What Is The Root Cause of Eczema In Children?
Unlike common skin concerns, eczema
has no known cause. Various factors may cause or contribute to it. This is the most common skin condition in children and the second most common in adults. Still, no one can tell what exactly leads to it.
A single issue cannot be blamed to be responsible for eczema. The real problem is to identify the exact factor. So, what could be leading to eczema in your child? If this is your question, you are in the right place.
Here, you will find the most common factors responsible for this condition.
Possible causes for eczema in children
It causes intense itching, pain, dryness, and inflammation. If your baby has these symptoms, you must carefully observe them. You can also consult a doctor for a better diagnosis.
If it is eczema, there could be various factors that can be blamed for this scenario. The most common of them are:
Environmental factors
Various environmental factors can trigger or indirectly cause eczema to appear on your child’s skin.
Heat is a common trigger that worsens its symptoms and causes itching and pain. Excessive sweating can cause bacterial infection if you are not keeping your child’s skin clean enough.
Dry and harsh environments also lead to cracks and further dryness when there is eczema on the skin.
Genetics
This factor is also one of the possible causes of eczema. Parents who are affected by this condition or have a history of eczema or asthma are more likely to transfer this condition to their children. Genetic mutation can make the skin vulnerable to this condition. However, this factor is not valid for every eczema case.
Bacterial infection
Eczema causes cracks or sometimes open wounds on the skin. The wounds could be due to severe eczema or the result of excessive scratching due to itching.
When the body sweats and the bacteria come in contact with those wounds, the skin becomes highly vulnerable to bacterial infection. This scenario can work as a trigger.
However, an existing infection can cause infected eczema.
Allergens
Allergens like dust mites, harsh clothing, sweating, perfumes, harsh products and chemicals, soaps, and shampoos can cause or trigger eczema in children. Children’s sensitive skin should be protected from those allergens.
These allergens can open the door for skin disease to come and attack children. The use of beauty and skincare products can also make the skin vulnerable. The chemicals in products can trigger allergic reactions in the body, leading to itching, inflammation, and even infection.
Hormonal disturbance
Hormonal disturbance is another possible cause of eczema. After delivery, some hormones transfer from mother to child, which disturbs the hormones’ overall functioning. The hormones that are responsible for maintaining skin health may be overactive and cause issues.
The chemical reactions in the skin, when exposed to harsh products and chemicals, may trigger allergic reactions. So, the hormonal disturbance is also considered to be a possible cause of eczema.
Stress
Stress has various psychological and physical impacts on our health. Stress makes the skin thin. Children already have sensitive skin. Children can experience stress when they experience something new or face severe tension.
Hormonal transfer from mother to child can also send stress hormones, which can affect the child. It will weaken the skin, making the child vulnerable to infection and skin disease. So, it can directly cause eczema.
Which is the root cause?
We have discussed some factors and their role in disturbing the normal skin tone. So, what could be the primary cause of eczema?
The answer is there is no root or exact cause. A combination of allergies, genetics, and hormonal disturbance is more likely to lead to eczema symptoms.
How to treat it?
As we have discussed possible triggers and the root cause of eczema, let’s have a look at how to get rid of its symptoms if your child is affected.
There is no complete cure for this issue. Your child may develop this again after some time or in adulthood. The best approach is to follow the treatment to soothe its symptoms. To do so, the best way is to use an eczema shampoo to relieve itching and pain.
The skin gets dry in eczema. This shampoo will remove redness, pain, and itching and provide enough moisture to the skin. Additionally, you can use a moisturizing cream (but prescribed or medically approved) to lock in moisture.
Besides taking treatment, you should avoid its triggers and those factors that may worsen eczema.
Conclusions
There is not a single root cause of eczema because of various possibilities. A combination of environmental factors, genetic role, and hormonal disturbance can result in eczema.
Regardless of its exact cause, the treatment will be the same. The important thing is to cure the symptoms as soon as possible. I hope you got the information you needed.