Whilst medicine now knows that a person's immune system is involved, what causes eczema remains a mystery. Typically, this skin condition is the result of an external substance which causes the problem. The condition of baby eczema cause distress to the child as the rash becomes more irritated leading to a scaly appearance and eventual cracking. Anything up to one fifth of infants in the USA will suffer with this awful skin complaint.

Despite the problems it causes the child and parents, this is only a problem for a couple of years as it has normally disappeared before the child reaches two. However, in a small number of cases, the condition doesn't clear and becomes a chronic condition which may even carry on into adulthood. While people of any age can get this condition, it is most common in babies and young children. Unfortunately most people have suffered with this since they were at least five years of age but around 33 percent will have contracted the condition by the time they reached their first birthday.

Atopic eczema is the most common form of baby eczema and can be recognized by red, scaly looking skin on their arms, legs and scalp which make the baby want to scratch themselves. Strangely, atopic eczema is also hereditary and often starts when the baby's skin is not moisturized regularly. Washing powder is also known to trigger attacks but fabric conditioners can also have a similar effect. A number of scientific studies have shown that baby eczema is linked to early weaning so continued breastfeeding may therefore be protective in some way.

Although asthma triggers could also include other respiratory problems and medical conditions. Studies have also shown that it may be more common in those infants who suffer from allergic rhinitis or food allergies, or whose mothers suffer from asthma. The number of childhood cases where food is responsible for the condition is considerable at almost 30 percent; once the foodstuff causing the problem is discovered, it is just a simple matter of taking out of the child's meals. Removing the guilty foods comes down to trial and error although there are some common foodstuffs that should be looked at first including:

<ul> <li>Fish from either freshwater or the sea</li> <li>Food containing milk</li> <li>Products using wheat as an ingredient</li> <li>Food prepared using eggs</li> <li>Foods where peanut oil may have been used</li> </ul>

Baby eczema can also be caused as a result of the baby receiving antibiotics when the mother gave birth to her child. Treating babies requires a little more thought as they cannot tell us what irritates them so only bath them in lukewarm water and use fragrance free, hypoallergenic creams. After washing, a baby needs to be dressed in natural fabrics such as cotton; using only fragrance-free products, can also help. A baby's nails should be kept short or covered with mittens to prevent itchy skin from becoming further damaged or infected from excessive scratching. Often in more severe cases of baby eczema, a pediatrician may prescribe antihistamines to relieve itching; local steroid creams are also prescribed when needed but just long enough to heal skin lesions. Conquering this condition is proving to be complicated but at least some relief is obtainable from the products we have to hand right now.