Kids' Health Kids' Skin Health Eczema Triggers and Allergic Reactions in Children By Vincent Iannelli, MD Vincent Iannelli, MD Facebook Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Iannelli has cared for children for more than 20 years. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 03, 2022 Medically reviewed by Daniel Combs, MD Medically reviewed by Daniel Combs, MD Daniel Combs, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine and pediatrics. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Since eczema normally comes and goes and many children can go days or weeks with clear skin, it can be difficult to figure out what is triggering these kinds of eczema outbreaks. grinvalds / Getty Images Eczema and Food Allergies Although the role of food allergies and eczema is controversial, there is no good reason why a lactose-free formula would help a child's eczema. If a child did have an allergy to a baby formula, it would likely be to either the milk proteins or soy proteins and not to lactose, which is a sugar. The lactose-free formula may have improved other symptoms, such as gas, fussiness, or diarrhea, but it is unlikely that it would have made his eczema better, so that may have been a coincidence. If you really think that your baby's formula, including a milk-based and soy formula, is making his eczema worse, then you might talk to your pediatrician about trying a hypoallergenic formula, such as Nutramigen or Alimentum. Allergy testing, using an allergy skin test blood test like the Immunocap, could be another option. It is thought that "In some sensitized patients, particularly infants and young children, food allergens can induce urticarial lesions, itching, and eczematous flares, all of which may aggravate AD (atopic dermatitis)." Other Eczema Triggers Keep in mind that many experts still do not believe that food allergies are a big trigger for eczema, though, so most parents should not go out of their way to restrict their child's diet without talking to their pediatrician first. Of course, if your child's eczema gets worse every time you give your child something to eat or drink, then it likely is a trigger for him and you should avoid it and talk to your pediatrician about food allergies. Up to 30% of eczema patients have food allergy and will develop symptoms such as hives, itching, eczema , respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms when expose or consume food they are allergic to. The most common food allergens that cause skin reactions are milk, egg, soy, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, fish and shellfish. You could also see your pediatrician and review our guide to eczema to make sure you are doing everything you can to control and prevent your child's eczema by avoiding triggers and using moisturizers and topical steroids, etc. Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Effective therapy of childhood atopic dermatitis allays food allergy concerns. Thompson MM - J Am Acad Dermatol - 01-AUG-2005; 53(2 Suppl 2): S214-9 National Institutes of Allergy and In. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-sponsored Expert Panel. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. December 2010. Volume 126, Issue 6, Supplement, Pages S1–S58 By Vincent Iannelli, MD Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Iannelli has cared for children for more than 20 years. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit