Baby Eczema

If your baby has an itchy skin rash the problem may be eczema (also called atopic dermatitis). Baby eczema can crop up on a baby's cherubic skin when a child is as young as 2 months old. It generally appears on the forehead, cheeks, or scalp and sometimes spreads to the arms or chest. The rash often shows up as dry, thickened scaly skin, but is sometimes made up of tiny red bumps that may ooze or become infected if scratched. Eczema is thought to be a reaction to allergy-causing substances in the environment. About 10 percent of infants have eczema at some point, but many improve before they're 2 years old. Because the condition is often inherited, your child is more likely to develop eczema if you or some other close family member has any kind of allergic condition, says Amy Paller, professor of pediatrics and dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago.