My little girl (15 months) has eczema all over her back, chest and tummy. It first appeared when she was on antibiotics, getting worse with each course of antibiotics that she took for chronic ear infections. (has recently had tubes in her ears, so hoping antibiotics will now be out of the picture) The eczema flares if she eats even the smallest amount of dairy and or eggs. I'm unable to get rid of the current flare up to be sure if there are any other triggers for her eczema. By the end of the day or if we spend any time out in this humid weather she has big red itchy welts all over her and she itches like crazy. We are currently trying Triple cream from the makers of triple paste, it helped in the beginning but does not seem to be helping any more... Do any of you have any suggestions on what could give her some relief? (we are avoiding all dairy and eggs)We do not use any soap other than 'johsons head to toe' to wash her hair every other day which we have always used. I use fragrant free laundry detergent etc.
I also wish to see an allergist to ensure I'm not missing any other allergies, so if you know of a good one who may also help with eczema that would be wonderful.
thanks
M.
Cetaphil and Eucerin are the only options I can offer. Eucerine is more of a vaseline consistency and cetaphil is a lotion. I used to use the cetaphil and then put the eucerine over it. My boys never had is REALLY bad, but this usually kicked it in a few days or so.
Good luck!
Sam
I feel your pain and frustration! My son has the same issues. It started at about 6 months of age and has come and gone since then. He doesn't seem to have a food allergy that we can find, but we made lots of changes. We only bathe him in Dove Sensitive Skin body wash (recommended from our pediatrician...they even gave us a sample). I wash his clothes and bed linens in All free and clear (another sample that worked). We use the steroid cream triamcinolone for flare up spots. We keep him moisturized with Aquaphor or Aveeno sensitive skin lotion. We give him a dose of Zyrtec every night before bed. I am not a fan of giving medicine to my kids, but the pediatrician was insistent that the Zyrtec would make a huge difference and was safe, so we tried it. I think the Zyrtec got his flare ups under control. They are fewer and less severe than before he took the Zyrtec. If he is really itchy I give him Benadryl as needed. Another friend of mine whose daughter has eczema also suggested Stoneyfield Farm organic yogurt. She had read an article that said it had the right cultures to improve eczema. I have been giving him that for about a month or so. He loves yogurt, so why not try that brand (Publix carries it). I don't know if it would work for your little one though with the dairy issues?. I hope this helps. I know it seems like a lot, but once I got used to the change in products...it's no big deal. Whatever keeps his skin flare up free!
I have allergic eczema, but mine developed as an adult. So some of the treatments I do for myself are not recommended for childern of this age.
I can only suggest Aveeno, baths, to help with the itching & maybe even the lotion.
The probiotics are a good idea too- I would recommend Culturelle- which is lactobacillus gg, which is suppose to help with allergies.
Some advocate colostrum as well.
As for allergists, I am only familiar with Drs. Fox & Lockley. I think they are in the USF area. Not sure if they treat peds. I haven't been there in 10 yrs, but I think I saw some kids (not as young as yours) going for testing. Their group is highly regarded in this area.
I would ask for a referral from you ped & see they have a list or a particular Dr. that they recommend
Hi M., I would suggest maybe you try having her tested to see if she has a celiac desease.(1 in 100 people have it and 95% go undiagnosed) Even if she does not have bowel or stomach problems alot of times people have it and go undiagnosed for years. I am not trying to push anything on you but I have a line of toxic free completely organic skin care products that I have my family use and I use the supplements (I have lupus) and it works wonders for me... (that is why I decided to be a distrubutor). Even if you don't tey the product, google celiac desease and read up on it. YOu will be shocked at what you will find. I hope this helps, if you have any questions, just email me. My website is www.toxicfreeliving.net. Take Care and good luck!
I don't have any experience with eczema, but finding out about any allergies is a good idea. I emphatically agree with previous posts about recommending Dr. Richard Lockey. His knowledge, experience, and desire to help people is top-notch. Good luck!
Hi M.,
My baby had eczema since she was 3 months old baby, but we thought it was just dry skin. She would spit up a lot so the doctor change the formula and she kind of stop. It was until a couple months that we found out that she had eczema, and we have been on soo many creams, from the natural ones to the steroids ones. Sometimes something seems to work but stop working after a couple times. We went to an allergist and we found out that she is allergic to: milk, soy, feathers (our pillows had feathers), dust, and mushrooms ( my husband notice that with my wrinkle cream with mushrooms she gets ichy).
We still have to comeback to have her check for more, but since then I have notice how many things have milk/soy.
What I have been doing latley is to wash her with very mild soap like Aquapor (the one you are using may to stronge for her) every other day, and the days I don't use soap I only bath her with Aveeno oatmeal.** I don't use any washcloth, I use only my hand, and I only use warm wather**
I pretty much put tons of aquapor oitment right after the shower almost with her skin wet.
I still use the steroid cream sometimes but only when she has rash that had water like coming out, most times is in her cheeks, and I only use it for 2 days and stop for a while.
I only use 100% cotton clothes. And since she iches a lot, specially the legs, we always have her cover with pans or pijamas, and actually when she is covered she barley iches.
For what I have read eczema sometimes goes away when they grow, but meanwhile is a constant battle.
What I recomend for you is taht first be sure she had eczema and no any other skin problem, they are amny possible skin problems. My baby no to long got a skin infection (eczema babies are very pron to get these) and the rash it looked a like in the beggining but in a couple days stared to grow super fast.
If you are sure that is eczema (after check with your doctor) I recomend to ask your doctor for an allergist (eczema and allergys are most of the time hand by hand), you stop giving her milk but she may is allergic to soy as well or something else and you may don't know it, don't forget to check your creams for milk too. Sometimes even some shapoos/condiccioner.
Keep washing his clothes with fragant free detergent and rinse twice.
** Put lots of of oitment** Keep your baby skin hydrate is very important, but be careful to use a mild specially formulate for eczema cream**
That is all I can think right now.
But sometimes even doing all of this my baby stills gets some rash here and there and is difficult for bolth of us, jjst keep her from scraching as possible.
Take care.
Hi M. - Here is a very good allergy group in Tampa, near USF, that both my daughter (6) & I have been to:
Allergy Asthma & Immunology Associates of Tampa Bay
13801 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33613
http://www.allergytampa.com
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I have friends whose kids have eczema and they haven't been able to find much that works very well (sorry to say)..I know they use Aveeno or other oatmeal based "soaps"...actually real/true soaps they don't use at all and try to give sponge baths as much as possible...they have used some steriod-type (Rx) creams, but say you can't use them too long on such young kids...Best wishes on finding any other allergy triggers for your daughter...be sure to mention the antibiotics that triggered the bad flare ups also..to the doctors.
K.
