If you have ever suffered from eczema, you know that it can be a painful, itchy condition, often leaving open sores. But now, there may be a way to avoiding this inconvenient and painful skin condition in children.
The amount of microbial bacteria an infant is exposed to in the first week of life can actually impact the development of the skin condition, eczema. Infants with diverse gut microbia were less likely to experience eczema later in life.
“The ones who had eczema, way back when they were only seven days old, had fewer bugs and less faeces and uneven expression of the bugs in their gut [than those who didn’t develop eczema],” she said.
“This suggests that altering the mix and amount of bacteria in our guts in early life could be an effective approach to the prevention of eczema, especially for those with an increased risk of developing allergic disease.” (source)
Contributing factors to the diversity of an infant’s gut microbia include whether the baby was born vaginally or via cesarean, breastfed or formula fed, and whether or not the mother received antibiotics.
