Diathesis on the cheeks in a child - causes and treatment

Almost all parents sooner or later hear the word "diathesis" from the pediatrician. But before buying unnecessary medications and nervously reacting to every redness of the baby’s skin, you need to figure out what the doctors mean by this term, and how to get rid of the rash.

What it is?

First of all, parents, especially those who first encountered the redness that appeared in the infant, should be remembered: there is no disease called “diathesis” in medical references. Pediatricians by this word mean a predisposition to a particular disease, namely:

• to allergic reactions;
• to metabolic disorders;
• disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system or internal organs.

It is important to note that diathesis in its correct sense is not a disease, but simply a feature of the body, genetically determined, therefore it is impossible to get rid of it.

If the pediatrician started talking about diathesis as a cause of redness, you should carefully listen to the doctor's words - the word itself is not a diagnosis, it is more important than redness, and how to deal with it.

Classification

The first in the list of diathesis - neuro-arthritic. The child has a metabolic disorder, the cause of which is an increase in the excitability of the nervous system. This type of diathesis is characterized by skin, joint and nerve disorders, in addition to redness, it can also be accompanied by stuttering or, for example, pain in the knees, and such symptoms in the infant are difficult to detect.

The second type of diathesis - lymphatic-hypoplastic, the cause of which - in violation of the thymus gland. Symptoms include lymphadenopathy, adrenal dysfunction, susceptibility to infections, and allergies.

The third type is allergic diathesis, that is, a tendency to the appearance of allergic reactions on the skin. Its manifestations are allergic dermatitis and reduced resistance to infections. Unlike the previous two, this diathesis appears early, at the age of 3-6 months, and passes in 1-2 years.

It should be noted that each of the types of diathesis may be accompanied by allergic reactions on the skin, which include redness. However, the causes of such manifestations of allergies are different, this is only a symptom with which you can fight with variable success.

Allergic dermatitis

In the overwhelming majority of cases, parents call diathesis allergic dermatitis. Therefore, do not be afraid if the pharmacist in a pharmacy in response to a request to advise something “from diathesis” offers a remedy, in the instructions for which this word will not be mentioned.

• with food;
• when breathing;
• when touched.

The doctor in such cases will draw the attention of parents to the treatment of the appropriate type of allergy. Therefore, it is not worthwhile simply to abandon the use of certain foods and wait for the improvement of the condition of the child. It is necessary to take into account other factors, including used cosmetics, clothing, composition of tap water, child's sweating, quality and quantity of food.Only by assessing all the factors of influence in a complex, one can find out what triggered the appearance of rashes.

According to doctors, to find out the cause of atopic dermatitis is quite difficult. Rashes may appear after a long time after contact with an allergen, which the child's parents may not remember. Anything can turn out to be an allergen - from the perfume of a relative who has come to visit to the metal of the ring on the hand, which has been stroked by the child.

How to distinguish allergic dermatitis

At the initial stage of diathesis rash appears on the cheeks of the child, it can be confused with a blush. Later, rashes may appear on the buttocks, legs and elbows. Lesions soon begin to peel off, moist unhealed areas and pimples appear. In this case, the rash itches, which does not contribute to their speedy healing, and also violates the calm and sleep of the child. After some time, the spots darken and become covered with bubbles, and seborrheic crusts appear on the head. Another feature of allergic dermatitis is diaper rash, which appear with greater frequency and are difficult to treat.

It is important to remember that at the initial stage allergic dermatitis is easily confused with diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. A distinctive feature of these diseases is transience. So, from the moment of redness to the appearance of ulcers with diathesis rash, days pass, while psoriasis and eczema progress in literally several hours.

When the first signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to consult not only a pediatrician, but also a dermatologist, a gastroenterolog and an allergist. Only an integrated approach will quickly identify the cause of the allergic reaction and alleviate the child’s condition.

How to fight

The occurrence of an allergic rash in an infant from the first days of his life depends largely on the lifestyle of his mother during pregnancy. It is recommended to eat a balanced diet, more often to be in the open air, and also to avoid possible allergens, for example, sharp odors of paint. As a precautionary measure, it is necessary to abandon the use of citrus fruits, chocolate, as well as products that include artificial colors and preservatives. In addition, often cause allergies:

• milk;
• nuts;
• soybean;
• wheat;
• the eggs.

Despite precautions, a rash may still occur. Allergic parents should be prepared for them, especially if the mother and the father have an allergy.

In the event that allergic dermatitis does appear, it should exclude all possible allergens, both food and contact and respiratory. The exact cause of the rash is likely to be established with the help of doctors, but in order to quickly alleviate the condition of the child, you need to think about what can cause allergies and try to get rid of its source yourself.

In most cases, rash in babies occurs due to improper feeding. There is a possibility that children will develop an allergic reaction even to breast milk. This is due to the fact that a woman eats animal milk during her pregnancy or after delivery. Allergies caused by infections or bacteria can also develop when feeding is not hygienic.

In addition, there are a number of other factors that affect the appearance of rashes:

• digestive problems;
• disorders of the intestinal microflora;
• premature introduction of complementary foods and its wrong choice;
• overfeeding;
• ecology.

Drug treatment

Allergic dermatitis can be cured with a complex of drugs of various actions - antihistamines, enterosorbents, as well as topical ointments and remedies for restoring intestinal microflora are needed (the latter is especially important if allergies are associated with digestive disorders and improper nutrition).

Antihistamine (antiallergic) drugs are aimed primarily at relieving allergy symptoms, some have sedative properties, which is useful in case of anxiety of a child due to illness. Enterosorbents remove allergens and toxins from the body. In addition, the appointment of a complex of vitamins is widely practiced, which help the baby’s body to form the enzymes necessary to combat allergies.

On the shelves of pharmacies you can find antihistamines of the first, second or third generation. They differ in their effects on the body. First-generation antihistamines have a sedative and local anesthetic effect, but they have several drawbacks: these drugs are addictive and last for only 3-4 hours.Therefore, babies are advised to give such drugs for no more than 2 weeks, and it is necessary to change the medication so that it does not cause addiction. Second-generation antihistamines do not have a sedative effect, but they are also not addictive, so you can drink them in courses of 2-3 weeks without changing the drug. Another advantage is the duration of action - the second generation of antihistamines are drunk only once every 24 hours. The third-generation drugs contain the active components of the second-generation drugs, so they act faster.

Most often for the treatment of allergic dermatitis in children 1-6 months prescribed the following drugs:

• Fenistil;
• Peritol;
• Avil;
• Pipolfen;
• Suprastin;
• Zyrtec;
• Claritin;
• Elastin.

The most popular drug for topical application is Bepanten. Its effectiveness is explained by the fact that, penetrating into the skin, the active ingredient strengthens it and speeds up recovery. Apply the ointment to a thin layer on all affected areas, you can use it even with allergies in newborns.

The same active ingredient is included in ointments and gels with other trade names: D-Panthenol, Dexpanthenol, Pantoderm.They can also be used in children of any age. These drugs are also used to control diaper rash.

In the arsenal of many parents struggling with allergic dermatitis in children, zinc ointment is also present. First of all, it is used to control diaper rash, but it can also help with rashes that appeared on the skin for other reasons. But it must be applied with caution: the fact is that zinc is also a serious allergen, and the ointment can only worsen the situation with rashes. In addition, it dries the skin, which is certainly useful when pimples and blisters appear, but it is unpleasant when peeling the skin of an infant. If parents decide to apply this remedy in the fight against allergies, it is necessary to treat the skin of the child and moisturizers to avoid drying out.

Folk methods

1. You can deal with the manifestations of an allergic rash with the help of calcium, so many use egg shells for this. Before removing it from a boiled egg, it must be thoroughly washed without the use of cosmetics (it is possible to use soda). The removed shell must be dried (it takes 2-3 days) and grind to a state of powder.This powder is given to children a teaspoon twice a day.
2. A decoction of chamomile or series. These herbs boil for about 15 minutes, then the broth is insisted for another half hour. It is added to the bath before bathing, as a rule, in the evening. The sequence and chamomile relieve itching and inflammation, have a calming effect, which allows the child and his parents to sleep at night.
3. Fir oil. Fir also helps to relieve inflammation, so fir oil is often used to make ointments. To do this, in the cream (for children, with vitamin C), add fir oil (1 to 3). The areas of skin on which allergic dermatitis has appeared are lubricated in the morning and in the evening.

In addition, they use for bathing children who have a rash on their skin, and less available means - for example, decoctions of chicory or viburnum roots. In any case, before self-treatment, the parents of the baby should consult with the doctors.

At first glance, diathesis seems to be a dangerous generalized disease, which is observed in every second child. But having understood the reasons for the appearance of rashes, parents, as a rule, understand that in combating allergies they only need to accurately follow the simple rules for caring for and feeding the child.In the overwhelming majority of cases, this unpleasant disease does not have any serious effect on the life and health of children.

Video: what is diathesis and should it be treated?