ECZEMA & ALLERGIES. WHAT'S THE LINK?
Did you have eczema as a kid and now get hay fever as an adult? Does your child have red, itchy rashes while you or your partner has seasonal allergies or asthma? If so, it's no coincidence. The eczema rash on your child's skin can sometimes be linked with allergies, hay fever, and asthma.
In fact eczema, allergies, hay fever and asthma often derive from a family history of Tuberculosis (TB), 2 or more generations back.
Studies show that if one or both parents have eczema, asthma, or seasonal allergies, their child is more likely to have eczema. What's more, children with the disease may be more at risk for getting allergies or asthma.
And here's some more figures:
- Up to 80% of kids with eczema get hay fever or asthma later in childhood.
- Thirty-five percent of adults with asthma or nasal allergies had eczema when they were kids.
- If a mom has allergies, there's almost a 1 in 3 chance their baby will have eczema.
- Thirty-seven percent of kids with moderate to severe eczema also have food allergies.
Most types of eczema are not allergies. But the disease can flare up when you’re around things that cause an allergic reaction. You might get hives, itching, swelling, sneezing, and a runny nose. Allergens can include:
- Dust mites
- Pollen
- Pet dander
- Some foods
- Make up and other cosmetics
- Mold
- Soaps
Here are some tips if you think you might be allergic.
- Get allergy testing. If you can pin the problem on a specific thing, you can figure out ways to avoid it.
- Keep an eczema journal. Write down where you were and what you were doing when your symptoms flared up. It can help you figure out what things might be triggering them. Share the journal with your doctor during appointments.
- Stay away from things that irritate your skin. Common ones include wool, soaps and detergents (always use unscented soap and laundry detergent), perfume, chemicals, sand, and cigarette smoke.
- Avoid allergy triggers. Pollen, mold, pet dander, dust mites, and other allergens may make eczema flare up. You could try a dust-proof mattress and pillow covers, remove carpets, avoid contact with animals, and stay indoors when pollen counts are high. Keep your windows closed and the heat or air conditioning on to keep pollen out of your house.
- Keep the humidity in your house below 45% to prevent mold growth.
- Use an exhaust fan while you shower or take a bath to stop mold from growing on your bathroom walls.
- Use a moisturizer. Salvx Rescue Cream is perfect for calming, cooling and hydrating inflamed and irritated skin. And it's 99% Plant Origin too! https://salvxskin.com/products/salvx-rescue-cream
- Breastfeed. There's some evidence that doing this for the first 6 to 12 months of your child’s life may lower their chance of having allergies or asthma later.
- Diet changes. If your baby has a high risk of allergies, some doctors recommend changes in diet. You might hold off on solid foods until your baby is at least 6 months old.
- Keep fingernails short. Your child will do less damage to their skin when they scratch.
- See a Homeopath. If your child's eczema seems to be getting worse, or they have allergy symptoms like congestion or a runny nose homeopathic medicine works holistically and can get to the root of the problem. For more information about homeopathy: JonathanStallick.com