Eczema in the baby | Eczema in the ear

Eczema in the baby

The seborrhoeic infant eczema, also called button gneiss, is common in babies. Often a seborrhoeic infant eczema occurs within the first months of life, which usually disappears by itself after a few weeks. In some cases it can persist for several months.

Seborrheic infant eczema does not itch and is therefore not perceived as unpleasant for the child. All in all, it is a harmless rash that is usually not weeping. One suspected theory for the development of such eczema is that the baby has been exposed to hormones during pregnancy.

These hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce a secretion, which then leads to the formation of a crust. A few months after birth, the effect of these hormones diminishes and the rash disappears on its own. Another theory is that babies born to parents with allergies are more likely to develop seborrheic eczema than those born to non-allergic parents.

Seborrheic eczema is often confused with the so-called milk crust. This is the colloquial term for an atopic eczema, better known as neurodermatitis in infancy.A skin change occurs, which is similar to milk burnt and encrusted in the pot, hence the name milk crust. Itchy reddening of the skin occurs, accompanied by the formation of blisters and, later, crusts.

These skin changes can spread to the body and last for months to about two years. However, a transition to the chronic inflammatory variant of atopic eczema is also possible. The existing itching is an important distinguishing feature from seborrheic infant eczema.

Therapeutically, ointments and herbal preparations are mainly used for infants. In particular, ointments containing cortisone should be avoided in babies.