Naturopathic approach towards pediatric atopic dermatitis: A case report

Abstract

A 75-day-old male infant presented to the Naturopathy and Yoga Hospital by his mother with complaints of a dry, scaly, and itchy scalp, dry skin, and crying while passing stools for a month. He was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (AD) using the Hanifin–Rajka criteria. The infant has been administered two topical applications on the entire body for ten days using Epsom salt (5 g) (magnesium sulfate) mixed with Aloe vera (15 g), turmeric powder (about 0.6 g) in warm coconut oil. Modifications in the mother’s diet were also advised. The case report shows remarkable changes in the symptoms with a reduction in the scaly patches on the scalp and rashes over the body. Following ten days of intervention, the baby stopped crying while passing stools. On follow-up, 30 days after the discharge, no relapses were reported, and the child was healthy. This case report shows the simple topical application of Epsom salt, coconut oil, Aloe vera, and turmeric combinations in the management of pediatric AD, inferring that, naturopathy interventions can be safe, and cost-effective in managing the AD in infants. However, further large-scale studies are warranted in this area for establishing safety, and efficacy and for large-scale applications in pediatric cases.