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Treating the Root Cause of Eczema in Children and Babies
By Dr. Diane Angela Fong, ND
Eczema is more than just a skin condition—it’s often a visible sign of deeper imbalances in the body. For children and babies, this can mean nights of restless sleep, constant itching, and discomfort that disrupts their quality of life and leaves parents feeling helpless.
While conventional treatments like steroids and moisturizers may provide temporary relief, they often fail to address the underlying causes, leading to recurring flare-ups and frustration. By identifying and treating the root causes of eczema, we can take a more comprehensive approach that not only soothes symptoms but also promotes true, lasting healing.
In this blog, we’ll explore the limitations of conventional treatments, the top six root causes of eczema in children and babies, and how a holistic approach can transform your child’s skin and overall health.
How Conventional Medicine Treats Eczema
In conventional medicine, the primary approach to treating eczema often involves managing symptoms with:
Topical Steroids: These reduce inflammation and itching but can cause side effects like skin thinning, dependency, and rebound flares with prolonged use. Over time, some children may develop Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW), a condition where the skin becomes hypersensitive and flares severely after stopping steroid treatment.
Moisturizers: While hydration is crucial, many over-the-counter lotions contain hidden irritants, such as fragrances or preservatives, that can exacerbate symptoms.
Antihistamines: These are often prescribed to reduce itching, but they only mask symptoms and can cause unwanted drowsiness, impacting the child’s daily life.
Elimination Diets: While food triggers can play a role, these diets are often based on guesswork rather than targeted testing, leading to unnecessary food restrictions or nutritional imbalances.
Biologics: For moderate to severe eczema, biologic medications such as dupilumab (Dupixent) are increasingly prescribed. These medications target specific immune pathways to reduce inflammation. While they can be effective in controlling symptoms, they come with potential risks, such as immune suppression, increased infection susceptibility, and high costs.
Click HERE to learn about the risks of conventional eczema medications. While these treatments can provide temporary relief or symptom management, they don’t address the underlying causes of eczema. Many families find themselves stuck in a cycle of flare-ups and frustration, searching for a more comprehensive, long-term solution.
The Top 6 Root Causes of Eczema In Children & Babies
Eczema in children and babies is often caused by a combination of factors that disrupt their overall health. Here are the six most common root causes:
The microbiome—both in the gut and on the skin—plays a key role in regulating inflammation and supporting the immune system. Babies are especially vulnerable to microbiome imbalances due to:
Birth Method: C-section deliveries limit exposure to beneficial bacteria from the birth canal.
Feeding Choices: Formula-fed babies miss out on the probiotics and prebiotics in breast milk.
Early Antibiotic Use: These can kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria, disrupting the microbiome.
A disrupted microbiome can lead to systemic inflammation, poor digestion, and increased skin sensitivity.
2. Toxic Burden
Babies and children are highly sensitive to environmental toxins, which can overwhelm their developing detoxification systems. Common sources of toxin exposure include:
Household chemicals in cleaners, detergents, and personal care products.
Air pollution and contaminated water.
Pesticides or heavy metals in food.
Toxins transferred from mom via the placenta during pregnancy or via the breastmilk postpartum.
These toxins can trigger immune reactions and contribute to inflammation that worsens eczema.
3. Leaky Gut
The gut lining acts as a barrier to protect the body from harmful substances. In babies and young children, this barrier is still developing, which makes it more vulnerable to becoming “leaky.” Factors contributing to leaky gut include:
Food Allergies and Sensitivities: Common triggers like dairy, soy, eggs, and gluten can irritate the gut lining.
Infections: Viral or bacterial infections can disrupt gut health.
Antibiotic Use: Overuse of antibiotics can harm gut integrity by reducing beneficial bacteria.
When the gut barrier is compromised, inflammatory compounds and allergens can enter the bloodstream, triggering eczema flare-ups.
4. Leaky Skin
Eczema-prone skin often has a weakened barrier that allows moisture to escape and irritants to penetrate. This may be due to:
Genetic Factors: Mutations in the filaggrin gene, which affects skin barrier function.
Harsh Soaps and Fragrances: These can strip the skin of its natural oils.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Lack of essential fats, zinc, or other nutrients needed for skin repair.
Leaky skin creates a cycle of dryness, itching, and inflammation.
Food plays a crucial role in eczema. In children and babies, poor nutrition or food-related triggers can make symptoms worse.
Food Allergies and Sensitivities: Common culprits include dairy, eggs, soy, and gluten. Undiagnosed sensitivities can trigger widespread inflammation.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Deficiencies in zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D are common in children with eczema and can slow healing.
Modern lifestyles often expose children to stressors that disrupt their skin and overall health. These include:
Stress: Even in babies, stress from disrupted routines or a tense home environment can elevate cortisol levels, which worsens inflammation.
Poor Sleep: Itchiness and stress can disrupt sleep, making eczema harder to manage.
Lack of Physical Activity: Movement promotes circulation and supports detoxification, both of which are essential for reducing inflammation.
Why Do Babies and Children Have These Issues?
Babies and young children are especially vulnerable to the root causes of eczema due to their developing bodies and unique environmental exposures. Here’s why these factors affect them more than adults:
Immature Immune Systems: Babies are born with an immune system that is still learning how to differentiate between harmless and harmful substances. This makes them more prone to inflammation and overreactions, such as eczema.
Developing Gut Barrier: The gut lining in babies is not fully matured, which means it’s more likely to become “leaky” and allow allergens or toxins to enter the bloodstream, triggering immune responses.
Sensitive Skin Barrier: A baby’s skin is thinner and more permeable than an adult’s, making it more prone to losing moisture and absorbing irritants.
Rapid Growth Demands: Babies require high levels of essential nutrients like zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D to support their growth. Deficiencies can develop quickly, which may impair skin repair and immune function.
Environmental Exposures: Babies are constantly exploring their environment, often crawling on the floor, mouthing objects, and coming into contact with potential irritants like household cleaners or synthetic fabrics.
Increased Toxin Sensitivity: Children’s detoxification systems, such as the liver and kidneys, are still developing. This makes it harder for their bodies to process and eliminate toxins, increasing their toxic burden.
These developmental factors, combined with genetic predispositions or environmental triggers, make babies and children especially susceptible to eczema. Addressing these unique challenges is essential for healing.
My Holistic Approach to Healing Eczema
Treating eczema involves addressing these root causes in a way that’s gentle, safe, and effective for children and babies. Here’s how I approach care at Cleanbody using the 3-Step Cleanbody Method:
Step 1: Evaluate
The journey starts with a Root Cause Consultation, where we dive into your child’s health history, eczema timeline, and daily habits. Once we start our journey together, we start the evaluation process, which includes:
Ordering Labs: We test for food sensitivities, gut health, toxins, and nutrient deficiencies.
Reviewing Journals: I ask parents to log their child’s food, skin symptoms, bowel movements, and environmental exposures.
Physical Exam for in-person visits (in Menlo Park, CA): Assessing skin condition and any signs of systemic issues.
Step 2: Optimize the Five Pillars of Health
Once we identify the root causes, we focus on strengthening the Five Pillars of Health:
CleanFOOD: Transitioning to an anti-inflammatory diet free of allergens and packed with nutrient-dense, healing foods.
CleanMIND: Reducing family stress and improving sleep routines.
CleanFIT: Encouraging gentle physical activity to support detoxification and circulation.
CleanENVIRO: Eliminating toxins from the home and using hypoallergenic products.
CleanROUTINE: Establishing daily habits that promote healthy skin and overall wellness.
Step 3: Support with Natural Remedies
Finally, we provide support to calm symptoms and promote healing:
Healing Baths: Using natural ingredients like oatmeal, hydrogen peroxide, or magnesium to soothe the skin.
Natural Topicals: Avoiding steroids in favor of nourishing creams and sprays with ingredients like castor oil, probiotics or hypochlorous acid (see the CleanSKIN Topical Kit below).
Supplements and herbs: Replenishing nutrients like zinc, omega-3s, and probiotics and using gentle herbs to strengthen the skin, restore the microbiome, cleanse toxins, lower inflammation, and support the immune system.
Lifestyle Adjustments: Implementing routines that minimize stress and inflammation while supporting long-term healing.
Helping Your Child Heal from the Inside Out
By addressing the root causes of eczema, it’s possible to break the cycle of flare-ups and find lasting relief. Every child is unique, and their treatment should be too. With a comprehensive, holistic approach, we can give your little one the best chance to heal naturally and thrive.
If you’re child is struggling with TSW or eczema, understanding your child's unique root causes is the key to long-term healing. At Cleanbody, we offer the Eczema Root Cause Assessment, which helps identify the factors contributing to your eczema. With this personalized insight, you can take the first step toward regaining control of your skin health.
Take the assessment today to learn more, or click here to book a consultation and use the code BLOG10 to get 10% off, and start your healing journey!
Got Questions?
Dr. Fong is going live to discuss this topic on her weekly Live with the Eczema Doc on Wednesday, January 15, at 12:30 PM PST! Watch the live or check out the replay here:
out the Author:
Dr. Diane Angela Fong, ND, is the CEO and founder of Cleanbody, a wellness company dedicated to treating and preventing chronic disease. She is the creator of the Cleanbody Method, which follows a three-step process: Evaluate (digging into the root causes of chronic disease using lab testing and other evaluation tools), Optimize (enhancing health foundations by addressing nutrition, lifestyle, and toxic exposures), and Support (optimizing organ functions through healing protocols).
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Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
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