Parents today live in an information age and want to know as much as they can. More information can sometimes make you feel like you have more control. The National Institute of Health estimates 30 percent of the US population, mostly children, have a chronic skin condition called eczema and parents want help. In children the most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis. It causes inflammation, itchiness and rashes to appear on the skin. The condition must be confirmed by a doctor and though studies have come far the cause has not been determined.

Once your infant or child has been diagnosed with eczema a process begins to find the proper treatment plan. The doctor will treat the eczema with the most gentle treatment possible and increase treatment as needed. Severe eczema will receive an increasingly stronger treatment. If treatment stalls after trying the strongest treatments it may be time to see an allergist. Once you speak to an allergist you may begin to wonder why you didn’t start there in the first place.

Eczema and food allergies in children are connected. You will not hear that at the beginning of your child’s journey with eczema. Yet this information can change your experience. The most useful information is that allergic reactions trigger eczema. Finding the foods that cause an allergic reaction and taking them out of your children’s diet will help with flare-ups.