When your baby has atopic eczema, everyday care can start to feel more important.
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a common condition that causes itchy skin. If you are looking for guidance on treating baby eczema, know that your healthcare professional can help you understand what is affecting your baby’s skin and what to try next. Seeking their advice, providing your baby with a steady, calm routine and keeping their skin well moisturised and comfortable can all help.
Once your baby has eczema, everyday care usually focuses on reducing flare-ups by avoiding triggers and soothing their skin when a flare-up occurs.
The best way to manage your baby’s eczema is by following advice from a healthcare professional, who can help you build a routine that suits your baby’s skin and work out what triggers their flare-ups.
A consistent, gentle routine can help protect your baby’s skin:
• Use an unperfumed emollient, or medical moisturiser, regularly and generously, as advised by your healthcare professional. Emollients are the foundation of eczema care and can be applied often, even when the skin looks clear
• Use an emollient wash product instead of soap or bubble bath, and bathe your baby in warm, not hot, water
• Avoid irritants such as shampoos or other fragranced products that may strip or irritate the skin
• Choose soft, breathable fabrics
These steps may help support the skin barrier and limit irritation.
Feeding plays an important role in your baby’s development, including their immune system. Good nutrition doesn’t replace eczema treatment, but feeding advice can be a helpful part of your baby’s wider care.
Where possible, breastfeeding is recommended as the first choice for feeding your baby, providing key nutrients that support their overall health and development.
If you are formula feeding, speak to a doctor or healthcare professional before making changes, especially if an allergy is suspected. They can advise you on an appropriate formula for your baby’s individual needs.
Parents are encouraged to:
• Introduce solid foods at around 6 months, once your baby is developmentally ready. If your baby has eczema or you are concerned about allergies, speak to a healthcare professional for personalised advice on introducing common allergens
• Include a range of foods, including common allergy-causing foods such as well-cooked egg and smooth peanut butter in age-appropriate forms, introducing them one at a time
• Once a food has been introduced safely, follow advice from your healthcare professional on keeping it in your baby’s diet
Every baby’s eczema is different. Some babies may react to certain foods, environmental factors, fabrics, detergents, soaps, dry air, heat, perspiration or general skin dryness. Over time, patterns often emerge that help you understand what triggers your baby’s eczema.
Keeping a simple diary can make these patterns easier to spot. Jot down what your baby was exposed to before a flare-up — new foods, products, fabrics, weather or activities — alongside how their skin reacted. Over a few weeks, this can reveal possible triggers you might otherwise miss and give you something useful to share with your doctor or healthcare professional.
Do not remove major foods from your baby’s diet without advice from a healthcare professional, and avoid relying on unvalidated commercial allergy tests.
Feeding is an important part of your baby’s development, but it should not replace eczema treatment or skincare advice from a healthcare professional. If your baby has atopic eczema, or if you are worried about food allergies, speak to a doctor or healthcare professional before removing foods, changing formula or altering how you introduce common allergens.
