Supporting childhood eczema from within: insights from a healthcare professional

Supporting childhood eczema from within: insights from a healthcare professional

Managing Eczema

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis (AD), is a common skin condition that affects around 1 in 3 Australian children.¹ Managing eczema in babies and children can be overwhelming for families, as flare-ups often cause itching, discomfort and sleepless nights for all. This can lead to parents trying many treatment options to help their little one’s cope with the irritating symptoms.

Eczema symptoms typically involve a breakdown of the skin barrier. As such, most available treatments focus on repairing the skin barrier with topical creams and ointments. However, in addition to these treatments, have you ever thought of supporting eczema symptoms from within?

The Atopic March

Before exploring the role of gut health, it’s important to first understand how eczema fits into the broader picture of allergic conditions.

Eczema may be the beginning of a longer journey with allergic conditions for some children. The Atopic March, also known as the Allergic March, refers to the progression of allergic diseases as they develop during infancy and childhood.² The Atopic March generally begins with eczema as a baby, and may progress to food allergies, asthma and hay fever.²

Early intervention is key for supporting infants and children with eczema, with the aim of relieving symptoms and lowering the risk of developing further allergies.⁴ While not every baby with eczema will go on to develop other allergies, being aware of the association between eczema and allergy is motivation to manage skin symptoms effectively from early on.

The gut-skin connection

It is well-known that eczema is influenced by genetics and environmental factors, but it’s not just the skin that’s affected. Many parents are unaware of the important connection between the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria in the gut) and the skin. This connection is known as the gut-skin axis.

Gut dysbiosis, which is an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in the gut, is common in many infancy disorders and allergic conditions, including eczema and asthma.^5,6 Another common feature of an ‘eczema gut’ is a weakened gut lining, or ‘leaky gut’, which can affect overall gut health.⁷ Improving gut balance and gut lining may help to alleviate eczema symptoms and lower the risk of developing further allergies.^6,8

Prebiotics and probiotics: can they help?  

Both prebiotics and probiotics are beneficial for the development of a healthy infant gut microbiome. They provide support with beneficial gut flora in different ways.

Prebiotics are mostly found in foods. They are essentially fibres that pass into the large intestine where they feed gut bacteria. There are many different foods that provide prebiotics, however there is a very special group of prebiotics that exist naturally in breast milk.

These special prebiotics are called human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and they provide significant benefits on both gut health and immunity. Over 200 varieties have been identified, with 2’-FL (2’-fucosyllactose) being the most abundant throughout all stages of breastfeeding.^9,10

2’-FL HMO exclusively feeds good gut bacteria, providing a positive impact on the digestive health of infants and children.¹¹

In addition to HMOs, probiotics, which are live good gut bacteria, provide numerous benefits for gut health and the management of eczema. Similar to prebiotics, probiotics play a versatile role in restoring balance in the gut.¹²

Benefits of probiotics include:

• Supporting immunity¹²
• Decreased intestinal inflammation^12-14
• Gut barrier function and gut health^12,13,15
• Decreased incidence and severity of mild eczema symptoms.⁶

In particular, probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG®) and Bifidobacterium BB-12 (BB-12®) have shown positive effects on helping to relieve mild eczema symptoms, including itchy skin. ^13,16-19

A combination of both prebiotics and probiotics, known as synbiotics, have shown positive results by providing even greater support for eczema symptoms than if used alone.²⁰ This can help to reduce the risk of developing further allergic conditions, therefore slowing the progression of the Atopic March.²¹

Conclusion

Managing eczema in infancy and childhood can be a bumpy journey, but understanding the role of gut health and the Atopic March provides you with the knowledge and tools to support your child. If your child has eczema, or there is eczema or allergy in the family, taking early steps via a gut-led approach may help to reduce the risk or severity of eczema.  

Options which include clinically proven probiotics and prebiotics may assist with the health of the skin from within by restoring the balance of the gut microbiome. Together, through targeted gut microbiome support, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics can help to support your family’s eczema journey and help to reduce the risk of developing further allergies.

Written by Andrea Owen, Accredited Practising Dietitian & Medical Affairs Specialist, Biostime® Supplements 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is general in nature and does not constitute professional medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional for advice tailored to your individual needs.

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References

1. Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Eczema management – Clinical Practice Guidelines. https://www.rch.org.au/rchcpg/hospital_clinical_guideline_index/eczema_management/
   Cited 12/12/25.
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