Eczema is more common in children than adults, affecting about 1 in 5 children under the age of 2. It usually gets better with age, but it never fully goes away. The skin of people who suffer from eczema is different. It doesn’t retain water as well as it should, which makes it difficult to retain the proper moisture, leading to painful dry skin.
Gluten and eczema in babies
Infants can start showing the dry, red, itchy symptoms of eczema as early as six weeks. As the child grows and learns how to scratch, the skin can become even more red and irritated.
There is some debate about whether or not there is a relationship between food and infant eczema. In some cases, infants with eczema will have immediate allergic reactions to some foods, including foods with gluten. Work with a specialised allergist and dietitian to determine if a specific food is causing flare-ups. Most children will outgrow eczema by the time they are 5.
Gluten and eczema
Eczema flare-ups don’t have one single cause, but there is research to suggest that gluten might be a trigger for some people. Even people who don’t have coeliac can have gluten-sensitivity or gluten-intolerance, which can lead to symptoms like digestive issues, brain fog, and skin irritations, including eczema.
Is gluten causing my eczema?
Gluten can’t cause eczema, since eczema is a skin disease. However, gluten can, in some cases, mitigate the symptoms of eczema and reduce the amount of flare ups you experience.
A recent study found that people who had eczema and went on a gluten-free diet had clearer skin and reduced symptoms a month later. In some cases, people are suffering from gluten-intolerance. In others, they are suffering from coeliac disease. In fact, there is research that suggests coeliac and eczema are closely related, which means many people who suffer from one also suffer from the other. It can be worth getting tested for coeliac disease if you have eczema.
Gluten and eczema flare
Trying a gluten-free diet for a month or longer won’t hurt you, and it might even help your eczema symptoms. Talk to your doctor, and make sure you stick to a strict gluten-free diet so you can determine whether or not it is helping your eczema symptoms. For more information on eczema, contact us today.
