Atopic Dermatitis or eczema as it is commonly known as occurs most often in infants and children. About 90% of the time the symptoms show up before the age of 5.

The cause of this disorder is still unknown but from all the research that has been done physicians have come to the conclusion that it is a combination of factors. HEREDITY or genetic factor is one of the main predisposing causes. If there is a family history of eczema, asthma or any other allergic condition then the child is more prone to inherit this disorder. The other factor is ENVIRONMENTAL. Things like FOOD, SOAP, CREAMS can cause flare ups. That is why it is extremely important to avoid certain things in the child's diet and care.

Here are a few features of Atopic Dermatitis-

  1. Intense ITCHING
  2. Presence of typical rashes over the body especially on the cheeks, in the folds of the skin, behind the knees, in side the elbows, sides of the neck, wrists, ankles etc..
  3. DRY, SCALING, ROUGH skin
  4. CRACKS behind the ears and other parts which may even bleed due to scratching
  5. Early onset of symptoms

FOODS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED

  1. MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS - in a great number of cases the child suffering from Eczema is highly allergic to MILK. It causes flare ups and increases the itching, redness, and all the symptoms. Curd, paneer, cheese, lassi, ghee, ice-cream, chocolates, etc, should not be given to the child.
  2. NUTS - these are known to cause allergies in most of the cases. Do not give your child any peanuts (sing), grams (Channa), Besan (Channa Atta), almonds (badam), Cashew nut (kaju), Pista, Walnut etc.
  3. SHELLFISH - certain people are highly allergic to prawns, crab, lobster, and some types of fish.
  4. EGGS - not all children are allergic but this has to be tried out and tested. If there is no reaction to egg then it can be safely consumed.
  5. ARTIFICIALLY COLOURED AND FLAVOVORED FOODS- this includes tomato ketchup, jelly, jams, fruit juices, cold drinks, certain masalas, packet and tin food, squashes etc
  6. FRUITS- there are certain fruits which cause a lot of allergies like strawberries, pine-apple, all the citrus fruits like oranges, mosambi, grapes etc
  7. CHINESE FOOD- all the chinese restaurants in this city use a substance known as AJINOMOTO. This is known to cause severe allergies and must be totally avoided.
  8. PLANTS, GRASS, PETS, POWDERS, COSMETICS, POLLUTION IN THE ENVIRONMENT- all these factors can also trigger a flare up in the skin.

TREATMENT AND SKINCARE

  1. SOAP- the best soap to use is one that is non-perfumed and glycerine base. In the market soaps like PEARS or Cinthol are preferred. But use minimum soap as even these have chemicals.

  2. KEEP THE SKIN MOIST AND HYDRATED- this can be achieved by using a non-perfumed moisturizer or just plain petroleum jelly. Immediately after a bath when the body is still moist apply the moisturizer with a little water. This helps in trapping the moisture in the skin and preventing it from drying up.

  3. DO NOT RUB THE SKIN DRY AFTER A BATH, JUST PAT IT DRY LIGHTLY.
  4. COTTON CLOTHES ARE BEST- make your child wear only cotton clothes especially under garments. Avoid wool, synthetic materials and rough fibers these will only increase the itching.
  5. HOMOEOPATHY is the treatment of choice for this Atopic condition as it helps to heal the skin from within. No external applications can bring about a complete cure. The correct constitutional remedy boosts the patients own immunity to fight against this disorder and prevent flare ups. Along with the Homoeopathic treatment it is extremely essential to take care of all the things listed above.