Atopic dermatitis infants suffer the most from all age groups. It’s estimated that about 15-20% of the infants and children develop atopic dermatitis. The good thing is that this condition in infants often gets better with time, including complete disappearance by the age of 2.

Infantile atopic eczema (children younger than 1 y/o) often spreads widely throughout the whole body. The skin is often red, dry, scaly, and very itchy. Since babies have sharp nails, you may often see small scratches on the affected areas of their skin. One of the best things to do in this case is to place comfortable cotton mittens on the child (especially at bedtime), so that the baby does not injury his/her skin even more.

Infants often have dermatitis on their cheeks, scalp, and the rest of their bodies. At the same time, the diaper area is generally spared from atopic dermatitis due to the accumulation of moisture and sweat under the diapers. The same is true for the deep skin folds, such as armpits and groin area.

Some atopic dermatitis infants develop food allergy-related aggravation in the form of swelling and extremely itchy hives. Eliminating the offending food products often leads to a drastic improvement of the skin. However, you should always consult with your doctor prior to eliminating any foods from the child’s diet, since it’s also very important that an infant receives proper nutrition. Protein and calorie deficiency should be strictly avoided, and your doctor will help you to put together a proper dietary regimen for your child.

Infantile eczema (childhood eczema) cannot be treated with the regular treatments for adults. Topical steroids (Hydrocortisone, Prednisone, etc.) and Calcineurin inhibitors (Tacrolimus – Protopic, and Pimecrolimus – Elidel) are generally not advised to use on infants. Protopic and Elidel are approved by the FDA only for children older than 2 years of age. Furthermore, you should ask the doctor about the potency of the topical steroid cream that would be suitable for your child.

The best and the safest way to help an infant, is by constant moisturizing of the skin. You should try to keep the skin of an infant constantly moisturized, and it’s especially important to apply the cream after a bath.

Also, there are special bedclothes that you may want to look into. These are 100% cotton linens, blankets, and pillowcases. Such special medical bedclothes receive an antibacterial treatment, they imitate silk properties, and they reduce the irritating friction between the skin of an infant and the fabric.

Atopic dermatitis infants may be safely helped with various natural methods. If you wish to try any medication or any substantial diet alteration, it’s important that you first consult with a doctor.

© 2009, Atopic dermatitis. All rights reserved.

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1. Infants and Atopic Dermatitis

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