While eczema can occur at any age, previous research shows almost half of all diagnoses occur within the first year of life and about 85% by 5 years of age.

Currently, researchers do not know the exact cause of atopic dermatitis. However, they do know certain genetic and environmental factors can aggravate a baby’s sensitive skin, causing eczema.

Some of these factors include:

• allergic reaction to laundry detergent, bath soap, and/or foods
• irritation caused by pollution, tobacco smoke, extreme temperature changes, and other environmental factors
• overreaction of the immune system
• genetic predisposition to eczema, asthma, and/or allergies
• genetic mutation that affects the protective layer of a baby’s skin

Eczema symptoms may vary by person and age. Symptoms of infant eczema generally include a dry, scaly rash on the scalp, face, and areas where there are large joints such as the knees and elbows. The rash may itch and ooze if scratched.

After the age of 2, children may see signs of eczema in the creases of knees and elbows, as well as the neck, ankles, and wrists.

Doctors can treat the skin to keep it hydrated and help reduce inflammation. Common treatments include medicated topical creams and ointments and therapies called biologic drugs that help calm the immune system and inflammation.

Upon analysis, researchers reported they found differences in the composition and diversity of gut microbiota across the first three years of the infants’ life.

They said they discovered that how a baby is delivered, what antibiotics they are given during labor, and how they are fed influence how the gut microbiome is established over the first 12 months of life.

After reviewing the research, Dr. Peter Lio, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, told Medical News Today that the results of this study are confirmatory and not surprising.

“In the past several years there have been a number of papers that have shown very similar findings and we are beginning to better understand this connection between the gut microbiome and the skin,” he said. “It is a very important part of this story and has been shown to be predictive of (the) development of atopic dermatitis from the earliest time points.”

Dr. Ashanti Woods, a pediatrician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, agreed.

“This is really good to know and helpful as it may impact our decisions in the future regarding whether we introduce antibiotics to moms and in discussions pertaining to elective C-sections,” Woods, who also was not involved in the study, told Medical News Today. “There has long been a known association between the gastrointestinal system and the skin. In fact, many gastrointestinal disorders, such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease, have dermatologic manifestations and symptoms. As such, it is insightful to hear that perinatal and postnatal exposures to the fetus and infant can, in fact, have a risk potential on the development of eczema.”

When it comes to the next steps for this research, Woods said he would like to see more diversity.

“I would like to see this study replicated in other regions, where the diet and environmental factors may differ somewhat, to see if the results are similar,” he added.

Lio added we need to have a better understanding of why the gut microbiome is disordered and why the skin microbiome mirrors this.

“One bigger theory is attributed to Professor C. Akdis and his remarkable epithelial hypothesis: in short, the first problem is a leaky gut and leaky skin barrier, and then the bacterial imbalance (dysbiosis) follows that,” Lio said. “A number of environmental factors, including things like microplastics and pollutants seem to contribute to this. However, it is not without criticism. I would like to see actionable ideas for therapy.”