Many parents worry about baby eczema. This condition appears on the face, upper chest, scalp and neck in the first months of life. Later on it may appear on the shins and forearms as well. Many factors related to baby eczema require great care and attention. Watch out for blisters that could break or leak and for extensive skin dryness. If the baby's condition is really serious, it may involve the whole skin.

Generally speaking such manifestations do not involve the area around the mouth, the nose or the diaper areas that are usually free of eczema. Do not mistake the skin thickening on shins and forearms specific to the toddler age for baby eczema, this tiny issue appears because of the crawling. Eczema or dermatitis, with baby eczema included, are terms used to describe some skin conditions recognized by symptoms such as very itchy and dry skin, reddening, swelling, cracking or scaling of the skin.

Though eczema can occur almost anywhere on the body, the scalp, the chest, the forehead and the joints are the predisposed areas for the development of baby eczema. In very serious cases, baby eczema can be so annoying by the itchiness that it will cause discomfort during sleep and keep the baby awake and crying.

Very many babies get the condition known atopic eczema but this usually occurs because of a genetic predisposition. This condition tends to occur and develop somewhere around the age of two or three months.

Atopic eczema represents an oversensitivity of the immune system that involves reactions to the allergic reactions to the environment in conditions normal for other people. The hereditary dimension of baby eczema is far from being clear; for the moment, the causes that trigger this dermatological condition remain only partly explained. Another situation for babies to develop baby eczema may be prolonged exposure to a specific allergen.

The treatment of baby eczema shares specificity with that for allergies; yet, there is not just a single all-valid remedy, and doctors usually prescribe more complex combined treatments. Fortunately several therapeutic solutions have been developed and so far they've been really good at alleviating eczema symptoms.

Although improperly called remedies, there are all sorts of preventive measures that will keep baby eczema away: careful bathing habits, the use of cotton clothes only, proper skin moisturizing, careful diet choice and avoiding animal contact. Besides, parents should make sure they keep the baby's environments dust free, and always cut the baby's nails short to reduce scratching.