Margaret Cox, chief executive of the National Eczema Society, advised parents not to bath their baby daily because water and detergents have a drying effect on their delicate skin.
Ms Cox said that washing habits over the past 50 years, along with central heating and other environmental factors, have conributed to an increase in eczema.
She recommended that parents follow advice from NHS Direct that babies be fully bathed two or three times a week, and be washed 'top to tail' every day.
Ms Cox said that there was a lot of confusion over whether children with or without eczema should be bathed every day. She said those with the condition should be bathed each night using an emollient in warm water, which helps trap moisture and reduces the occurrence of broken skin that attracts bacteria.
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