Baby Skin Conditions

The immune systems for Infants and children are still developing and this makes them more susceptible to skin problems.

Skin irritations can cause a lot of discomfort for infants and visible skin problems for children can cause embarrassing moments particularly at school.

Eczema

Eczema in children is a non-contagious skin condition which is quite common affecting around 10% of babies. It usually appears in early childhood and disappears around six years of age. The skin becomes dry, cracked and itchy, and may weep. It often starts at the elbows or knees. Eczema can vary in severity and alter on a daily basis. In some cases, eczema may continue into adulthood.

The immune system of children is immature and so many react inappropriately to a perceived irritant. This could be something on their skin, a food or a drink. Eczema is more common in children who have other allergies, such as asthma and hay fever.

Practitioners can help try and isolate what is causing the response, or parents can try and identify the irritant via trial and error. Children will often "grow" out of the problem as their immune system matures. However, that is of little comfort right now to the baby who has eczema, and the parents who are missing out on sleep.

We thought all "before" photos required a sad look. When will little Naite learn!

Perfect for an "After" photo. Well done Naite.

Click on our "Word on the Street" page to read some of the emails to MooGoo letting us know that a real change of formula has achieved. For these people, MooGoo eliminated whatever it was they were reacting to on their skin. However, different methods will work for different people.

Probiotic Supplements Proven to Help Some Infant Eczema Sufferers

There have been a number of recent studies done which indicate that taking pro-biotic supplements in pregnancy or early childhood can help. This is a recent excerpt from "New Scientist Magazine, April 2008.

"Exposing pregnant mothers and infants to probiotic bacteria could help stimulate the growth of the immune system and potentially play a role in preventing allergies, say researchers.Probiotic bacteria are living micro-organisms that can be used to restore the ecosystem of the gut after a dose of antibiotics, or to help create a stable gut flora that is less prone to diseases like gastroenteritis... Probiotic children were also 30% less likely than their untreated counterparts to develop an itchy skin condition known as atopic eczema, which is often an early manifestation of allergies..."

Full Report Here.

There are good and poor quality probiotics on the market. Ask your health shop for advice. Zinc supplements are also often suggested by natural practitioners, and this will be of help if the natural diet is lacking in Zinc.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

(Sometimes mistakingly confused with Psoriasis on the scalp, face or upper body.)

Itchy Face Or Scalp?
Try scratching with a Hoof!

One of the other common forms of dermatitis often occurs around the scalp, hairline, ears, neck, around the eyes or along the side of the nose. In babies this can be termed Cradle Cap.

For many people the cause may be a fungus, called malassezia. This organism is normally present on the skin in small numbers, but sometimes its numbers increase, resulting in skin problems. This is why the problem tends to occur on the oilier parts of the body.

The good news for many sufferers is that a good quality Scalp Cream and appropriate shampoo can allow the skin to recover in a relatively short while.

Aqueous Creams and Sorbolene Type Creams for Eczema.

Itchy Face Or Scalp?
Try scratching with a Hoof!

Aqueous creams are sometimes prescribed by doctors as a substitute to soap or detergents. A soap using cheap ingredients can be drying and this is especially bad for Eczema. Detergent based liquid products are even worse. The skin of eczema sufferers needs to be kept moist and supple.

However, aqueous creams may not be the answer. They usually contain paraffin oils and water.

A survey of 100 British children treated with aqueous cream has found it irritated over half of them. Their symptoms ranged from redness and itchiness to burning and stinging, which risk making their condition worse. "Many children reportedly call it 'stingy' cream, and in one extreme case we heard about a child who screams when it is used."

MooGoo does not use Paraffin Oil (Mineral Oil, Petrolatum) in any of its products.

(Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3244814.stm)

Cradle Cap

Another common infant skin problem is Cradle Cap.

This is red and dry flaky skin that will generally occur on the scalp, ears or face.

It is usually caused by a reaction to a type of yeast that is common in everybody’s skin called the Malassezia yeast.

This condition can be controlled quickly and easily using both MooGoo’s Eczema Balm and Scalp Cream. They are both natural creams that contain the anti-yeast ingredient Piroctone Olamine.

Cradle Cap

Nappy Rash

Most parents will be familiar with nappy rash.

It’s most commonly caused by a reaction to urea against the skin in wet nappies but it can also be triggered by a yeast problem.

To treat this condition you would normally use a barrier cream to prevent moisturise contact and a yeast cream to control the yeast.

MooGoo’s Nappy Balm combines a barrier cream and anti-yeast ingredient in one all natural formula that can be used at every nappy change for really effective results.