Newborn Eczema: Identifying the Signs and Managing It Early

When the body's immune system starts reacting excessively or unnecessarily, eczema starts occurring in the body as a result. Although no main cause of eczema has been found yet, according to doctors, many genetic and environmental reasons can be responsible for eczema. Also, eczema is not an infectious disease that spreads through touch.

Infants or children who have diseases like asthma, allergy, hay fever or eczema in their family history are at a higher risk of getting eczema. Also, babies who have baby eczema are at a higher risk of getting hay fever and asthma. According to the theory of doctors and researchers, the cause of eczema and its activation also includes bacteria, allergy-producing elements (allergens) and genetic changes.

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About 20 to 30 percent of people who have eczema have genetic variations in the outermost layer of their skin. Due to this, it becomes difficult for the skin to maintain moisture and it is also not possible for the skin to stop external elements.

Much research has been done so far about what causes eczema in children and what are the risk factors associated with it. According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in the year 2018, women who face excessive stressful situations during pregnancy, their babies are at a higher risk of getting eczema after birth.

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Another study, published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology in May 2018, focused on how the outdoor environment, particularly airborne pollutants and meteorological conditions, affect childhood eczema. The researchers found that high levels of carbon monoxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, lead, particulate matter, and ozone also affect infantile eczema.

Signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis or infantile eczema in a newborn:

• Dry skin and itching of the skin
• Redness on the skin
• Swelling or lump-like appearance on the skin that leaks fluid
• Baby eczema is more visible and evident at night
• Eczema is not always the same, it keeps coming and going and when it increases too much, it is called a flare-up.
• In a newborn baby less than one year of age, red rashes of eczema are usually seen on the cheeks, forehead and scalp of the child. However, it can also occur near the knees, elbows and neck.

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On the other hand, in young children and teenagers, eczema rashes usually occur on the elbow joint, behind the knee, on the neck, on the inner part of the wrist and near the ankle in the feet. The skin on the part of the skin where eczema occurs is thick, dark in color and becomes stained and damaged due to frequent itching.

There is no specific test to diagnose eczema or identify this disease. When you take your baby to the doctor, he looks at these rashes on the baby's body and then gets information from you about the symptoms, the baby's health and the family's health. If any member of the family has atopic dermatitis, then it is an important indication for the doctor. In such a situation, the doctor rules out other problems related to itching and irritation in the skin and advises to contact a dermatologist or allergist.

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Not only this, the doctor may also ask you to completely stop giving certain types of food items like milk, egg, soy and nuts to the baby. Along with this, the doctor may also advise to change the baby's soap, laundry detergent and make many other changes so that it can be seen how the baby is reacting after these changes.

Although eczema cannot be completely cured, treatment definitely helps in reducing the symptoms. The doctor treats baby eczema keeping in mind the age of the baby, in which part of the body the eczema is and how serious it is. Some of these treatments are topical, i.e. applied to the skin, while sometimes oral medications are also given. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has set 4 main goals for the treatment of baby eczema:

1. Skin maintenance: This is the most important as it helps repair damaged skin and develop a healthy skin barrier. It can also reduce the risk of future flare-ups.

2. Anti-inflammatory drugs: These drugs help reduce inflammation and irritation during eczema flare-ups. (However, these drugs are not always suitable for babies)

3. Controlling itching: Repeated scratching of the skin increases the severity of itching. Therefore, it is also important to control itching.

4. Controlling triggers: If triggers that cause eczema are controlled, flare-ups can be controlled.

With these 4 goals in mind, baby eczema can be treated in the following ways:

Applying moisturizers: It is very important to keep the skin hydrated, so apply moisturizers 2 to 3 times a day. The best time to apply moisturizers is after bathing. After bathing your baby, pat dry his skin and then apply an oil-rich ointment or cream like petroleum jelly.

Corticosteroids: These are also called cortisone or steroid creams or ointments. Applying them helps reduce inflammation and irritation in the skin. (These are not the steroids used by athletes.) These creams and ointments vary in strength and potency. So use the appropriate strength cream prescribed by your doctor for your baby. Applying the wrong strength of cream can damage the skin.

Anti-inflammatory drugs: These include drugs that change the way the skin's immune system responds.

Other oral medications: These include antihistamines, which are anti-allergic drugs, so that children who are itching a lot due to eczema can sleep comfortably at night. Antibiotics, etc., are used to control the skin rash if it is infected by bacteria.

Other treatments: Phototherapy, which involves treatment with UV light. Sometimes a wet cloth is also placed on the skin affected by eczema to reduce skin irritation and bathing with a bleach solution mixed in water is also a method of treatment.

(Also read: Tips to increase your baby's weight)

In order to treat or prevent eczema, keep your baby's skin from getting dry or itchy and remove the causes that can cause eczema.

• Bathe newborns or children with lukewarm water, not hot, but not for too long, but only for 5 or 10 minutes. During this time, bathe the baby using a mild unscented soap or soap-free cleanser. After this, dry the skin well and then apply cream or ointment.
• Be sure to ask your doctor whether you can use products soaked in oatmeal while bathing to control itching in the baby.
• Dress the baby in cotton clothes that are soft and allow the skin to breathe easily. Polyester and woolen clothes can cause skin irritation.
• Avoid overheating your baby as this can cause eczema to flare up again.
• Give your baby plenty of water to drink as much as possible. This also helps in increasing moisture in the skin.
• If there are allergens in your house like pollen, mold or tobacco smoke, keep your baby away from them completely.
• Stress can also cause eczema to become very severe. So try to reduce the stress of the child as much as possible.

(Read more: Acid reflux in babies)

Eczema is a common skin problem in newborns, which is also called atopic dermatitis. In this, red, dry and itchy spots appear on the baby's skin, which often appear on the cheeks, head and hands and feet. This problem arises on the delicate skin of the baby due to external allergies or genetic reasons. Proper diagnosis and treatment of eczema is important, which includes the use of moisturizers to keep the skin hydrated and avoidance of potential allergens. If the problem is severe, it is necessary to consult a doctor.