Eczema has been an umbrella term for several kinds of skin diseases that make areas of the skin red, inflamed, and itchy. In infants and toddlers, eczema is commonly termed as atopic dermatitis. About 10 percent of children in the country suffer from atopic dermatitis, and in more than 80 percent of the cases, children contract the disease under the age of 5. Out of these, more than 50 percent occur in the infant’s first year itself.

Here are five home remedies for atopic dermatitis to treat your baby within the four walls of your home:

1. Give a warm bath and then apply moisturizer
Giving the infant a warm bath is an effective home remedy for atopic dermatitis. A daily 5 to 10 minutes long warm bath for your baby is usually remedial if you apply moisturizer to the baby’s skin right after the bath. It is important to refrain from using soaps or cleansers loaded with chemicals with a strong fragrance. Make it a point to gently pat the baby’s skin dry after the bath with a warm cloth. Finally, apply moisturizer to the skin.

2. Use a suitable ointment
Babies generally do not like the oily feeling of ointment and prefer lighter moisturizers. However, studies have proven skin ointments to be more effective as home remedies for atopic dermatitis as they retain more moisture. The most natural product available in the shop is the ideal one for your baby, as preservatives and fragrances tend to be irritating for infants suffering from atopic dermatitis. It is generally better to use over-the-counter moisturizing lotions instead of prescription creams for atopic dermatitis.

3. Find out the causes that trigger atopic dermatitis
There are probably many things in your baby’s environment that can trigger or aggravate atopic dermatitis. Even things kept around in your home might be responsible for causing the problem.

Environmental allergens such as mold and pollen could be some of the causes. Commonly occurring triggers for infants include:

• Thick and rough clothing fabrics
• Perfumes and deodorants
• Synthetic soaps and detergents
• Sweat and body fluids

4. Apply some wet dressing
Steps for applying wet dressing:

• Bathe your baby and gently pat the skin dry.
• Apply cream or moisturizing lotion.
• Wet the gauze or piece of cotton with lukewarm and clean water, and apply it onto the affected region.
• Cover the baby with a light piece of dry fabric.

5. Use oral antihistamines
Oral antihistamines can reduce the sensation of itchiness on your baby’s skin. Non-sedative antihistamines like cetirizine (Zyrtec) and loratadine (Claritin) are not effective for itchiness. Medications such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) tend to make babies drowsy.

If you are unable to detect the specific triggers and causes of atopic dermatitis, it would be difficult to decide between the above home remedies for atopic dermatitis. In such cases, visit your pediatrician to find out suitable medical treatments. Atopic dermatitis is not a serious illness as it generally reduces and vanishes entirely as the child grows up.