Pediatric eczema


Can infantile eczema heal itself after crusting?
Infant eczema is a type of skin allergy. If an eczema patient develops crusty skin, it often indicates that the condition is improving. In this case, it is important to keep the skin clean and hygienic, avoid scratching the crusted areas with hands, and also ensure that the local skin is well-moisturized to prevent infections. However, this does not mean that eczema will stop occurring once it crusts over. Eczema is a recurrent disease, so even if it heals this time, it may still reappear in the same areas in the future.


Why does infantile eczema cause asthma?
There are many causes of infantile eczema, mainly indicating that the baby is experiencing allergic phenomena. These allergies can be due to internal factors or exposure to certain allergens or food allergies, all leading to eczema. Often, children with this type of eczema have an allergic constitution, making them prone to developing asthma. Therefore, when babies with asthma come for a consultation, it is routine to ask if they have a history of eczema, as having eczema often suggests an allergic constitution. It's not that infantile eczema causes asthma, but rather, babies with this constitution are prone to asthma attacks.


Can eczema in children appear all over the body?
Infant eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin condition that generally occurs during infancy. The main causes are likely related to genetic factors, environment, immunity, biological factors, and more. The rash typically features chronic recurrent dermatitis in areas such as the face, neck, antecubital fossa, and popliteal fossa. Occasionally, the eczema may also involve the chest, abdomen, back, and limbs, although this is less common.


Symptoms of infantile eczema infection
Infant eczema is a very common skin disease in young babies. There are many causes of infant eczema, with the main reason being allergic factors, which are closely related. The symptoms of eczema include the production of many rashes. The most common locations are the baby's face, and many babies might have rashes all over their bodies. Eczema can easily recur, especially when exposed to allergenic substances or when consuming allergenic foods. Additionally, damp skin is also a significant factor. All these causes can lead to a worsening of eczema. It is crucial not to let the child scratch the affected area, as breaking the skin can lead to infection symptoms.


Will pediatric allergic eczema be contagious?
Childhood allergic eczema is not a contagious disease, so it is not transmissible. Eczema is a common skin allergic disease during infancy and early childhood, characterized by rashes and skin itching. The rash mostly appears on the neck, the perineum, and other areas, often recurring. The onset in some children is related to family genetics. When children develop eczema, they can apply calamine lotion topically or take antihistamine medication orally under the guidance of a doctor to relieve symptoms of skin itching. In terms of diet, it is advisable to avoid allergenic foods such as fish, shrimp, eggs, and seafood.


What should I do if a child's eczema is oozing?
Infant eczema, if accompanied by oozing skin, generally indicates a severe condition, primarily treated with topical medications. Calamine lotion can be applied to the affected area. If necessary, corticosteroid ointments may also be used externally, and attention must be paid to preventing local skin infections. Oral antihistamines may be administered to manage the condition, and it is important to keep the skin clean. Avoid the intake of irritating foods. If the condition of the baby worsens, it is advisable to take the child to the hospital for further diagnosis and treatment. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a physician.)


Can children with allergic eczema take baths?
Actually, children with atopic dermatitis can bathe because no matter what the cause, it's necessary to keep the skin clean. If they do not bathe, it will worsen the accumulation of waste and make the eczema more severe. However, there are certain precautions to take when bathing. It is important to use as few synthetic chemical bath products as possible or avoid them altogether to prevent a secondary infection. Additionally, for babies with eczema, it is sufficient to simply avoid the allergens that trigger the eczema.


How to treat infant eczema
Eczema is an intensely itchy skin inflammation reaction caused by a variety of factors, including both external and internal causes. External factors include environmental climate changes, sunlight exposure, animal fur, cosmetics, etc. Internal factors mainly involve food, endocrine disorders, stress, and more. Treatment primarily targets these causes. If caused by external factors, efforts should be made to avoid them. If related to food allergies, such as milk or eggs, these allergenic foods should be avoided. Treatment can also include the use of anti-allergic ointments, commonly corticosteroid ointments, as well as oral anti-allergy medications to assist in treatment.


Can children with eczema take cephalosporins?
Children with eczema can take cephalosporin antibiotics, provided that the child is not allergic to cephalosporins. As long as there is no allergy to cephalosporins, it will not cause any issue. However, some children with eczema are also of an allergic constitution, and in such cases, many medications are not suitable. If it is necessary for a child to take cephalosporins for the first time due to a medical condition, a skin test must be conducted. Only if the skin test shows no problems, then cephalosporins can be administered to the child. During the course of taking cephalosporins, it is crucial to closely monitor the child to see if an allergic rash, like hives, appears. Eczema in children is not directly related to cephalosporins, so as long as there is no allergy to cephalosporins and there is a bacterial infection that the doctor advises to treat with this medication, it can be used under the doctor's guidance.


Pediatric eczema should be treated in which department?
Children with eczema primarily exhibit symptoms of red, oozing plaques on the facial skin and the skin throughout the body, and even a seborrheic dermatitis-like appearance. Pediatric eczema is classified into dry eczema and the common exudative eczema. Once a child has eczema, the general treatment involves moisturizing care, and attention should be paid to the child's diet. For severe cases of eczema, medical consultation is necessary. Pediatric eczema falls under pediatric dermatology, so visiting the pediatric dermatology department at a children's hospital is appropriate. If a general hospital lacks a pediatric dermatology department, pediatricians also have extensive experience in treating pediatric eczema, so visiting a pediatric outpatient clinic is also advisable.