and remain cool.  Avoid harsh fabrics such as wool and other scratchy materials.
• Use the softest sheets possible on the bed.
• Invest in an air purifier to reduce dust mites, pollen, and mold.
• Use a dust-mite proof mattress
• Keep the air moist in the home with a humidifier
• Avoid rapid changes in temperature

To prevent your toddler from scratching you should:

• Keep the nails short
• Put cotton mittens on hands and socks on feet at bedtime
• Ask your pediatrician for an anti-histamine if your child has trouble sleeping because of severe itching.
• Apply cool compresses during a flare-up, followed by a cool moisturizer.

Even though there is no magic bullet treatment for toddler eczema, you don’t have to continue to see your little one suffer.  If you keep your baby’s skin moisturized, feed her a healthy diet, and eliminate external irritants, you should see a happier toddler in no time!

Dermatologist, Dr. Lindsay Enns, says winter weather and temperatures can really hurt that baby soft skin.

“During the winter there is so much less humidity in the air and babies are very sensitive to drying out especially those with eczema, so it’s very important to keep their skin well hydrated,” says Enns.

Enns says Eczema is one of many skin conditions she treats during the winter. “We definitely see baby dandruff which is called dermatitis, we also see acne in babies.”

She says that’s why it’s important to keep their young skin protected. “You give them a bath every night, and then you just leave their skin wet after you take them out of the bath and coat them with Vaseline. Often times that will keep them well hydrated throughout the winter better than anything.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Treating baby eczema:  Assessing the cause

The first step in treating infant eczema is assessing the cause of flare-ups.  This means that a parent should consider both internal and external factors.  Internally, the baby may have a weakened immune system that need to be strengthened and restored.  Food allergies, including baby formulas, are often directly linked to eczema problems.  Externally, babies with eczema may be suffering from allergic reactions from a variety of sources including certain types of fabrics, soaps, lotions, detergents, fabric softeners, dyes and perfumes.

Here are a few things you can do to determine whether the problem is internal, external, or both:

1. Have your baby tested for food allergies.  In approximately 10% of cases of eczema in babies, certain foods such as dairy products, eggs, wheat, soy, nuts, oats, and fish, even baby formulas may provoke an attack.  If you’re breast feeding, your baby may even have an allergic reaction to something in your diet.

2.  Keep a food diary. If your baby is already eating solids, note the foods given and the symptoms that arise.

3.  Have your baby tested for environmental allergies.  Environmental allergens such as dust mites and pollen are common culprits of infantile  eczema attacks.

4. Look for other symptoms.  Does your baby have an upset tummy, runny nose, sneezing or a cough?  All of these symptoms may appear to  related to the common cold, but they may also possibly be signs of food allergies.

Baby eczema treatment for immediate relief

Of course, there are measures you can take to provide immediate relief to your little one.  For one, you can give your baby an oatmeal bath. Grind 2 cups of oatmeal into a fine powder using a food processor or coffee grinder.  Add the powder to a running bath of warm water (not hot) and stir well.  Soak for 10-15 minutes, rinsing with clean water and patting dry with a soft towel.  Alternatively, you can use 2 tablespoons of baking soda instead of oatmeal.  Both oatmeal and baking soda are all natural substances that can help soothe your baby’s itchy skin.

When cleansing during a normal bath, use an all natural soap and immediately moisturize the skin after.  Keeping your baby’s skin hydrated is absolutely essential.  Moisturizers and emollients, such as lotions and creams should be all natural and hypo-allergenic.  Earth mama baby, Burt’s Bees, and  California baby makes great all-natural cleansers and moisturizers that consistently receive good reviews.  Eucerin, Aveeno, and Exederm are also very effective moisturizers, although not all-natural.

Avoid using steroid creams for relief.  If you or your doctor feels that it is absolutely necessary to use steroid cream, do not use it for more than two weeks at a time.  Florasone is a great all-natural alternative to steroidal and cortisone creams.  You can also apply corn starch to eczema rashes with no side effects.  If your baby has a flare-up, you can try applying cool compresses to the areas several times a day, followed by cornstarch or moisturizer.

Make sure your baby wears loose clothing, especially on hot days.  Stay away from rough, itchy fabrics such as wool.  You may want to consider using 100% organic cotton or other natural fibers for any fabric that comes in contact with your baby’s skin.   Replacing your baby’s clothing, towels, and bedding with natural fabrics can help eliminate flare-ups caused by allergic reactions.  When doing your baby’s laundry, avoid using any harsh detergent that contain phosphates, dyes, and perfumes/fragrances.

Minimize scratching and skin damage by keeping your baby’s fingernails short.  Scratching while sleeping is common, so cover your baby’s hands at bedtime.  Young infants may need to have their hands covered at all times as an extra safety measure.  You can find some baby clothing that have mitts attached to the sleeve.  If not, separate mitts or even socks over the hands can help reduce scratching damage to the skin.

You may also want to consider investing in a quality air purifier to keep the air clean and dust mites to a minimum.

Finding a long-term effective treatment for baby eczema is not easy.  But if you follow the tips above, you will be off to a great start!

Baby Eczema Treatment – If You Are Pregnant Read This
By Broyde McDonald *

If you are pregnant atopic eczema should be one of your concerns.  The disease has been increasing among babies for some decades now.  The rate of eczema in babies is as high as 20%.

Not only so, but if you or your child’s other parent has, or has had, eczema, asthma or hay fever, then the chances of your baby getting atopic eczema is above 50% in favor of the illness.

Atopic eczema is a very difficult illness to bear. It causes your babies and children to scratch themselves sometimes until they are bleeding. It causes them to have problems sleeping at night. And it causes them to be sometimes outcast at social events and tasks that require cooperation. If you are pregnant with a child, or knows someone who is, there are things that you can do right now, and early in your new child’s life that may be able to get rid of the threat that this terrible disease can pose to your child.

Your Diet

When you get into the latter stages of your pregnancy (the last 3 months,) look to keep the level of anti-inflammatory foods you eat as high as you can get it.

One of the foods that you will want to make sure that you include in your diet are a lot of foods that have active cultures in them. Foods like yogurts with active cultures. You can also look to get probiotic supplements.

What these foods will do is make sure that you have a good ratio of good to bad bacteria in your intestines. When the quantities are sufficient that the bad bacteria are unable to overpower the good, then you have a good environment for the prevention of inflammation.

You may also want to make sure that you avoid much of the simple carbohydrates which cause spikes in your blood sugar levels. The reason why you want to do this is because sugar rich blood damages any cells that it gets into.

When he is born

After his birth, you will want to continue the diet and breastfeed your infant. For at least the first 4 months of his life. If you do this right, you should expect that your baby will have results similar to those who followed this procedure in an experiment that was conducted not very long ago.

A group of babies who for genetic reasons were predisposed toward getting eczema, had parents who parents followed this treatment. There was also another group whose parents were given placebo drugs that were supposed to contain this treatment. The results were that from birth past the age of 4 years old, the treated children experienced only about two eczema flare ups per year, while the untreated children had flare ups roughly one every other month.

Do you want to learn more about eczema?  Download my free ebook now click here:

http://www.eczemabathsalts.com

Broyde McDonald is an experienced writer on the subject of Baby Eczema Treatments.

Eczema Remedy Blog Says:

As the author mentioned, your diet is essential to prevent baby eczema.  If you are able to breastfeed your baby, do so.  Breastfeeding is so important since many cases of infant eczema are triggered by milk and/or soy found in baby formulas.

*Article Source:  McDonald, Broyde “Baby Eczema Treatment – If You Are Pregnant Read This.” Baby Eczema Treatment – If You Are Pregnant Read This EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Baby-­Eczema-­Treatment-­-­-­If-­You-­Are-­Pregnant-­Read-­This&id=1459444 rel=”nofollow”