Advise for Toddler with Eczema

I did not read ALL the responses, but Vanicream lotion is what my pediatrician recommended along with using Dove soap for bathtime. The scent free Dove soap. My daughter had it so bad that Benedryl was no longer working so the doctor prescribed an antihistamine (sp?) and a steriod topical ointment since the hydrocortisone was also weak. Hope this helps.

Hi Olga,

My son had eczema when he was a baby. I tried barley water and it worked well. Boil barley with big amount of water like you are making soup, with no salt or any kind of spice. Then you can either let him drink the liquid, or use it to mix his baby formula with, or simply rub the barley water in the infected area.

Good luck,

T. L.

Hi Olga. I would recommend paying attention to any other perfumes or cleaning products that she might come in contact with. Do you use and fabric softener, dryer sheets or wear perfumes? These can also contribute to eczema. Lubriderm or aveeno baby cream are probably the safest cream you can use. I don't agree with recommendations that mentioned Vaseline product (event Intensive care) or Safguard soap (too perfumy). Many times creams and lotions will cause the eczema to break out. I am an adult & still can't use most lotions. I have been prescribed many creams, but they either did not help or just helped briefly with inflammation. I am careful with cleaning products in my home and avoid most lotions. Hope this feedback helps.

HI Olga, I'm sorry to hear about the eczema flaring up! Melaleuca has a lotion called renew that was designed for newborns and up w/ eczema. I know of a little kid who's eczema looked like alligator skin, and this renew lotion healed him!They also have natural safe shampoo and body wash for kids, among alot of other great products.Everything is guareented and risk free. check out www.melaleuca.com You have to be a member to buy from them, it saves you $$, you get free products, (the lotion is one of them the 1st month), and you earn $$ on your purchases. I hope this helps. If you don't find anything let me know and I will try to get a trail size and send it to you! ANy questions let me know! Happy Holidays

I make a product called Rash Relief in my therapeutic product line that is very effective in calming eczema and other skin problems. Please take a look at my website or email me if you'd like more information. It's the most effective topical I've found to treat chronic skin conditions and is one of the most popular products in my line.

We put my brother in soft cotton as much as possible. You could try putting her in an olt t-shirt to sleep since most PJ's are synthetic and can cause the rash to become worse at night.

Aquaphor clears up my toddler's ecszema every time, usually with one application. I get it at Babies R Us, Longs or Walgreens. Target doesn't carry it. I just ordered the jumbo tub of Aquaphor because it works so well!

I was born with eczema and have had pscoriasis as well. I always treat with vitamin e oil. I take the Shaklee brand vitamin e capsules and poke a hole in them and drain it directly onto skin. YOu can Go to Shaklee.com to find a local distributor.

Hi Olga,

I've been using Aquaphor, it is an over the counter ointment that is clear so when I put it on my son's bum, it does not turn his undies white like diaper rash creams do. It is extremely effective on his eczema, however his is not severe. It is great for lips, skin, and much more. You can find it in the lotion section of the grocery store, I got it at Target in the lotion section. I think it is definitely worth a try!!
good luck,
K.

My doctor told me not to use any baby shampoos or lotions because they have too many chemicals (go figure). He suggested using original selson blue (dandruff shampoo) and plain dove soap. As for lotion I've heard to use vasoline intensive care lotion or aveeno. If the doctor thinks the bath is going to spread the rash, maybe a shower would be better since she won't be sitting in the water.

Just keep with the lotion and also try to get sunlight on it. That will help it as well. My 4 month old has it on her face and the doctor said just lotion, lotion and more lotion will help it.

Hi Olga,
My son has always had eczema also(he's now 3 years old). I took him to a dermatologist back in july and she suggested a cream for him that really works (I've used a lot of different creams and lotions and nothing worked on him before)! It's called Cerave cream. Make sure you get the cream in the tub and not the lotion because cream will give your daughter's skin more moisture. They only sell it at Walgreens. This product has been amazing that I've recommended to my friends who have kids with eczema and they seem to all get great results! I haven't had to use any steroid ointment that I was constantly using on him ever since I started using this cream on him (he hasn't had any flare ups!). His skin is amazingly smooth and he never ever complains of his skin being itchy (he used to wake up scratching or he had hard time falling asleep before because his skin was so itchy). Also, the lavender oatmeal soap bar from trader joe's seems to be gentle so that's what I use to wash his skin. Cerave does have a gentle skin wash so you may want to try that too. Has your daughter had allergy testing? I know that a lot of kids with eczema have flare ups when they are exposed to an allergen. I've had allergy testing for my son and he really isn't allergic to anything. I think it's the dry air that irritates his skin. I hope this helps!

Y.

I use aquaphore- it is really thick and I put in one about 3 times per day- usually when dressing- after nap and before bed- it will get all over, but it works. When my kids were still waking up at night I would sometimes give them Benadryll to stop the itching and let them sleep until the flare ups went away. I got several prescriptions including an antibiotic. This has nothing to do with the immune system. Good luck!

You might try washing her with safeguard soap. It helped my neice.
J.

My family has a long history with eczema. We found Sarna helps a lot. It may take a few weeks for the patch to clear up but be consistent with it and does help to relieve the itch almost immediately. Aquaphor also helps when we notice a new patch starting to flare up.

have you had her tested for food allergies? one of our daughters' eczema has improved tremendously after we had her tested for allergies and discovered she was allergic to eggs.

When my son was little the doctor didn't want to do allergy testing. He told me to remove certain food groups from his diet to see if that helped. He suggest eggs, nuts, wheat, diary, and I know that there are more but that is all I remember. We started with the easier ones (nuts in his case because he was only one and we hadn't really started him on them) and then moved to the harder ones. We tried discovered that it was wheat in his case. I he eats any he starts to break out almost instantly. When we avoid it, like we have for the last 3 years his eczema goes away completely. We have tried indroducing it but every time we do he flares again.

My son has eczema and I found a lotion (they also make a shampoo/body wash) from Medula called Stelatopia. It works really well. My son never scratches anymore! Its kinda of expensive but its worth it! Good luck.

my 14 months had eczema when she was borned, and i myself had eczema when i was pregnant with her. i understand the pain. for myself, i went to the specialist and treat with cream with steriod. for my girl, her doctor recommended us use Alveeno or Cetaphil. so, i use Alveeno lotion and Cetaphil cleanser. also, i use Dove soap for her cloth, i hand wash her cloth and try not put it in the washer. her skin is normal now, but i keep using those brand ever since.
Good luck,
and Merry Christmas.

Hi. My son had eczema starting when he was 18mo.old. They told me to use Cetaphil to wash him, and the water had to be barely warm, not hot. I also got some Aquphor (sp?)per their recommendation from the drug store and put that on him after his bath. The other thing they said to use if I didn't want to use Aquphor was Eucerin lotion. That worked pretty well too. Turned out he was having allergic reactions to certain food combinations, so you might want to take him to an allergist. He is 9 now and has grown out of 95% of his allergies and he doesn't get the eczema very often. His feet crack sometimes and we have prescription for that, but you probably won't have to do that until he is older. Good luck!

Hi Olga, I wanted to respond to your dilemma because I completely sympathize with your daughter. I am 33 years old and have had eczema since I was 3 months old and have been seeing dermatologists regularly my whole life. What has worked well for me that I would recommend is that you not use the Dreft laundry soap or the Johnson's baby wash or shampoo (Unless you are using the one's made for sensitive skin). Most all of the "baby" products out there have fragrance and dyes that can be so painful to sensitive skin. Be sure to read labels to make sure there is no fragrance. Also, keeping bath time short is helpful because the longer she is in the water the dryer her skin will be. I know it is not always easy with a toddler, but a shower instead of a bath is nice because it allows you to completely rinse off any soap products used. And immediately after she gets out of the tub or shower and lightly towels off, put on a good lotion such as Cetaphil or Aveeno Daily Moisturizing lotion all over. These are tips that if you use consistently should help over time, and will help your daughter develop habits that will help her cope with her eczema. I sincerely hope this advice helps her skin be a little less uncomfortable.

Good for you for changing detergents, that is a good start. However, Dreft is still full of perfumes and chemicals. I would suggest giving the Melaleuca MelaPower a try. It is gentile enough for your entire family and is biodegradable. I use it on my little ones with great success. My oldest, now three, was having problems with alergic reactions and skin rashes and changing laundry soap as well as the products I was using on her worked wonders. I would also suggest stopping the J&J soap, for a number of reasons, but one, it is very drying. Give the Melaleuca Kola Palls bath products a try as well as Renew lotion. The Renew is wonderful for eczema as well as diaper rash. If you have any other questions about these products, please let me know - ____@____.com

Hi Olga.

I know just what you are going through. My daughter suffers from the same thing. Her doctor suggested that we give her showers with Aveno body soap, which actually helped a lot. She also prescribed a topical solution called Elidel(sp?) We put that on her 2x a time when needed. If it's not flared up, we don't use it. In addition she gets Benedryl(or the generic equivalent) to help control the itching. We have had this routine since right before she turned three. We were very diligent about it. Now, with it being under control, we have been able to go back to using just one liquid soap for the whole family with no issues. If she flares up, we'll go back to using the Aveno.

God Bless.

Dear Olga,

My name is A. I am orignaly from Spain.
I have study with one of the very top leading companies of skin care product there.
They are a family with a lot of integrity and honesty.

For the condition that you mention I treat my own child with 3 things a wonderful Gel for the bath that is created for very very sensitive skins and also Dermatittis Atopica. It leaves the skin like real silk.
Baths do tend to irritate more the condition for the understanding that was giving to me.
Water has clorine and also small amount of micro irritant salts.

So I try when the condition is active to limit baths.

The two other products are :

A wonderfull cream made of a plant call sanguinaria (for itchiness, inflamation etc.
It works Great, and the second one is a very pure cream that has among other things of Calendula.
After the initial rash comes a dryeness that the second cream provides a very deep and quick hidration.

Foods to avoid that make the conditon flare up:
Chocolate,bananas,strawberries,spices,caffeine,nuts.fried foods,shell fish and for the adults wine.

I have this products available and also you could check their web site www.paquitaors.com.

I have been importing the products for ten years, they have products for all kind of conditions.

Let me know if you need any help, the creams that the doctors often recommed if they are cortison they tend to weaken the skin's defenses.

Good luck

A.

My daughter is 6 and has eczema since she was around 2. There are 3 things I have used that work wonders and you can get them all VERY CHEAP at vitacost.com. One is called Florasone,

********Relieves itching, eczema, inflammation, and rashes
Natrual homeopathic, fast acting, pleasant to use, non-greasy--absorbs quickly, no animal testing, no animal by-products. Florasone™ is the first natural alternative to cortisone creams and ointments to be introduced in the United States. It contains 10% tincture of Cardiospermum, a flowering tropical vine that has been used as a medicine in India and Africa for centuries. Brought into modern medicine by one of our sister companies in Europe, Florasone has been prescribed by European skin specialists and family doctors for years.
If you suffer from itching/inflammation from eczema, rashes, dry skin, or allergies, Florasone is the first medicine you should try. Clinically proven, Florasone provides relief in better than 80% of the cases. Florasone is safe and effective, and has a pleasant, natural fragrance.
Indications:
For the temporary relief of itching and inflammation associated with minor skin irritations and rashes due to eczema, soaps, detergents, cosmetics and jewelry.

Ingredients: Active ingredient (HPUS, Class N): Cardio spermum tincture 10%.******************

There were times it stung a bit and I would follow it up immediately with emu oil and then it was fine. the last is primrose oil. All 3 of these have proven effective, and you will notice a big difference if you eliminate refined sugar from her diet also.

HI Olga,
We have a 4 year old who has had skin problems since she was about a year old. This is what has worked for us.

We use only "free" laundry detergent... Arm & Hammer makes one or another one that has worked for us has been Ecos from Costco. We do not use dryer sheets or fabric softener (although the Ecos has one built in) and we don't use any stain remover products. We only use Aveeno baby wash body and shampoo and have used this since she was a baby. We also put on lotion when she gets out of the bath. Burt's Bees has worked well for us. If she is having a particularly bad itch we use an old fashioned remedy of oatmeal bath. (Just put about a cup of oats... not instant... in a sock or knee high, tie it up and throw it in the water.)

We also only use cotton pjs. Our daughter gets hot when she sleeps and polyester seems to exacerbate her itching especially at night.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

My sister has Exzema- bad since childhood. They told my mom not to bathe her too often, and she had it soooo bad. As a teen she realized bathing made it better!

My daughter was born with exzema, and also got a molloscum type rash. dr said she had a BAD case of exzema. I started treating her for Candida (she was born with thrush) and that treatment got rid of the exzema for good.
Nystatin is what i used but over the counter things that work for Candida is caprylic acid, raw coconut oil- ingested, oregano oil, and Cod Liver oil.

The lady that said the skin was a detox organ is on the mark.

B6 deficiency will cause exzema!!!!!

Hi Olga,

My son was born with eczema and I found that the Aveeno Baby line is the only thing that works to clear it up. I lotion him every day and use the dark blue thick lotion for his face. When he has really bad flare up in certain places I use the Aveeno Hydro Cortisone Cream for that particular spot and it is clear in two days. Good Luck!

My son had eczema bad when he was a baby, he is now 3 years old and still breaks out every now and then on his face. I still use Baby Aveeno Daily Moisture lotion, and also the Aveeno baby hair and body wash. Johnson and Johnson always dried him out bad. I also still use the dreft laundry soap for all his clothes. Hopefully this helps you out some.

Olga, I have had eczema my entire life and I have quite literally tried every medication and cream on the market. Firstly, try to avoid steroid creams. I used them for YEARS and eventually they burned my skin and I now can't use them at all. I keep my eczema controlled with an over the counter emollient cream that I buy in Ireland and the U.K. (they don't sell it here in America) - maybe you can find it on the Internet? I get mine mailed from a friend :) It is what they use in Europe for babies in the hospital. It is 100% free of all oils, perfumes, etc. (most creams aren't even though they claimed to be). It's called emulsifying ointment. It can be applied directly to the skin (it's like a very thick moisturizer and totally stops the itch). It can also be mixed with water (it creates a soapy paste) and you can wash the skin with it (or put it directly in the bath water). Good luck, I totally sympathize!

My son has bad excema as well. When it is really bad (dry flakey patches) the only thing that helps is perscription strength hydrocortisone cream. The doctor also told us to give him a quick bath every night and use Dove moisturizing body wash. Then follow up immediately with Eucerin lotion. I find that if I follow this routine his excema stays under control. If we forget for more than a few days to lotion him up after the bath then it starts to come back. Good luck. If you decide to do allergy testing I'd be interested to hear what you find out. I might want to try it with my son too. Merry Christmas.

Have her tested for food allergies. My son is now 3.5 and was FINALLY diagnosed with food allergies at 15 months. He is allergic to about 20 foods. He had skin rashes as an infant that I was told were "heat rashes." I was breast feeding and he probably was reacting to what I was eating. They will probably test for "the top 8" and go from there. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions. A great resource to learn more about food allergies is foodallergy.org I hope her skin clears up soon. T.

Hi Olga,

I don't know if this will help but my daughter is prone to rashes when she takes antibiotics. Her doctor told me to give her Culturelle, a probiotic. She told me that it is very safe and is prescribed to infants for eczema. You can buy it at most drug stores and even Walmart carries it. It comes in capsules that you can open and sprinkle it on their food or in their drink. Check out their website for more information. It's worth a try.

C.

Hi Olga,
I have had eczema all my life & it's always been a problem. I recently went to a dermatologist(for another problem) but she recommended I try Eucerin. I have been using it for about a year now & my skin is so much better. In winter my skin would literally HURT. But not anymore...I still have issue's with dry spots on my skin but they don't hurt anymore, and are very seldom even itchy.
The doctor also recommended that I take lukewarm showers in the winter. The too hot water was removing the natural oils from my skin & making it worse. I use to get out the shower & my skin would be beat red....I know it's harder with smal kids but if you can limit the amount of hot water you use it may help. In the past I have used unscented/no color detergents but now that I use Eucerin it doesn't really make a differnce(except the cost...the clear one's are always more expensive).
Good Luck, I hope you found this useful...
Happy Holidays....
L.

Hi Olga,
My 4 yo daughter had eczema and out grew it but when she did have it, we would use hydrocortisone ointment (not cream) and on top of that, we would use aquaphor ointment. It seemed to take care of it for her and hopefully it will help your 3 yo too! Good luck and Merry Christmas!

I would recommend going to UCSF's pediatric dermatology department. It takes 6-8 weeks to get an appointment but it will be worth it. This is what they specialize in - pediatric dermatology. I had taken my son, who will be 1 year old in January, to 5 different dermatologists before getting the appointment at UCSF. Right when the doctor walked in she knew what he had and how to treat it. It was such a relief! He still has eczema even though we use a hepa filter, Dreft laundy soap, body Cetaphil soap & cream (not lotion), and have hardwood floors - but at least now the eczema is manageable with the perscription ointment he was perscribed. We saw Dr. Saw and she was great. We go back in February for a re-check. (MY son's is environmental and completely goes away if we stay at the beach but comes back within 12 hrs. of being back home.)
Good- luck!
~ D.

Hi Olga.... Merry Christmas!

... eczema has several challenges one of which is toxicity. I have assisted several children that have this challenge from birth and it has to do with the toxicity that runs through their body and the inability of their organs to handle it.
The skin is the largest detox organ. There is no way to get away from it in our world.

You can go to www.ewg.org and take a look at the umbilical cord study or the human toxome project... these will allow you to take a look at what has been discovered to be over 200 toxins running through babies in utero. I use a product called Natural Cellular Defense with babies from birth and have had much success in lowering the toxic body burden.
You can go to www.liquidzeolite.org for the info on liquid zeolites... and then to www. mywaiora.com/787149 for the product Natural Cellular Defense if you wish to take a look.
It is the only product I have found as a consultant that is safe for pregnant moms and babies.. my daughter took it with my first grandson who is now 15 months and is taking it with her second baby due in March. I have noticed a big difference in the overall health of children who have been on Natural Cellular Defense vs those who have not. Many children have allergies practically from birth and allergies and asthma are a symptom of toxic overload of the body.

You can to to www.sharethecause.live and listen to the triple board certified Medical Doctor and biochemist dicuss the issues at hand for this generation of children. If you would like assistance, you can give me a call if you like.

Also, you want to use organic soaps and lotions on the baby specifically for eczema.. www.californiababy..is an excellent source. Also, omega 3 deficiency is an issue usually.. add avocados to the diet and olive oil in foods..
organic ground flax can be added to most all foods...

I hope this info is helpful.. Happy Holidays.. L. M.
EveryDay Health Concepts--(916) 835--8101 ... mom of 4/ grandma and loving it...

hydrocortizone cream was the only thing that worked for my daughter. And not the stuff you by at the store. The doctor prescribed a stronger version of it. After a couple of days it was gone. I was also told not to use the johnson and johnson stuff. I've only used the Lever 2000 soap on myself and my kids, since it was recommended by a dermatologist when I had major acne issues to use.

Good luck.
J.
3 children, 6, 5, & 2

I also think you should have her tested for allergies as a previous poster suggested. My daughter also had an egg allergy and as soon as we eliminated that her eczema cleared up.

I noticed in a lot of the posting that everyone has great advice on how to treat the eczema topically and what to do to keep from flaring up. However, eczema is just another way for the body to show that there is an allergy somewhere. Please get your daughter to the allergist for testing. It may be an environmental allergy or something in her diet. I personally get really bad eczema if I ingest cows milk protein. So miserable! If I am completely off of it (as I have to be now because I am nursing and my daughter is also allergic to it) I am 100% eczema free. It is worth looking into! Good luck and hope your little one is itch free soon!

Hi Olga,
So sorry to hear that your 3 year old has eczema. I've had it most of my life and have tried everything to control it. I recommend that you use Cetaphil and Aquaphor. Both are over the counter and available at most drugstores (Longs, Rite-Aid, etc.). Bathing is not a problem provided you nourish the skin with cream. Remember that you are washing away not only the day's "dirt" but also body oils. You must replenish the oils with creams so the skin is moist. Dry skin leads to itching and scratching, and leads to rashes -- all in all a very bad cycle. I use Cetaphil cream all over my body after bathing or showering. Aquaphor is more like an ointment and best used for really bad rash areas, where there may be a break in the skin. If the rash is really bad, you could get a prescription from your doctor for a corticosteroid or the next generation products, like Protopic. I use them sparingly, but have resorted to shots when my flare up was out of control.
You might want to check out the National Eczema Association for more info on eczema.
Good luck,
L.
P.S. I've got more suggestions if you're interested.

Cetaphil. All their products are specially formulated for eczema. I had it when I was little and my son had it as a baby. I clean his face with Cetaphil and sometimes his body and hair too if he is really dry and itchy. When he was a baby that was all he got cleaned with. I used the Cetaphil waterless cleanser instead of the soap - you can still let her in the bath with that, just no drying soap will contact her skin. I also used a cream from Cetaphil that I would grease him up with in the morning and evening. Make sure you get the thick cream in the tub not just the lotion in the pump bottle. It should feel like body butter but has no colour or scent. Now my son is at the point where he can tolerate Johnson and Johnson head to toe baby wash about 2x a week and he also does well with Aveeno lotion. All these are available at Costco too. Sometimes with a local flare up I spread an extremely thin layer of cortizone cream on it so he will leave it alone and then put cream on top. Usually by the next morning he won't be bothering it anymore and I just use the cream. Also, check to make sure she doesn't have anything fungal. My son seems to get fungus on his skin (It lives on our body normally but most peoples immune system keeps it in check) when he is too wet somewhere (like the back of the pull ups) so I put a little Lamisil cream on there and let him run around without pants for a while. The best thing is the Cetaphil cream though. Also aquaphor cream seems to work well on those dry spots that kids with eczema get in the winter. As for detergent, my son is doing best with an "ecologically responsible" detergent which doesn't have all the normal stuff in it and a fragrance and color free softener. I've never used Dreft so I don't have experience with that, but I know that the regular Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo is more harsh on my son than the head to toe baby wash. I hope some of these suggestions help your little bunny feel better. I know just how she feels!

I have a friend who's child also had very bad Eczema and they had great luck with Nature's Paradise baby products. Here is the link. They also feature a testimonial about eczema. Added plus, it is all natural and organic! I use it for my son also but he hasn't had eczema but I love it!
http://www.naturesparadiseorganics.com/google34de###-###-...

Here is a link to folk remedies to cure eczema. This website if amazing to cure almost anything. I have used it several times and has success everytime!
http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/eczema.html#ACV

Good Luck!

I am going to ditto a couple people and put in a word for California Baby products and 7th generation detergent. I am extremely allergic to many foods and plants and have always had some eczema. My two boys often get it as well. The mere thought of Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo makes me itchy! My oldest seemed to have a rash somewhere for a long time. Go to the health food store and check out the baby aisle. Try to get petroleum free soaps/shampoos and any of the detergents. Detergents at the health food stores are cheaper than at supermarkets (Trader Joe's detergent is actually really good and cheap!) The baby shampoos at health food stores are more expensive, but they last longer as you only need a tiny bit at a time. Weleda creams were great for itchy spots and helped calm break outs when they were tots. Be sure to keep her in cotton clothes and dry/lubricated.... not too hot baths. I also use hydrocortozone cream or miconozole mixedwith aquaphor for really bad spots to heal and protect. It can take a whole week of treatment twice a day to clear up. I also agree that certain foods could be sending the signals to flare up. Usually wheat. It gets me for sure. Push for the testing! I finally did for me and found that I reacted to 18 of 24 typical household allergens and 9 of the foods!!! Limiting exposure to these thing and taking a regular OTC like claratin or zyrtec has done wonders.

Good luck!!

Elidel is a miracle drug. We put it on my daughter twice a day when her eczema flared up. With in days, it was gone. When it works, it works. When it doesn't, it doesn't. You'll know with in a day or so.

Stephanie

Hi Olga,

I understand what you are going through. It could be your environment that is creating this problem to begin with.

Most of us do not realize we are at war with our environemnt today and it is effecting our quality of health.

I live in a wellness home and it makes a difference.

If you would like more information let me know and I will give you a free consultation.

Happy Holidays.

N. Marie

I didn't read all the other comments so sorry if this is repetative, but my daughter also has eczema and has had it since infancy. We later found out she has food allergies that cause it to flare up when she has these foods. You may want to check into this as it will continue to be a problem if not addressed.

Olga,
WE use aquaphor and cetaphil on our excema. My kids get in patches on thier legs and I have it on my hands. Aquaphor is more for night time because it is so heavy and cetaphil for the day time. You could also try lubriderm, it has more oil in it than I can absorb though. I also have taken to using what they call foot creams on my hands and patches. I particularly like the one by bath and body works called "heel of approval".
Hope at least one of them will work for you. W.

I use Cetaphil cleanser which is more mild than most "baby" skin cleansers and contains no perfumes to irritate the skin. Then I put a lot of Aveeno moisturizer for sensitive skin (unscented) right after he is out of the bath and in the morning before dressing him. With any really bad flare-ups I put 1% hydrocortisone ointment on it and it goes away really quickly. Hope this helps.

Try the purified lanolin from Lanosh. It is waht they sell to nursing moms. It has worked great for a friend with a similar problem. It is safe if she gets it ineo her mouth and it is all natural.

my aunt introduced our family to Sarna apparently it's a fairly new OTC lotion that is especially great for eczema

My 7yo ds has suffered from severe eczema since he was 4 months old. We have been to numerous allergists and dermatologists and have tried just about everything. Here is what works best for us. We bathe twice a day for no longer than 10 minutes. We use Cetaphil cleanser as needed only on the bottom hands, feet and other areas that are obviously dirty. He gets out is wrapped in a towel and then immeadiatly creamed from head to toe with Eucerin cream or Aquaphor cream (make sure it is cream or ointment, not lotion). We then use his prescription creams on the worst spots and Calendula ointment on anysmall flare-ups. He gets a dose of prescription creams in the middle of the day. He is also taking a probiotic supplement (we get chewable Buddy Bears in the vitamin fridge section at whole foods) and a children's DHA supplement also from Whole Foods. We don't allow anything to touch his skin that isn't fragrance and chemical free. We use a filter to filter out the chlorine from our bath water. We use Biokleen laundry detergent and no fabric softener. All his clothes are 100% cotton or organic wool (regular wool causes major irritation). We wash all the bedding once a week in very hot water. No stuffed animals in bed with him that can't be washed in hot water. We try to keep the humidity up in his room with a humidifier. He eats all organic fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy. We are currently trying a wheat-free diet as eczema is often related to food allergies. Also when he is really bad, either can't sleep or is scratching unitl he bleeds we give him Benadryl.

Olga,

My toddler has eczema. I LOVE moon valley organics eczema salve (you can get it from Elephant, but they are often out), Disney natural eczema creme (from elephant also), and California baby. When the eczema is bad, Eucerin extra works well. Natralia cream (available at Berkeley Bowl) is especially good for diaper rash/eczema.

My favorite soap is the scent-free California baby.

My favorite laundry soap is 7th generation.

Note: Try switching creams every few weeks. It's an autoimmune disease, so it makes sense that you need to keep ahead of it by changing cream.

Maintenance is key. Put on lotion your baby at least 3 times a day.

This might be hard because you have two kids, but I found bathing my children almost every night and putting cream on right after the bath helped a lot. The reason is that the skin absorbs the most moisture right after a bath. Also, more baths reduce infections.

If you try to do food elimination, you need to FIRST use a steroid cream to get rid of the eczema, then try food elimination. It turns out my baby was allergic to citrus. No citrus, no eczema.

Wash your clothes and baby clothes in scent-free detergent. Always double rinse. Wash clothes often.

I really like the dermatologist Dr. Dunn in Berkeley. She has a good balance between non-drug treatments and the most mild drug treatment you need to get things under control. She has 3 children of her own and her staff is super nice. She runs on time, too.

> I really don’t want to keep going to the doctor for her rashes as it is always the same thing and we need to let her body get use to it to build up her immune system.

I am not sure what you mean by this. More exposure will make the allergies worse, not better. Exposure does not cure an allergy. Allergies get worse. You need to avoid exposure and wait until your baby outgrows it.

The eczema is keeping your baby awake at night, the scratches put her at risk for infections, and the scabs can cause permanent scars. Your baby needs sleep to grow, so it's important to bring down the rashes so she can sleep. Besides, when she's up, you're up and you need sleep!

Keep trying until you find what gets the eczema under control!

SR