For medical professionals only
What is "milk ringworm"?
The baby was born white and tender, every day is not to eat or sleep, this has not been appreciated for a long time, the face suddenly appeared spots of red rash, scattered or dense together, some also flowed sticky yellow water, dry when it formed a yellow scab.
The elders say that this is "milk ringworm", don't worry, it will disappear on its own!
"Milk ringworm"? Is it related to milk?
But adults have ringworm itchy, can children not be uncomfortable?
I believe that many people think that the baby has "milk ringworm" and drinking milk can not be related.
In fact, it is not, milk ringworm is caused by many reasons, when the mother usually pays a little attention to it can recover on its own, but when it is more serious, it is necessary to go to the hospital as soon as possible for medical treatment, look for the cause of the trigger, and treat it in time.
Today we will talk about, what is "milk ringworm"? Why do I get "milk ringworm"? How do we prevent and respond?
The so-called "milk ringworm" is not really ringworm due to skin infection, but infantile eczema.
Known as "infant eczema" in Western medicine, modern medicine believes that pediatric eczema is an allergic skin disease, not contagious, is a common disease in infants and young children, multiple diseases, the incidence of up to 13.3% to 35.28%. Most of them begin in January to February after birth and disappear within 1 to 2 years. It usually appears on both sides of the baby's cheeks, forehead, eyebrows, scalp and other parts, and in severe cases, the trunk and limbs may also appear, and the baby may have symptoms of irritability, and even affect sleep and eating.
With the improvement of people's living standards and changes in lifestyle, eating habits, physical differences and environment, the incidence of infant eczema has increased in recent years.
What causes "milk ringworm"?
The causes of the baby's milk are very complex, and it is generally believed that the causes include both internal and external factors.
▌ Internal factors
heredity
Heredity is one of the main factors that cause allergies to ringworm in your baby's.
If one of the parents has a history of allergies. The likelihood of your child developing allergies increases to 20% to 40%. And if both parents have had the same history of allergies, the probability of your baby having allergies can be as high as 80%.
Babies with allergies are more likely to have milk ringworm, especially babies in infancy, the cuticle of the skin during this period is relatively thin, the capillary network is rich, and the endothelium contains more water and chloride, and is more sensitive to various stimuli, so it is easy to allergic reactions.
Improper diet
For non-breastfed babies, food allergens are the most common cause of allergies in your baby.
Common food allergens: dairy products, poultry eggs, seafood and aquatic products, soybeans and soy products, certain grains, nuts, fruits, certain meats and their meat products, as well as preservatives, condiments, color additives, etc.
For breastfed babies, breast milk is generally not the cause of "milk ringworm" in the baby.
But if the mother eats foods that are easy to cause allergies to the baby, such as sea fish, shrimp, crab and other seafood. These sensitizing substances can enter your child's body through milk and induce allergies or exacerbate allergy symptoms. These foods, which are high in protein, can easily cause allergies in your baby.
Therefore, breastfeeding mothers, pay attention to their diet.
Never blindly stop breastfeeding. Breast milk is the best natural food for babies, not only rich in nutrients, easy to digest and absorb, but also contains a large amount of immunoglobulins in breast milk, which can enhance infant immunity, improve the body's disease resistance, promote the growth and development of children, and is irreplaceable by any other food.
Skin barrier
The occurrence of eczema is closely related to the skin's lack of water retention ability, and the epidermal layer of normal skin contains enough silk polypolyrin, which can lock moisture into the skin very well.
However, for small babies, the skin is not mature compared to the composition, and the silk polyglobin capacity is not as good as that of adults, so it will lead to insufficient skin moisture, which in turn will lead to eczema.
▌ External factors
Different babies are allergic to different substances.
External irritations: wool products, plants (various plant pollen), chemicals (skin care products, toiletries, detergents, etc.), chemical fiber articles, animal leather and feathers;
Pathological factors: viral or bacterial infections, pinworms;
Environmental factors: sunlight exposure, high temperature or cold, improper dress.
These are all common factors that may cause allergies in your baby and are also common factors that can cause the occurrence of milk ringworm. Therefore, parents of baby milk ringworm must look for causes in many ways, so that they can effectively avoid the occurrence of diseases.
How to treat "milk ringworm"?
For mild eczema, it is more important to keep your baby's skin clean and dry.
Like after your baby sweats during exercise, wipe the sweat carefully.
Like the current dry winter and spring seasons, when the baby bathes, warm water and non-alkaline bath liquid should be used, and the bath liquid must be rinsed clean, paying special attention to the folds of the baby's skin. After washing, apply some anti-sensitive, non-oily moisturizer to your baby to keep the skin breathing normally.
However, if eczema is obvious, it is best to go to the hospital to see first, and you can reasonably choose and use hormonal ointments of different strengths under the guidance of a doctor.
Do not believe in all kinds of eczema ointments with unknown compositions sold on the market, because bad merchant ointments often deceive patients under the banner of "pure natural" and "harmless Chinese herbal medicine", and do not know that they contain a variety of unknown and harmful ingredients.
How to effectively prevent "milk ringworm"?
According to the cause of eczema, it is effectively prevented from diet, clothing, bathing, environment and other aspects.
▌ Feeding aspect
Stick to breastfeeding, and if a mom eats a certain food that causes her baby to develop eczema, it is recommended to avoid it for now. Non-breastfed babies should avoid exposure to allergenic foods!
▌ Clothing
The baby's intimate clothing and bedding must be cotton, and the collar of the coat is preferably cotton.
Baby's clothes should be loose, light and soft, and appropriately wear less, overheating, sweating will produce eczema or make eczema worse, clothes change frequently, keep the child's body dry.
▌ Bathing
Do not wash your child's face and bathe with hot water and soap, and ensure an appropriate frequency of bathing (it is recommended not to exceed 3 times a week). It is recommended to use warm water and acidic toiletries to clean the skin and avoid cross-infection.
▌ Environment
The temperature in the room should not be too high, regular ventilation, and should not be carpeted, it is best not to have pets.
When cleaning your baby's room, it is best to use a wet towel or vacuum cleaner to treat dust and avoid dust.
▌ Don't be afraid of hormones
Eczema is a skin inflammation, and the most effective anti-inflammatory drug is hormones, so if necessary, follow the advice of a doctor and use hormone ointments rationally under the guidance of a doctor.
Your baby's skin is very delicate, and if you are not careful, you will have various problems.
The above sharing, I hope that all parents will learn to escort the baby's skin health together!
Source of this article: Pediatrician Hu Liang
Author: Hu Liang
Editor-in-Charge: CiCi