Food Allergy and Eczema- What is the Connection?

Eczema is a kind of skin ailment usually associatedallergy due to milk proteins or even from soy
with skin thickening, scaling and itching. Usually,proteins. But it is not possible that the allergy could
eczema occurs on arms, elbows, knees and face.be caused due to lactose, which is a sugar.
When eczema affects children, especially ones withThe mother has the option of shifting the diet to
clear skin, parents often are unable to distinguish itsinclude lactose free formula. However, experts claim
cause.that lactose does not include any formula that can
Many parents perceive that their child's eczema iscure the eczema. Even if this does happen, it can
caused due to food allergies. However, many expertsonly be a coincidence.
find such belief to be false. Instead, it isLactose usually develops symptoms such as diarrhea,
recommended that parents do not limit their child'sgas and instant fussiness.
diet without consultation with a pediatrician.If you find that you are in the same situation, the
One example of food allergy causing eczema is thebest thing for you to do would be to take your baby
case of a 5 month old infant who suffered fromto a pediatrician. Medical expertise is always more
severe eczema.reliable than hearsay. Be sure to let your pediatrician
This baby's mother claimed that the baby sufferedknow that you have reason to suspect that the
from lactose intolerance from earlier on. The babybaby is allergic to milk based soy formula.
was not able to accustom even to foods which wereYour pediatrician should be able to let you know
lactose free. So she shifted to soy.whether these formulas actually do worsen the
Although the soy showed some temporary relief oneczema. Alomentum, Nutramigen and other
the baby's skin, after a while, the eczemaHypoallergic formula may be prescribed.
reappeared.Allergy test is one test your pediatrician may advice
Suppose you are the mother; would you proceed toyou on. Allergy test is done through the process of
think that even the soy is causing the eczema toblood testing.
occur? Would you be ready to use the lactose freeIf you have positively identified certain food or drinks
formula again?on consumption of which your baby's eczema has
As has been mentioned previously, eczema is aworsened, it is best to avoid them. However, before
condition that appears and disappears just astaking any action, be sure to talk to pediatrician
suddenly, giving the child clear skin for more weeksabout it. He will know best what action to take.
to come. This is the reason it becomes very hard toThere are some children who suffer both from food
determine the exact trigger factor that is causing theallergy and eczema. These two conditions, however,
eczema.do not affect one another.
This is what happened to the 5 month old baby.Knowing treatments for eczema is a good move to
Although there is truth in the fact that food allergiesmake. Always follow the pediatrician's prescription and
can trigger eczema, there is no reason to believeyou will not go wrong. Following a professional's
that the baby's eczema might be caused by theadvice will ensure that you are following the right
lactose free formulamedication.
Experts believe that the baby might have caught the