Eczema is a term that is broadly applied to a number of various skin conditions that are characterized by red and irritated skin which occasionally ends up as tiny fluid-filled bumps that ooze liquid. In children, the most common cause of eczema is atopic dermatitis, also called infantile eczema. It occurs in both infants and older children.

Children who have from eczema usually have family members who suffer from allergies such as asthma and high fever. Some experts believe that these children are genetically inclined to have eczema. Nearly half of children who get eczema will develop high fever or asthma themselves in the future. However, eczema in kids is also set off by environmental triggers such as excessive heat.

Eczema Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms and symptoms usually appear within a few months after birth, often before the age of five. Fortunately, more than half of the children who have eczema today will not have it anymore by the time they reach their teens. 

Eczema symptoms are hugely varied in its early stages. Kids between the age of 2 and 6 months develop dry, itchy, red skin. Small bumps may appear on their forehead, scalp and cheeks. Sometimes the rash can spread to your baby’s hands, legs and trunk. Round, itchy, scaly, slightly raised rashes may develop on the back of the wrist and ankles, behind the knees or on the bends of elbows. Crusted or open lesions may also develop on affected areas. The rashes get less watery as children get older. The rashes become scalier and extremely dry and itchy. Eczema symptoms have a tendency to get worse before improving on time. Flare ups also do occur from time to time.

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It is difficult to tell just how long eczema lasts. In several cases, eczema goes into remission and its symptoms vanish completely for several months or even years. Eczema symptoms are also known to improve for a long period of time only to resurface during the start of puberty. This may be due to hormones, the use of harsh skin products and cosmetics, stress as well as other factors that experts are still trying to pinpoint. Also, some kids who develop eczema may get some level of dermatitis as adults and experience itching and have dry, scaly skin in some areas.

Eczema is not contagious as some people might think so you need not keep you child away from a sibling or other family member who has eczema.

Treating Eczema

There are a number of treatments available that can be used to cure eczema and/or alleviate its symptoms. The most widely used are topical corticosteroids. Corticosteroids –also called cortisone or steroid – are creams or ointments that are used to locally treat a number of inflammatory skin problems including eczema. Topical corticosteroids for eczema typically contain hydrocortisone which is similar to corticosteroid cortisol that is naturally-occurring. Topical corticosteroids do not actually cure eczema since they do not affect that actual underlying cause of this skin disorder. Rather, they curb the inflammation in the skin that triggers eczema flare-ups and as thus, alleviate other symptoms that include itching and redness.

However, it is important to consult your pediatrician before applying corticosteroid to your baby’s skin. It is also crucial to use corticosteroids for as long as your doctor recommends. Corticosteroids come in varying strength and applying a fairly strong corticosteroid may damage your baby’s sensitive skin.

If your baby has sensitive skin, there are non-steroid medications out in the market right now.

Deborah Williams is a child care expert consultant on a non-government organization promoting environmentally friendly cleaning products and eco friendly cleaning. BabyGanics is the manufacturer of natural baby products made with all-natural ingredients for effective and skin care products.
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Red skin in pre-adults doesn’t always mean the same thing, whether in medical terms, or otherwise. There are basically two reasons why skin can turn red. First, skin can become red because of increased blood flow to particular parts of the body. This explains why, for example, a person’s face becomes red when he or she has had a few drinks, or is angry or embarrassed. Second, skin can turn red due to inflammation, which in turn can be caused by any number of things: allergies, burns, and scratches, among others. Between the two causes, the first is usually the preferred cause (not that people actually have the freedom to choose) because it is associated with less serious conditions, and its effects usually subside rather quickly.

Babies

A baby’s skin is particularly sensitive, and can easily turn red for any number of reasons. Here are a few:

-          Diaper rash: There’s probably not a person in the world who ever went through infancy without experiencing diaper rash. It’s a common, probably universal condition that is caused by what we might call “less than ideal conditions” in the diaper region. This leads to red skin, inflammation, and perhaps even scaly skin.

-          Eczema: Eczema is another common cause of red skin (or as we say in Denmark - Baby rød numse pleje) in babies, and can lead to the formation of scaly, red, inflamed patches that cause itching.

It’s common for a baby to develop rashes, and usually cases can be treated at home with commercially available baby products. However, if the rashes are severe, or  are accompanied with hives, a fever, or some other additional symptoms, then it’s probably time to consult your pediatrician.

Children

Children aren’t as vulnerable as babies because their immune systems are more developed, and they also have the ability to avoid things that they shouldn’t get in contact with. Nevertheless, a child’s skin is still very soft and prone to irritation. At the same time, a very active child can get exposed to all sorts of things that could cause red skin, and other more serious conditions.

Teenagers

A teenager’s body is undergoing significant changes, and this often means hormonal imbalances that make themselves visible through the skin. Acne, of course, is the most well-known enemy of the teenager, and probably the leading cause of red skin in this age group.

It’s also possible that a teenager will develop new allergies, or that old ones will become heightened, thus increasing the chances of getting red skin due to allergy-related inflammation.

Causes for redness in teenagers, however, is seldom serious, and most parent’s probably don’t ever find out about most of the times that his or her teenager develops red skin, especially if it occurs in more concealed areas of the body. However, although not medically serious, it’s during the teen years that a person begins to really become conscious about the way that he or she looks, and this makes developing skin conditions that are not considered aesthetically pleasing simply agonizing.

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Eliminating unnecessary chemicals and preservatives from all areas of our lives can only be a good thing for physical health, but there is also a certain sense of mental well-being that those who go organic adopt.

More and more families are deciding to choose an organic lifestyle to counteract the imbalances of today’s fast-paced world, and give their children a chemical-free start in life.  It has been suggested that preservatives and chemicals in our food and environment have been responsible for an increase in childhood illnesses; from asthma and eczema to the 1.5% increase in childhood cancer in the last 20 years.

An organic lifestyle consists of using products, eating food, wearing clothing and generally living a lifestyle, which is free from the chemicals that are present in so much of the products that we use to live life in the 21st century; devotee’s claim to feel healthier and purer once changing to such a lifestyle.

Some people are choosing to go wholly organic, others, just partly, but it has been proven that an organic lifestyle is beneficial to health and well-being.   With followers claiming to have been cured of anything, from psoriasis to cancer, on a range of organic regimes of varying strictness from simply changing to buying organic products to the extreme Gerson diet, which demands that the user live on organic juices (with claims that this has cured conventionally incurable cancers).

There has been some debate over organic milk and if it really is more health-giving than regular milk, or if it is just the sense of moral justice that using free range, organic products gives the user.

Once a child has been weaned from being breastfed by their Mother at the age of about six months (on average), a child will still require milk to ensure that they get the maximum amount of calcium needed for healthy growth of bones and teeth – cows milk has traditionally been the replacement.

But with the introduction and increasing popularity of intensive farming methods in the 21st century dairy allergies have soared contributing to chest and skin problems.  Organic advocates question whether this is down to the high diet of antibiotics used to fatten intensively farmed cattle that is having a detrimental affect on children drinking regular milk.  For example if a child is exposed to an excess of antibiotics it may produce an adverse reaction in their health or render them immune to the medicine if required for any sickness purpose.

A recent article in the Guardian Newspaper debated the organic milk question and whether it was worth using.  It concluded that Donkey’s milk, which is generally organic (donkey’s are not factory farmed, instead put to pasture) is nutritionally best for the human diet.  It is also easier to digest due to the different compounds it is made up of.

However, most weaning mothers would probably be averse to feeding their child donkey milk.  Having said this, it is probably advisable for parents to stick with organic milk, for even if its advantages have not been categorically proven, it can only be a good thing to feed your child something that definitely has no extra chemical intake.

Bamboo Baby – organic baby clothing store has a range of great organic products available, some of which make ideal newborn baby ideas.
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Eczema in babies can be very difficult for your child; it should be treated immediately. Babies are not able to handle even the slightest discomforts such as itching and rash. In addition, baby’s skin is more sensitive than adult skin, this is why it’s very important to use products that are gentle on the skin like cleansers and ointments.

Before deciding on how you will treat eczema in babies, it’s important to consult your pediatrician and make sure the rashes on your baby’s skin are eczema and not rashes from allergies, prickly heat or the constant use of diapers.  A visit to the doctor will give you the proper diagnosis and the corresponding treatment. If the doctor confirms that it is indeed eczema, you can start looking for the best treatment to ease your baby’s discomfort and alleviate the symptoms of this condition.

The doctor may prescribe medications like topical ointments and creams as well as oral medications if needed. Follow the medication schedule given by your doctor. Remember that these medications can be very strong. They are not often advised for long term use. If you don’t follow the medication schedule properly, you may be putting your child at risk of complications.

Eczema and other health conditions can be treated by focusing on making your baby’s immune system stronger. One of the things you can do to make your child’s immune system stronger is to breastfeed him instead of giving him formula milk. A mother’s milk can do wonders in improving the baby’s overall health condition.

Also, choose natural remedies over medications. Natural remedies are advisable because they are safer and gentler compared to certain medicines and topical products. They also have lesser, if not none at all, side effects. You may want to use coconut oil as moisturizer for your baby. It is all natural,  inexpensive, and gives the skin plenty of benefits. It also has anti bacterial properties.

Eczema in babies can be managed and avoided by being careful with what you give and expose your baby to.

Kristy is a work at home mom of 2 and previous eczema sufferer. If you are seeking help for eczema please visit our site at http://eczemaexperts.com
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Winter conditions such as dry winds, cold temperatures, snow, and rain can be harmful for your baby. It is common for babies and young children to get sick in the winter because of decreasing temperatures and the flu season. The harsh winter weather alone can cause damage to your baby’s skin. Their skin is so sensitive and can become irritated more so than adults’ skin. Cold winter air and dry, heated indoor air can cause irritation and dryness of the skin making eczema flare ups more frequent. Here are some ways to protect your baby’s skin during the winter.

When bathing your baby, be extra cautious of the water temperature. You should always practice safe bathing techniques, not just in the winter. The temperature should be lukewarm, a mixture of hot and cold water. Cold water will making your baby uncomfortable and water that is too hot can dry the skin out more or burn their sensitive skin. Also, use soap made from natural products that aren’t too heavily scented. Unnatural products can contain harsh chemicals that could make a winter rash worse. Moisturizing after bathing is smart because the skin is clean. It is common for babies to suffer from eczema, so using <a title=”eczema oil” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.homesteadcompany.com/”>eczema oil</a> will help to prevent that.

You may be surprised to know that babies can regulate their body temperature just as well as adults can. Don’t dress your baby in too many layers trying to keep them warm. If your baby becomes overheated they may develop an irritating heat rash. Keep your baby warm with jackets and blankets. Dress your baby in material that can breathe a little such as cotton. Dress your baby as you would dress yourself. It is common to add an extra layer of clothing to your outfit to stay warm, but only layer up once.

Adults and babies are often irritated by chapped lips during the winter. It may not seem like your baby’s lips could get chapped because they appear moist from drooling, teething, or having a pacifier. You can use a lip balm on your baby but make sure it isn’t the kind that has a tint of color. Find an organic brand that won’t cause irritation. Using lip balm will add a protective layer that will heal or prevent chapped lips.

To protect your baby’s hands and feet, which are often exposed to the outside elements, you can use gloves and socks. Wearing gloves will protect your baby’s hands from cold winter winds. When skin is exposed to wind, cold air, and other elements, the skin can become very dry. A lot of heat is also lost through the tops of our heads. Find a cute, little beanie or hat for your baby to wear. Unlike adults, some babies don’t have a lot of hair to keep the tops of their heads warm.

Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/protecting-your-babys-skin-in-winter-1545550.html