Barrier Enhancement for Eczema Prevention

A Randomised Controlled Trial to Determine Whether Application of Emollient From Birth Can Prevent Eczema in High Risk Children.

The primary objective is to determine whether advising parents to apply emollient (moisturiser) to their child's skin for the first year of life in addition to best practice infant skin care advice can prevent or delay the onset of eczema in high-risk children, when compared with a control group who are given the best practice infant skin care advice only.

Inclusion Criteria:

• child has a first degree relative with parental reported doctor diagnosis of eczema, allergic rhinitis or asthma
• child up to 21 days old
• consenting adult has the ability to understand English

Exclusion Criteria:

• preterm birth (defined as birth prior to 37 weeks gestation)
• sibling (including twin) previously randomized to this trial. If multiple births, the first child will be randomized into the trial.
• child has a severe widespread skin condition that would make the detection and/or assessment or eczema difficult
• child has a serious health issue, which, at parent or investigator discretion, would make it difficult for the family to take part in the trial
• any condition that would make the use of emollient inadvisable or not possible