Dermatitis and Nutrition

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By Natural Health+

Dermatitis and Nutrition

Dermatitis refers to the condition of severe itching and inflamed skin. It is also referred to as atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema. It is a disease common in children.

Symptoms

It could be manifested by skin irritation and skin rashes. Children with dermatitis are also irritable and easily upset.

The symptoms of dermatitis may also include skin lesions and other allergic diseases like hay fever or asthma.

Causes

One third of all children with atopic dermatitis have food allergy. It could also be hereditary. Children with a parent who has atopic dermatitis has a 40% chance of getting the disease. This likelihood increases to 67% if both parents have atopic dermatitis.

Environmental factors also play a role in the development of dermatitis. These include physical stress, infections and allergens such as food, pollen, house dust and animal hair. Extreme excitation brought about by special events can trigger disease relapses or might even aggravate the symptoms.

Natural Treatments

There is no universal diet for atopic dermatitis. Each patient is given specific dietary recommendations by their doctor to suit the age and particular medical history of the patient. As a general rule however, avoid eggs, poultry and chocolate because they aggravate the conditions of the disease.

The occurrence of dermatitis can be prevented by removing allergy triggers in the diet. If the patient already suffers from dermatitis, do not give them citrus fruits and hot spices. These foods contain substances that aggravate the itchiness of the skin affected with dermatitis.