The contact dermatitis (also known as irritative) is a picture in which the skin reacts to a substance that comes into contact with it. It is a very frequent picture that can be seen at any age, but that is easier to see in young children and especially in infants, since in addition to having thinner and sensitive skin, it can be produced by substances such as saliva.
This baby allergy It can be seen at any age, although it is easier to see in younger children. In fact, one of the most frequent and known varieties of contact dermatitis is diaper dermatitis, very typical of infants.
It consists of a skin response that occurs as a result of more or less prolonged contact with a substance that triggers the irritation. Many times the most complicated part lies in locating the substance that is producing the picture, since they can be very varied and also tend to be in common use, such as soaps, creams, sweat or even the child's own saliva.
Causes
It seems that the origin of contact or irritative dermatitis is genetic, that is, it is inherited from parents to children, being very frequent that there are people in the family who suffer or have suffered this frequent condition. The mechanism by which dermatitis occurs is an allergic response in the skin, which is generated by coming into contact with any of the substances that cause the reaction.
This response may be immediate, but sometimes it can take hours. This makes it very difficult in these cases to find out what is causing the reaction in the child.
Symptoms of contact dermatitis
When the child's skin comes into contact with the substances that cause irritation, it generates a reaction that can manifest itself in several ways. The usual is the presence of an eczema-like lesion, that is, an intense red spot and inflamed, which can itch or bother. Sometimes this area may be accompanied by other lesions, such as papules (small over-elevations of the skin) or vesicles (small lesions of a lighter color since they contain small amounts of fluid).
The greatest risk of these injuries is that the child will be superinfected by the effect of scratching, since they usually itch a lot.
In infants it is very common to see that the reaction occurs in the face, by the effect of saliva, or in the fold zones, as in the diaper area. In the older children They can be seen almost anywhere, although the most frequent are the hands.
Contact dermatitis treatment
The most important is eliminate contact with the substance that produces the allergic reaction, although this can be very complicated. The fact that the skin reaction can occur several hours after contact with the substance sometimes makes it very difficult to know which one is producing it.
In the event that acute outbreaks occur, the child usually benefits from the use of compresses with cold water, some mild moisturizers or even corticosteroid creams. In more severe cases it may be necessary for the child to take corticosteroids even by mouth. Any of these treatments should always be prescribed by the Pediatrician.
