Taking care of a baby with eczema or sensitive skin means paying attention to a few important things every day. Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a skin problem that makes the skin dry, itchy, red, and sometimes bumpy. Babies with eczema have very sensitive skin that can get irritated easily. To help with this, parents should use gentle, hydrating creams called emollients to keep the skin soft and healthy. An example of a cream that is an emollient is our Dr. Mom Beta Cream. These lotions should be put on the baby’s skin many times a day, especially after baths and whenever the skin feels dry. It’s important to pick lotions that don’t have fragrances, colors, or harsh chemicals, because those things can bother the skin and make eczema worse. When trying a new product, we recommend applying the product to a small patch of skin. A good area to test is the inside of the forearm. This is called patch testing. Repeat this over the week in the same area of skin to see if there is any irritation.

When a baby’s skin has a bad flare-up, which means the skin gets extra red, itchy, and uncomfortable, doctors often suggest prescribing topical steroid medications. This cream helps calm the redness and itching. For babies, doctors typically prescribe low-strength versions of this cream as long-term use can thin the skin. Other types of creams don’t have steroids, like calcineurin inhibitors, which can help treat sensitive areas like the face or skin that needs long-term care.

Bathing and washing a baby with eczema also needs extra care. Parents should use warm water (not hot) and only clean the baby with very gentle, soap-free cleansers. Regular soaps can dry out the skin and cause more itching. After the bath, it’s a good idea to gently pat the skin dry with a soft towel — not rub — and then quickly put on lotion while the skin is still a little damp to lock in moisture.

It’s also important for parents to try and figure out what things might bother their baby’s skin and cause a flare-up. These things are called triggers. Triggers can be things like certain fabrics (like wool), soaps, laundry detergents, pet hair, or even certain foods. If parents notice that the baby’s skin gets worse after being around certain things, they should try to keep those things away from the baby.

In very serious cases, where the eczema doesn’t get better even after trying these treatments, doctors might think about stronger medicines. But these stronger medicines are usually only for older children or adults, because they can have side effects and may not be safe for babies.

Reference

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) guidelines: 2023 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology/American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters GRADE- and Institute of Medicine-based recommendations. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2024 Mar;132(3):274-312.