Eczema - baby
and Martina Feichter, medical editor and biologistMareike Müller is a freelance writer in the medical department and assistant doctor for neurosurgery in Düsseldorf. She studied human medicine in Magdeburg and gained a lot of practical medical experience during her stays abroad on four different continents.
More about the expertsMartina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.
One of the most common skin diseases in childhood is neurodermatitis: Babies and toddlers show the first symptoms of cradle cap, reddened, flaky skin and itching. Sometimes the inflammatory skin disease disappears as it grows. In other cases, it persists into adulthood. You can read more about atopic dermatitis in babies and helpful tips for parents here.
ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. L28L20
Symptoms of eczema: baby and toddler
Severe itching and inflamed skin (eczema) are typical symptoms of neurodermatitis - in babies as well as in older children and adults. But there are also differences between neurodermatitis in babies and toddlers and the disease in other age groups. They mainly affect the cradle cap, which only occurs in babies. In addition, the eczema of atopic dermatitis in babies and toddlers preferably develops in different places than in older children, adolescents and adults:
Baby neurodermatitis often begins on the face, with cradle cap: This is the name given to whitish-yellow scale crusts on reddened skin that are reminiscent of burnt milk. The affected areas of the skin can also ooze. Often the cradle cap also forms on the extensor sides of the arms and legs.
Many babies show sebum, yellowish to brownish flaking of the scalp in the first months of life. This is not a cradle cap, but the harmless head gneiss. It usually disappears on its own in the first year of life.
Not every baby with cradle cap has or actually gets atopic dermatitis. Often the cradle cap heals by the age of 2 and there are no other signs of neurodermatitis.
To be on the safe side, parents should still have the cradle cap examined by a doctor. Often it is neurodermatitis after all. Babies and toddlers can then be treated at an early stage. This can often prevent the inflammatory skin disease from spreading more widely.
In addition to cradle cap, babies and toddlers with neurodermatitis will soon show other symptoms. Itchy, scaly eczema develops from the reddened areas of the skin. At the same time the skin is dry. In babies, eczema occurs primarily on the face, ears and other parts of the head.
In small children, they are very often found in the bends of the joints, for example of the elbows, knees and wrists. One speaks here of so-called flexion zemes. The neck, face (including eyelids and lips), buttocks and thighs, backs of the feet and hands of small children can also show the inflammatory, itchy skin changes. This is also often affected in children who suck their thumbs.
Atopic dermatitis in babies and toddlers does not have to continue into older children (and beyond): In many small patients, the atopic dermatitis symptoms disappear by the age of 2 or improve by school age.
Prevention of atopic dermatitis (baby)
Some measures can prevent the development of neurodermatitis as early as infancy. They are particularly important in children who have a family history. That means: These children at risk have close relatives (such as parents, siblings) with neurodermatitis and other atopic diseases such as hay fever, food allergies or allergic asthma. You therefore have an increased risk of developing such an atopic disease yourself.
The most important tips for preventing atopic diseases such as eczema in babies are:
- Pregnant women shouldn't smoke. This protects the child from various health problems, including neurodermatitis. For the same reason, children should not come into contact with tobacco smoke even after birth (smoke-free home!).
- Babies should be fully breastfed for at least the first four months of life.
- Children at risk who are not fully breastfed should receive hypoallergenic infant formula. Such HA infant formula is not necessary for babies without a family history of neurodermatitis and other atopic diseases.
- Breastfeeding mothers should eat a balanced diet. Fish should also be on the menu: This prevents neurodermatitis and other atopic diseases in children. The same applies if the mother already eats fish during pregnancy.
- Experts recommend adding complementary foods from the age of 4 months. Infants should be given fish as early as the first year of life. This apparently protects the little ones from atopic diseases such as neurodermatitis.
- Children at risk should not grow up in a household where cats live.
Atopic dermatitis in children: tips
The following tips will help you in dealing with children with neurodermatitis:
Itching in atopic dermatitis
Infants and toddlers with neurodermatitis in particular can often hardly be stopped from scratching themselves. Pathogens such as bacteria can easily penetrate the resulting wounds and trigger an infection. To prevent this from happening, babies and toddlers with eczema should wear cotton gloves at night. Fix the gloves on the wrists with adhesive plaster. So they can't get lost at night.
Alternatively, you can also get a neurodermatitis coverall for your child. It is provided with sewn caps on the sleeves.
You should also keep your little fingernails short on a regular basis. This prevents your child from scratching themselves, which would encourage a skin infection.
It is also advisable to apply lotion to the little ones before going to bed. However, many children do not like this very much and the daily routine becomes a strenuous procedure for both parents and child. Therefore, try to make the lotion as pleasant as possible. Massage the child or tell a story and incorporate the cream. You can also draw letters, numbers and figures on the skin and the offspring has to guess. Or turn up the favorite song loudly for older children. In this way, the little patient combines the application of lotion with positive memories.
In summer, the itching from heat and sweating is often particularly severe. Put the lotion in the refrigerator - many patients find this pleasant.
Also try stroking the itchy skin: gently stroke the child's itchy skin. Sometimes it also helps to rub the skin gently on another (unaffected) part of the body. This can distract the little ones from the itching.
Cool compresses (no ice!) Can also relieve the itchiness. For more treatment tips, see Neurodermatitis: Treatment.
The right clothes
Only use clothing made of soft, skin-friendly material such as cotton or viscose for children with neurodermatitis. This also applies to scarves and stockings. The skin on the neck and legs of many children with neurodermatitis is particularly sensitive.
It also makes sense if the clothes are white or at least light-colored. Then they reflect the sunlight. This means that the little ones don't get warm so easily - heat can increase the itching. In addition, there are often a lot of dyes in dark clothing. These can also irritate sensitive skin.
Sweating, which can aggravate the itching, can also be avoided if the clothing consists of several thin layers instead of a few thick layers ("onion look"). This makes it easier to adapt to the outside temperature.
The sleeping clothes for children with neurodermatitis should be closed up to the neck. The fewer areas of skin that are exposed, the lower the risk that children will scratch themselves while they sleep. At the same time, the sleeping clothes should be made of a light material so that the itching does not get worse from too much heat. For the same reason, you should only cover the child with a light duvet and make sure that the bedroom is not too warm.
Always wash clothes and laundry before using for the first time.
A lot of understanding and care
Due to the excruciating itching sensation, atopic dermatitis makes babies and children difficult. The little patients often have no other way of expressing their discomfort and complaints than by screaming and restlessness. So be patient with the little ones.
Neurodermatitis in children (and the elderly) not only causes physical complaints - the soul also suffers. The constant itching can be very stressful psychologically. In addition, some children are sometimes teased by their playmates because of their skin infections. This puts additional strain on the child's soul.
So give your atopic dermatitis child a lot of understanding and care. You can also contact other people affected or join a self-help group. This is how your child learns that they are not alone with their illness.
Knowing relaxation techniques for yourself and your child can also help.
Family life with neurodermatitis
Healthy siblings may feel that they are receiving too little attention from their parents. So take enough “neurodermatitis-free time” for the other family members.
Your child's neurodermatitis must not become their personality trait. Even if the disease requires a lot of attention, your child should still learn that there are other things that make them up. Above all, don't let scratching become a means of pressure! Some atopic dermatitis children quickly learn that scratching will bring them to the attention of the grown-ups. Don't respond with full care every time your child scratches. Otherwise, your child will try to get their way through constant scratching.
Another tip for the care of young patients with neurodermatitis: babies and toddlers often cannot sleep at night due to the itching and start screaming or crying. Parents should take turns getting up and looking after the child. In this way, the mother and the father alternately get longer sleep.
Tags: healthy workplace baby toddler vaccinations
