According to a recent study in the UK, 1 out of every 5 children can be diagnosed with eczema and in Australia it's thought that at least 1 in 4 suffer the condition.

These statistics are much higher than they have been in previous years and the rise in eczema cases has specialists and parents wondering just what’s happening. While there are many theories on why so many kids are having allergy and other sensitivity issues, there are no solid findings just yet. The one good thing to come out of the rise in eczema cases is that it is now finally getting the attention it deserves from the medical community and we’re sure to start seeing more research and investigation into the causes and cures for this frustrating illness.

One of the first questions that many parents ask when their child is diagnosed with eczema is ‘why?’ Every parent wants to understand how their child got eczema and what they can do to solve the problem. While no two cases are the same, there are some theories as to what starts the eczema cycle off.

Eczema and Genetics

Many specialists believe that eczema is a purely hereditary issue that is passed down, possibly as a recessive issue, from parents to children. If this is the case it means that there are no environmental factors involved with eczema and that kids are simply born with the illness right from the beginning. This theory used to be one of the most popular but many people have opposing theories due to issues of late development eczema and some folks finding ways to control the issue.

Eczema and Environment

Another popular theory is that issues of pollution, environmental toxins, and even seasonal shifts could be what’s behind eczema. If a child is born with sensitivity to certain environmental allergens or toxins, a bad interaction could be all it takes to start the cycle of eczema inflammation, irritation, and sensitivity.

Eczema and Food

While this doesn’t explain the eczema cases in newborn babies, food is thought to be the trigger for many eczema cases. Most people with any kind of allergy or skin sensitivity known that food can start a flare up if they aren’t careful, but there’s a chance that some eczema cases are actually based in an original food issue that starts the inflammation or allergen cycle.

Eczema and Other Illnesses

A trending idea is that eczema has its root in other illnesses that are very hard to detect and diagnose. The most popular theory is that eczema actually begins with an issue in the gut where the immune system has its headquarters. Many people have found that adding probiotics and prebiotics to their child’s diet and treating them as though they have a G.I. issue and immune issue seems to take the eczema problems away. Chances are that digestion, nutrient assimilation, and immunity will be where new research focuses its attention.

As you can see there are a variety of ideas about what causes eczema and why it’s on the rise in our children these days. We join every parent who has a child with eczema in looking forward to new research and finding healthy and effective solutions!