Eczema affects many children early in life. Typically developed within the first two years of birth, eczema treatment and prevention methods are frequent research topics for concerned parents.
Probiotics are often considered. Typically, mothers will supplement with probiotic-rich foods in the last few weeks of pregnancy, or while breastfeeding. Additionally, prenatal probiotic supplements, or baby food with added probiotics, are readily available products.
Unfortunately, support for probiotics as an effective eczema treatment in ordinary patient populations is limited. One of the most recent comprehensive meta-analyses of probiotic use in the treatment of eczema concluded that, as of now, more research is required before experts can conclude the effectiveness of probiotic treatment in normal populations. Furthermore, the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), has yet to find compelling support for probiotic use to treat existing eczema.
The news for parents of children with a higher-than-normal risk for eczema development, however, is more promising. Eczema patients suffering from an abnormal level of biotic flora have frequently seen an improvement in symptoms with the addition of probiotic supplements. After several years of studies using various types and dosages, the first comprehensive study on dose-controlled application of probiotics was commenced in 2009.
A significant reduction in eczema symptoms through probiotic use was observed. While eczema symptoms were recorded in 23 percent of the control group, only 6 percent of the probiotic group encountered the same symptoms. Additionally, the study also observed a long-term reduction in the incidence of eczema, measured at 2 years of age.
A successive 2012 study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology confirmed these observations. In this study, of 241 mother-infant pairs, reduction in eczema development in high-risk infants was confirmed for breastfeeding mothers supplemented with probiotics 2 months prior to delivery, and continued through the first 2 months of breastfeeding.
In conclusion, probiotic supplementation does appear to be an effective option for parents of newborns with a higher than normal risk of developing eczema symptoms. Unfortunately, studies performed on normal populations have failed to establish a clear link between probiotic use and a reduction in symptoms. However, this area of research is relatively new, and further investigation into probiotic treatments could very well uncover a new area of possible treatments for sufferers of eczema.
If you or a loved one is seeking relief from eczema, Hopes Relief offers a variety of safe and effective products for the treatment of eczema symptoms.