WHAT TO DO ABOUT ECZEMA

In general, atopic eczema is a mild disease that disappears in time, and most cases are probably best treated with creams or other medication. It is certainly not fair on an eczematous child to deny the relief that these medications can bring, while attempting to sort out the problem with dietary investigations. A balanced approach using drugs, diet and other investigations is required. Where there is a secondary bacterial infection then a course of antibiotics may be necessary.

For the child with severe eczema, life can be misery and it is certainly worth investigating the possible role of food in the illness. The best response is usually seen in babies less than a year old. In older children, the difficulties of sticking to a diet may outweigh the benefits, although some children are very good at sticking to a. diet, once they see the benefits.

The diagnosis of food sensitivities in children with eczema can sometimes be made by a skin-prick test. Although it is not foolproof, this test can give an indication of which foods may be responsible, and this may be a useful first step. The diagnosis should be confirmed by eliminating all the suspect foods from the diet and then reintroducing them one at a time. Check that your doctor approves of this procedure before you start. Creams and other medication can be used during this procedure, to alleviate the itching. The strength of medication used should be carefully chosen to damp down the symptoms without eradicating them entirely, so that the response to foods can be assessed.

If skin-prick tests do not indicate any particular foods, then a simple form of elimination diet, avoiding the foods that are most often a problem with eczema, may be tried.