Even with millions of sufferers worldwide, medical science has not yet discovered the reason why some people suffer with eczema and others do not. This complaint usually occurs as a direct result of some external substance which the skin has a sensitivity too. Baby eczema is often first noticed on the face of the infant as a reddish, scaly rash that becomes more irritated, red, thick, ridged and cracked. In the USA, it can affect anything between 10 and 20 percent of infants.

With most babies, this skin complaint has all but cleared up by the time they are 24 months old. A small percentage of children will not be this fortunate and will experience this condition when they are adults and it will sometimes become a chronic complaint. This is primarily a condition suffered by babies and young children although it can affect someone of any age. As many as a third of all sufferers developed the condition before they were twelve months old; however, almost all contracted it before they were five.

Atopic eczema is the type most often found in baby eczema, where the child suffers with an itchy rash that is more often located on the arms, legs, face and head. Strangely, atopic eczema is also hereditary and often starts when the baby's skin is not moisturized regularly. Mothers must be watchful about the types of detergents their baby's clothes are washed in as these are known to trigger inflammation. Other studies carried out on baby eczema have linked early weaning to be a causal effect.

Other links have been found to a number of medical conditions including those of a respiratory nature. Mothers who have asthma are also more likely to have a baby that has the condition but allergic rhinitis and food allergies can also play a part. In fact almost a third of all childhood cases are thought to be as a result of a food allergy; discovering the foodstuffs responsible should be a relatively simple matter, which once this is done, can be removed from the diet completely. Even though this is a simple process, it can take some time but some of the common food groups are listed below:

<ul> <li>Fish from either freshwater or the sea</li> <li>Products with milk as an ingredient</li> <li>Foods containing wheat</li> <li>Eggs</li> <li>Meals or foodstuffs where peanuts have been used in the preparation</li> </ul>

Baby eczema can also be caused as a result of the baby receiving antibiotics when the mother gave birth to her child. The treatment with babies involves bathing in lukewarm water, and proper skin lubrication with hypoallergenic creams. Once out of the bath they need to be dried off carefully and then clothed in a soft natural cotton fabric which should prevent irritation. Baby's often scratch themselves so keeping their nails short is the way to prevent inflamed skin becoming infected from scratching. For infants with more serious baby eczema, antihistamine cream may be prescribed which should help stop the itching; the application of a steroid cream for a limited time to help heal the skin quicker may also be used. One thing is certain; this skin disorder is very common, yet remains a difficult form to control and fully overcome.

There is a hot debate on whether eczema is a genetic condition or not but nevertheless, the real cause is still unknown; whilst some believe that external causes are to blame for the condition. Sufferers have to endure a condition that leaves patches of dry itchy skin that looks inflamed. Along with those indications, sufferers may also have a number of crusty blisters as well.

The most common type is known generally as atopic eczema; some are even specific to certain areas of the body but one common problem among all of them is itching. However, the itching sensation is much more pronounced, and if a person with atopic eczema scratches their skin, the condition is just exacerbated. Unfortunately a serious side effect is the skin becomes much more sensitive; the skin can easily become irritated by detergents, soap and even cosmetics for example.

The situation in small children doesn't look as severe at first as the patchy red skin is not on the skins surface but below it. Eczema sufferers can also have rashes just like any of us; the disorder is not responsible if the itching is not present. However, if the itching has been somehow improved by eczema treatment but the rash has not, then the rash may not be related to the itch.

However, itchy skin is not necessarily a sign of this disorder as many other conditions can make a person have itchy skin, so this cannot be the only basis for a diagnosis. Eczema always has a rash and this is part of the condition but there is still no explanation as to what causes the itching. Another symptom is redness so when your blood flow increases, the skin becomes very red.

Apart from making the eczema worse when the sufferer scratches, it might also damage the delicate skin surface; one area that causes concern is where there is a bacterial infection which can easily be the result of scratching sensitive skin. Sufferers also exhibit blisters quite frequently which are normally quite small although bigger blisters are sometimes visible; a bacterial infection or a condition of your particular skin type many be the cause of this. Every sufferer is warned about blisters as they can be damaged by scratching or carelessness and whilst some are filled with fluid, others have a pus like substance; sufferers are advised never to burst them and create further infection in an already highly sensitive area.