Parenting bambinos can be, at times, a tough gig. Adding eczema into the mix can complicate things even more. When the little ones can’t tell you what’s wrong, and how much pain they’re in, when their skin is cracked and bleeding, when they don’t seem to get relief from anything you do for them….it can be devastating as a parent.
The good news? There are steps you can take to help minimise your infant’s eczema severity.
Like most skin issues, the gut is the starting point for infants with eczema. A lack of microbiome diversity during infancy can affect maturation of both innate (ie. ‘in-built’) and adaptive (ie. ‘learnt’) immunity. Infants with atopic dermatitis / eczema have lower populations of Bifidobacterium and Bacteriodes in their gut, which are important for immunity and overall health, and to assist a healthy Th1 and Th2 balance.
Without a proper functioning immune system, chronic inflammation can start within the body, as the immune system is easily triggered by ‘threats. The immune system then has trouble down-regulating its heightened response.
So how do you go about ensuring your bub has optimal gut health? Remember that the gut and microbiome are still developing for the first 3 years of life. Many infants with eczema have a history of antibiotic exposure in the first 12 months of life, so only taking antibiotics when absolutely necessary is important to minimise the damage done to the microbiome. This can be tricky with severe cases of eczema, as secondary bacterial infection can cause many issues that require antibiotics. This is why we also focus our support on minimising itching and flares, to reduce the risk of secondary infection which may require antibiotics. If you have a familial risk of eczema (eg it runs in the family), talking to your health care provider about prescribing certain strains of probiotics for high-risk infants is another good way to mitigate eczema risk within the family. This can also be done during pregnancy.
From an immune perspective, Vitamin D has been shown to be helpful in reducing the development of allergies and asthma in children. Ensuring adequate Vitamin D levels during pregnancy and childhood is important for a strong immune system. Once again, your health care provider can monitor this and prescribe appropriately. Omega-3 fatty acids are also indicated for helping the immune system manage its inflammatory response (plus a million other things!) as well as supporting keratinocyte (skin cell) integrity.
If you have an infant with eczema and are looking for professional, practical advice, I’d love to hear from you. I have helped many ‘eczema babies’ say goodbye to that constant eczema cycle of itching, infection and inflammation. Simply book a Discovery Call via this link, for your free 20 minute introductory discussion.
PS. Looking for inspiration? Click here to read about how I helped baby Tallulah with her eczema.
