Itchy skin often causes infants to scratch, which makes them more likely to get infections. Infections show up as pus-filled blisters or yellow crusting.
Minor cases of eczema appear as light pink or red patches on the skin, though darker babies’ skin may have a purple or grey tone. Look for scaly, bumpy, and itchy patches on the elbows, knees, and arms — or anywhere else on the body.
Dry Skin
One of the symptoms of eczema is dry, itchy skin, which is common in infants with the condition. It could appear flaky or scaly, and it might be seeping or breaking. It can itch considerably more when it’s inflamed. It’s essential to always have moisturizer on hand to keep your baby’s skin moisturized and hydrated.
The dryness and itching caused by eczema can be triggered by many factors, including:
Irritants include scratchy wool clothes or polyester, perfumes, body soaps, and laundry detergents. Food allergies like dairy, wheat, and soy can also trigger eczema symptoms. In addition, long baths or showers that use hot water, a washcloth, loofah, bubbles, or soap can worsen the itching.
Babies not kept hydrated or exposed to dry environments can be more susceptible to triggering an eczema flare-up, as can stress and cold weather. An excellent way to identify potential triggers is to record when your infant’s eczema flares up and what might be causing it. It can help you avoid those triggers in the future.
Scaly Skin
Scaly, flaky patches of skin characterize the rash that accompanies eczema. These itchy patches may appear anywhere on your baby’s body but are most common on their cheeks and the insides of their elbow creases. Rashes can become irritated, red, bumpy, dry, and scaly. These scaly patches can also be itchy and painful. Scratching your baby’s rash can make it worse and cause an infection.
To diagnose eczema in your baby, your doctor will examine the rash and discuss symptoms, family history, and the health of other family members. Your doctor will also look for any environmental or food triggers that can cause a flare-up of your baby’s rash.
To help prevent a rash, moisturize your baby’s skin with special creams or ointments designed for infants. Also, limit baths to 15 minutes, use warm, not hot water, and use gentle cleansers with no fragrance. After bathing, don’t rub your baby’s skin dry, and apply a moisturizer immediately. Also, be sure to choose 100% cotton clothing and avoid any harsh detergents or fabric softeners.
Redness
Itching is common with eczema and can cause the skin to become red. Itchy skin is incredibly annoying for babies because it is difficult to scratch without worsening the rash.
Itchy rashes tend to come and go, with some days being better than others. Some infants experience a drool rash or erythema toxicum around the mouth. This rash is caused by the baby’s saliva irritating the skin and lips.
Many children with eczema develop allergies. It is common and can be detected through a skin patch test. Identifying and eliminating allergens can help improve a child’s eczema.
A doctor should evaluate infants if they have a widespread rash that isn’t improving with over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams. They may need a prescription ointment or lotion to be effective. Also, call the doctor if your baby’s rash has fluid-filled blisters that won’t lighten with pressure. Blisters can indicate a severe infection, like bacterial or herpes. A doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics to treat the infection. Other severe symptoms to call the doctor about include fever, poor feeding, or lethargy.
Blisters
If your baby has itchy patches that swell, blister, and then break open, they may have an infection. Infections of eczema appear as bumps or yellow-crusted areas and can be very itchy. Babies with this rash should be given antihistamines and acetaminophen to reduce itching and pain. They should also be kept from scratching, especially at night when they’ll most likely do so. Some parents put mittens on their babies or use long socks tucked into their pants to keep them from scratching at the itchy spots. Topical corticosteroids are available over the counter and with a doctor’s prescription.
Many kids with eczema grow out of it, but some continue to have the condition into adulthood. Identifying and eliminating triggers, such as clothing (like wool), certain detergents, dry air, tobacco smoke, or pet dander, is essential. It is also helpful to keep skin moisturized, use a fragrance-free lotion or ointment that contains ceramides, and apply plain petroleum jelly to irritated areas several times a day, especially right after a bath.
Fever
During the first few months, infant eczema often appears on the cheeks and forehead. It can also flare up on the limbs, especially after they start crawling, as they rub against the ground. It is essential to avoid irritants and triggers, such as soaps or itchy fabrics, and keep the baby moisturized to improve skin health.
Newborns should always be checked for fever, which can indicate a more severe problem. Fever can be caused by various issues, including blood or brain infections (sepsis), but if your child has a high fever and other symptoms, call their doctor immediately.
Irritants and allergies cause eczema flare-ups to things like wool fibers, soaps, shampoos, certain foods, and pollen. Your child’s immune system can often overreact and confuse healthy skin cells and slight irritants like pet dander or pollen as foreign invaders. Improving your child’s eczema rash is possible if you can pinpoint what causes it and take steps to eliminate those triggers. Many children outgrow eczema by adolescence, but some suffer throughout their lives.
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