A special predisposition of the skin to rashes and inflammation in response to an irritating factor is called exudative diathesis. Usually, the disease is manifested by redness and the appearance of diaper rash and persistent crusts. Basically, the problem affects children up to a year, but can also occur at an older age. Of all cases of diathesis, it is allergic dermatitis that is the most common and is most often diagnosed in infants. The prognosis is usually favorable, but provoking factors must be excluded.
Causes of pathology
Quite a few factors can provoke exudative diathesis. The reasons that most often cause the problem lie in eating potential allergens, contact with them, taking certain medications and even infectious diseases. The following factors can contribute to the development of inflammation on the skin:
- Adverse pregnancy - prolonged toxicosis, excessive use of drugs by the expectant mother, bad habits and poor nutrition.
- Features of the baby's body - malfunctions of the digestive tract, dysbiosis, skin tendency to dermatitis, features of the immune system when it produces an excessive reaction to any irritant.
- Improper baby care - the use of strongly smelling powders, shampoos and soaps. The choice of clothes for the child from synthetic fabrics, unsuitable diapers.
- The harmful effects of the environment are polluted air, excessively chlorinated water, excess pollen in the air, and the use of a variety of chemicals at home.
Of course, other factors can be the reasons for the development of pathology. But all of their doctors are divided into four groups:
- respiratory (catarrhal);
- genetic;
- contact;
- food.
It is important to understand that exudative diathesis caused by these factors, in addition to genetic, is completely cured, if all provoking circumstances are excluded.
Clinical component
For diathesis can cause completely different reasons. To identify the source of the problem, you need to contact a doctor who, based on a number of tests, will draw conclusions and prescribe treatment.
Exudative diathesis in infants is caused, as a rule, by the activity of the immune system. Responding to external stimuli, it produces a hypersensitive reaction of the first type. After taking blood for analysis, the laboratory technician can detect a large amount of immunoglobulin in her serum. The leukocyte formula is also subject to change. Th2 activity is significantly increased, the content of basophils is increased. All this indicates a response when an allergen enters the body.
Immune cells begin to rapidly attack an allergen. In this case, the integument of the skin is always involved. The process can also draw other changes, most often they relate to the autonomic system.
Symptoms of the disease
Exudative diathesis in children is almost always the same. The main symptoms are as follows:
- Intertrigo. There is increased sweating in the folds of the skin and on the folds. Moreover, such a manifestation is difficult to eliminate.
- Seborrhea. Yellowish crusts and scales appear on the baby's head. The oily hairline increases.
- Dryness and redness. Most often, the skin of the cheeks and buttocks suffers.
- Dairy crusts. As a result of prolonged redness, whitish crusts appear.
- Itching The most unpleasant phenomenon for both the child and parents. Due to constant itching, the baby does not sleep well, constantly combing problem areas, thereby exacerbating the situation and introducing a secondary infection.
Exudative diathesis requires immediate therapeutic treatment. In the absence of it, the signs of pathology intensify, an additional infection joins, wounds and abscesses form on the skin. Gradually, immunity fails, the baby becomes susceptible to the most minor diseases. The airways are especially affected.
Establishing diagnosis
It is important to understand that exudative diathesis can trigger different causes, and it also manifests itself in different ways. Therefore, a competent examination of the baby by a specialist comes to the fore. Indeed, under the guise of diathesis, idiopathic problems of the immune system and infectious diseases can be hidden. The doctor should perform the following manipulations:
- External examination and conversation with parents. It is necessary to find out the food preferences of a nursing mother, her diet during pregnancy and the baby’s menu, if he already receives complementary foods.
- A direction is given for a general and biochemical blood test. It is important to examine the white blood cell count and immunoglobulins.
- Urine is examined for pH and mineral component.
- An analysis of feces on an ovum is also mandatory. It is important to examine the sample for mucus and blood.
Only after all the necessary examinations and tests are carried out, the child is prescribed treatment.
Catarrhal form
Most often, the child is diagnosed with exudative-catarrhal diathesis after examination. Among all cases of dermatitis, he is the leader. The catarrhal form is so widespread that parents simply refer to the disease as normal diathesis. Symptoms are almost similar to the manifestation of an exudative form, and children starting from birth can get sick.
Doctors agree that exudative-catarrhal diathesis is caused by errors in the nutrition of the mother and subsequently the child himself, as well as when the baby is in the cold. The disease can occur in a mild form, but the most severe consequences are often found when the baby's skin is literally covered with crusts.
Often, a mild form of the disease does not cause discomfort to children and requires only nutrition adjustment. For others, the rash causes great discomfort, the baby constantly itches, an infection gets into the combed wounds, which leads to even more inflammation.
Troubleshooting
It is not always necessary to take pills if exudative catarrhal diathesis is detected. Treatment involves finding the cause and its elimination. To do this, you need to establish the right diet, review all used hygiene products for the baby and completely exclude any contact with a potential allergen.
The following foods are in first place causing exudative-catarrhal diathesis in children:
- meat broth;
- citrus fruits (lemons, oranges);
- honey;
- nuts
- chocolate;
- cow's milk;
- chicken meat;
- canned food;
- eggs
- sausages and smoked meats.
If there is a problem with a rash, then you should not offer your child fruits and vegetables that are not common in the region of residence. Also, you can not force-feed the baby. Such actions can cause disturbances in the digestive tract.
Elimination of the cause
To eliminate the allergen, it is necessary to find out the cause of the development of diathesis. To do this, you should carefully look at the reaction of the baby and, when the first symptoms appear, pay attention to the place of their localization:
- limbs - it may be a detergent or synthetic clothing;
- buttocks - an unsuitable diaper or cream;
- the whole body - signals the wrong choice of shampoo, gel;
- cheeks - redness provokes food, contact with an allergen, water, respiratory manifestations.
Only by finding out the reason, you can remove its negative consequences. Often, rashes in the baby are associated with animal hair. Therefore, you may need to attach them to other good hands. Do not forget that the regimen of the day is important for a speedy recovery, therefore it is necessary to establish a full day and night sleep for the child.
Of course, the methods listed are non-specific. Sometimes it takes a long time to identify the cause. To speed up the process and help the baby, doctors often prescribe medication.
Taking medication
If exudative diathesis in children is delivered, treatment should be prescribed and monitored only by a doctor. The following scheme is mainly used:
- For the speedy removal of allergens and recovery, it is necessary to establish the work of the digestive tract. Therefore, the baby is shown prebiotics.
- Antihistamines may be recommended. However, in order not to disrupt the immune system, they are prescribed last and under the supervision of a specialist.
- Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs helps to get rid of cutaneous erythema. However, the effect is not always pronounced, therefore, hormonal ointment may be required. Such treatment is carried out with caution, otherwise problems with the endocrine system may occur.
- To relieve the itch that bothers the baby and speed up the process of skin regeneration, appropriate drugs are prescribed.
- Often during the manifestation of diathesis, the baby does not sleep well, is naughty and refuses to eat. The appointment of sedatives can help establish the daily regimen.
- Greatly undermines the immune system exudative diathesis. Treatment involves its support and the appointment of vitamin therapy. The main emphasis is on the intake of vitamins A, K, B.
Treatment usually lasts about a week, but may take a longer time. The prognosis depends on the severity, intensity of therapy and the implementation of all the doctor's recommendations by the parents.
The consequences of untreated diathesis
Exudative diathesis provides a lot of problems and worries. The photo shows how severe the consequences can be if you do not start treatment on time. The prognosis is always favorable if the baby is examined, the cause is identified and a complex of treatment procedures is prescribed, including non-specific ones. The consequences, as a rule, are not observed. Concomitant diseases recede.
If parents are frivolous with redness on the cheeks and do not attach importance to permanent crusts, then this behavior can lead to:
- severe itching, combing and infection in the wounds;
- constantly inflamed and non-healing abrasions, scratches and wounds;
- the appearance of pustules;
- a general decrease in immune defenses and persistent illnesses.
It is important to respond in time to any rash or redness. only in this case can problems be avoided and catarrhal diathesis developed.
Preventative measures
Prevention of exudative-catarrhal diathesis is the most important measure in its prevention. The bottom line is the complete control of the nutrition of the mother and child, all household items. When drawing up the menu, it is important to choose hypoallergenic food that does not contain preservatives or dyes. Natural and environmentally friendly products come first.
It is worth paying close attention to the clothes of the baby. Only natural fabric is recommended. Baby's undershirts and diapers should be made of cotton. Synthetic material can provoke an allergic reaction, contributes to overheating of the child, which leads to excessive skin irritation.
Do not forget about personal hygiene items and shower products. Shampoos are best used hypoallergenic, without perfumes, dyes and flavors. It is better to refuse washing powder, because it is poorly rinsed from the fabric. It is better to use a special baby gel.
When complementary foods are introduced, it is important to keep a food diary. Any new product is given first in a microdose and carefully monitor the reaction of the baby. Thus, you can timely notice the problem and eliminate it even in the bud.
It is not recommended in the summer to keep the baby in the sun for a long time. It is better to walk in the morning and in the evening. At the same time, cotton semi-overalls are considered the best clothes.
Only the observance of all preventive measures and the timely treatment initiated when a problem is detected guarantee a full recovery and eliminate relapses. To avoid relapse, you must strictly follow all the advice of your doctor.
Phytotherapy
Phytotherapy is quite effective in diathesis. However, only a specialist can appoint it. For this, decoctions of a string, oregano, St. John's wort, yarrow, birch leaf or nettle are recommended. And you can make a drink consisting of several herbs. For cooking, usually take a tablespoon of dried ingredients, pour a glass of boiling water and infuse in a water bath for about half an hour. Infusion is offered to children by a teaspoon up to 4 times a day.
If the child suffers from edema, the doctor may recommend a collection of tricolor violets, chamomile flowers, horsetail or nettle leaves. The resulting infusion should be drunk for about a week with a teaspoon up to 8 times a day.
It is worth considering that such treatment should be carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor and under his supervision. The dosage will also be determined by a specialist. The use of any tinctures without his knowledge can lead to a disastrous result. Decoctions of herbs can be used for bathing babies.